Retirement Planning

You wake up in the morning and get ready for work. You pack your briefcase and then drive to the office where you spend 10 hours working at your desk. At seven you drive home, eat a bite and then go into your home office to finish up a few work items. Lights out at midnight but your mind is still on work and you find yourself thinking about your next day of work. The work just never seems to end. Does this sound somewhat like your life? Unfortunately, many Americans fall into a life revolving around their career and find it very unsatisfying.

As a whole, Americans work the longest week in the industrialized world. In fact, a look at the past 30 years shows a quickly rising rate of work. Since 1970, the number of hours worked by the average American has risen 20 percent, while the number of people working more than 60 hours a week is at a record high. Many would also argue that even though they may not be at their job, they spend much of their time thinking about or dealing with work-related issues. What does this all mean in the long run? Shorter hours with our families, lack of hobbies and personal interests, increased stress, less sleep, and possibly serious illnesses.

But what can we do about it? It is simple. Most business experts, government agencies, and healthcare representatives advocate that Americans learn to take a break. Many are taking their advice and choosing to simplify their work lives. This includes shortening their workweek, choosing work they love, and cutting out the non-essentials in their lives. Most find that they feel healthier and happier, as well as perform better on the job.

We can offer advice on changing current work habits, how to get organized, advise on ways to take more time off, how to possibly find a new job or passion, and then help you learn how to use your newfound free time with benefits for you and your health.

Not ready for a full out move into retirement? Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Many people look forward to retirement but for one reason or another aren’t ready to jump in with both feet. Maybe they aren’t ready for the sudden lifestyle changes. Maybe it’s lack of savings that’s holding them back. Or maybe they haven’t reached the government’s full retirement age. No matter what the reason, many people are choosing to phase into retirement instead of entering a complete, traditional retirement.

Using this option provides a number of benefits. You can keep working and continue making payments to your retirement accounts and savings plans. At the same time you can also begin enjoying some of the benefits of retirement. Cutting back hours and decreasing your work responsibilities at a slow pace can open time for personal activities, traveling, and family.

However, phasing into retirement is not something you should do on the spur of the moment or with little forethought. Planning is of the utmost importance as you negotiate this transition. You will need to calculate your ultimate retirement date, optimize your savings plan, and create a phasing schedule with your employer. Make this life transition the beginning of a new and rewarding stage of your life.

Our advisors can help check over your financial situation. We review your 401(k) plans, private pensions, savings, and any other investments in order to help you know how much money you have available to support you after retirement. Our goal is to help you determine how much you still need to save and to help you plan for the future to ensure your financial stability after you retire.

Did you dream about retirement when you started your career so many years ago? Did your dream of retirement include sipping exotic drinks on your own private island? Visiting your house on the Riviera? Sailing around the world and doing all the things you didn’t have time for while you were working? These dreams become a reality for a small minority, but for most people, the main goal of retirement is merely living comfortably, staying healthy, and having adequate protection from potential unfortunate circumstances.

Beginning in 2011, every single day more than 10,000 baby boomers will reach the age of 65. That is going to happen every single day for the next 19 years. Even though most have fairly realistic goals for their retirement lifestyle, many don’t have enough money to support them. The Center for Retirement Research found that nearly half of today's workers, at their current savings rate, will be unable to fund a comfortable retirement. According to surveys, 66 million workers between the ages of 24 and 64 don’t have any retirement savings. You read that right…nothing. According to the 2006 Retirement Confidence Survey, more than two-thirds (68 percent) of current workers report that they and their spouses have accumulated less than $50,000 in retirement savings.

Research shows that more than half of people age 65 or older receive half or more of their income from Social Security, and 15 percent have no other source of income. According to another recent survey, 24 percent of US workers admit they have postponed their planned retirement age at least once during the last year. However, on a more upbeat note, research from Rand points to the fact that people are choosing to work in retirement, and the future points to an increase in this trend. Here are some of their findings: 1) 44 percent of retirees worked for pay at some point after retirement; 2) 83 percent of baby boomers intend to keep working after retirement; and 3) 14 percent of those currently working say they'll never retire.

Whether you someday choose to work for economic reasons, existential reasons, or an amalgam of the two, the most important thing, no matter what stage you are in, is to talk to a financial advisor now to design a plan that works for your current and future needs.

A beach condo in Florida. A golf and tennis community in Arizona. Jet-setting to Paris for six months … then Rome … then Madrid … Or maybe just a cozy ranch house near the grandkids …

When envisioning your dream retirement, you need to think about what you’re doing to do, and also where you’re going to do it. Many people consider relocating the standard retirement option, but there are a lot of factors that go into changing your residence, especially if you’re going to move to another state.

Our advisors can help you categorize your spending and make real estate recommendations in order to ensure your spending is aligned with your goals. This will also help you understand how much you can safely spend without jeopardizing your long term financial security.

You can start taking your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, or as late as age 70. Determining the best age to take that benefit is a key retirement decision that affects both the amount of the benefit and your tax picture.

If Social Security is going to be your sole source of retirement income, you probably won’t have to pay taxes on it. You’ll also probably find yourself in a lower tax bracket than the one you were in while working. But for most folks, Social Security is not a generous enough benefit to maintain the quality of life they want from retirement. Ideally, Social Security should be part of your retirement plan, but not THE plan in and of itself.

Through our sophisticated software, we can analyze hundreds of different Social Security income strategies and determine which option will maximize your benefits the most.

One of the biggest adjustments for new retirees is the shift from employer-subsidized health care to Medicare. Navigating the various options the government makes available can be challenging, especially if you have any special medical needs. If possible, sit down with a health insurance professional who can walk you through the following key issues, and any other needs specific to your retirement scenario.

You can take Social Security benefits starting at age 62. For Medicare, you’ll have to wait until age 65, unless you’re receiving Social Security Disability Insurance. If you’re able-bodied and do retire early, you’ll have to buy insurance on the marketplace, or pay the annual penalty.

We can help with a referral to a qualified Medicare Consultant who can explain all of your options and ensure you do not miss and important deadlines.

Making the switch to living off your retirement assets triggers changes to your tax picture. In almost all cases, retirement income is taxed using a 1099 form. Unfortunately, there are 16 variations on this form, one for each type of retirement account. Depending on how many retirement, investment, and savings account you and your spouse have, you might receive several copies of this form at tax time. They’re not duplicates, make sure you keep them all.

Many new retirees front-load their retirement withdrawals, because they plan on doing more at the start of their retirement years: travel, sports and recreation, more nights out for dining or entertainment, a new home purchase. As these retirees settle into old age, their spending settles in too.

Our advisors can help build your financial plan so that it accounts for any short-term and long-term experiences or purchases you want to make in retirement, and include a scheduled reduction in withdrawals so you are provided for later in life. We can also discuss tax considerations so that you can retire with peace of mind.

There are a few key ages to keep in mind as you get closer to retirement:

• Age 55: You may withdraw retirement plan savings without penalty if you leave your job or retire.
• Age 59½: You may withdraw money from qualified plans/IRAs without IRS penalty, as long as the plan allows.
  
  
• Age 62: The earliest age when you may begin collecting Social Security.
  
  
• Age 65: You become entitled to Medicare coverage.
  
  
• Ages 66–67: The Social Security full retirement age, depending on when you were born (see above).
  
  
• Age 70: The latest age to start receiving Social Security benefits.
  
  
• Age 72: You must start required minimum distributions (RMDs) from your retirement plans.

Whenever you plan to retire, it's essential to create a strategy today. By reviewing your personal situation, a financial professional can help you set and work toward a target retirement age.