Most people don’t think much about their retirement. They believe there is no need to think about it until it is near, or they think their employer will provide their retirement fund. The result can be a nasty shock, so review the article below in order to gain real wisdom.

TIP! Determine the costs you will face after you retire. Research has shown that most people need around 75% of their original income to continue being comfortable as they retire.

Reduce the little things you buy every week. Write down a list of all of your expenses and determine the items that you can do without. Spending money on things that are not necessary can represent tremendous expense in the course of a lifetime.

Most people look forward to their retirement, especially after they have been working for several years. Most people assume that retirement will be mostly fun because they will have so much time. This can certainly be the case, but it does take hard work to get to this point.

TIP! Start saving early and continue saving until you reach retirement age. Even if you need to start tiny, start today.

Your 401(k) is a great way to put away funds, especially if your company adds to it when you do. A 401k permits savings of pre-tax funds, thus allowing you to accumulate more money. If the employer matches your contributions, they are basically giving you free money.

If you can hold off on Social Security, do so. This will increase the benefits you ultimately receive. Doing this is easier if you continue to work or have other funds that you can use to fund your expenses.

TIP! Think about partial retirement. Partial retirement may be the answer if you are ready to retire but don’t have the money.

Look into what type of health plans you may need. Health often declines as people age. For some, this decline can lead to additional expensive healthcare costs. If you have a long term plan for health, you will be able to have the help you need at home or in an adult living center or nursing home.

Learn all about your employer’s pension plans. If there is a traditional option, see if you have coverage and find out how it works. If you happen to change jobs, find out what will become of your plan. Determine whether you will get benefits from a previous employer. Also, you may be eligible to get benefits through your spouse’s retirement plan.


Retirement may be a great time to start a small business that you’ve thought may be successful. Turn your hobby into a home career! This situation comes with low stress levels, since the retiree does not have to depend on the income to live on.

If you are 50 years old, you can make additional contributions to your individual retirement account. IRA’s normally have a limit of $5,500 per year of contributions. After age 50 that number goes up to approximately $17500. If you’ve gotten a late start on your retirement planning, this will help you save retirement funds at a quicker pace.

TIP! Are you feeling overwhelmed because you haven’t started saving yet? It’s not too late. Review your financial situation and start saving all you can.

When thinking about your retirement needs, figure that you’re going to keep your current lifestyle. Estimate that you will need about 80% of your current income each year you are retired. Remember not to spend too much of your money on your new pursuits.

With retirement coming, it’s important that you get all your loans paid in full as quickly as possible. You will have an easier time with your car and house payments if you get them paid in large measure before you truly retire. Lowering your debt load will make it easier to retire.

Social Security

Do not depend on Social Security to cover all of your living expenses. Social Security benefits may cover about forty percent of your living costs. You will need at least 70 percent of your current salary to live comfortably.

TIP! The belief is, once you retire, you’ll have the free time to do all the things you’ve dreamed about your entire life. Time does have a way of slipping away faster as the years go by.

What does your retirement income look like these days? You should include social security, employer pensions and any other benefits and income. You’ll have a more comfortable and secure retirement if you have more funds available to you. Consider diversifying your sources of income now so that you will have a variety of options later.

Think about getting a reverse mortgage. Reverse mortgages let you keep your home, but take a loan out against it. The loan doesn’t have to be repaid by you, it is taken out of your estate when you pass away. This will get you extra money you may need.

TIP! When you retire, you may want to start a small business. A lot of people turn their hobby into a successful business that they can do from home.

Try to make money with your passions after you retire. Perhaps you are creative and enjoy sewing, woodworking, or painting. Work on projects during the winter that you can sell at flea markets during the summer.

You may want to put aside money for your children’s tuition. It is crucial to throw money into your retirement though. There are school loans, grants and scholarships for your children’s schooling, and millions of young people have no problem going to school with that help alone. You have to first plan your money wisely because these things won’t be offered after you retire.

TIP! Even after age 50 it’s still possible to play “catch up” with your IRA contributions. Usually you can see that there’s a limit of 5,500 dollars that you’re able to save in an IRA.

You want to enjoy yourself when you’re older, so plan carefully. Have you begun to make any plans? You have spent your time wisely reading this article, so put the tips to use and start a better plan for retirement right away.