Catching Up on Retirement Saving

If you are starting at or near 50, consider these ideas:

Do you fear you are saving for retirement too late? Plan to address that anxiety with some positive financial moves. If you have little saved for retirement at age 50 (or thereabouts), there is still much you can do to generate a fund for your future and to sustain your retirement prospects.        

Contribute and play catch-up. This year’s standard contribution limit for an IRA (Roth or traditional) is $5,500; common employer-sponsored retirement plans have a 2018 contribution limit of $18,500. You should try, if at all possible, to meet those limits. In fact, starting in the year you turn 50, you have a chance to contribute even more: for you, the ceiling for annual IRA contributions is $6,500; the limit on yearly contributions to workplace retirement plans, $24,500.¹  

Look for low-fee options. Lower fees on your retirement savings accounts mean less of your invested assets going to management expenses. An account returning 6% per year over 25 years with an annual expense ratio of 0.5% could leave you with $30,000 more in savings than an account under similar conditions and time frame charging a 2.0% annual fee.²

Focus on determining the retirement income you will need. If you are behind on saving, you may be tempted to place your money into extremely risky and speculative investments – anything to make up for lost time. That may not work out well. Rather than risk big losses you have little time to recover from, save reasonably and talk to a financial professional about income investing. What investments could potentially produce recurring income to supplement your Social Security payments?

Consider where you could retire cheaply. When your retirement savings are less than you would prefer, this implies a compromise. Not necessarily a compromise of your dreams, but of your lifestyle. There are many areas of the country and the world that may allow you to retire with less financial pressure.

Think about retiring later. Every additional year you work is one less year of retirement to fund. Each year you refrain from drawing down your retirement accounts, you give them another year of potential growth and compounding – and compounding becomes more significant as those accounts grow larger. Working longer also lets you claim Social Security later, and that means bigger monthly retirement benefits for you.

Most members of Generation X need to save more for their futures. The median retirement savings balance for a Gen Xer, according to research from Allianz, is about $35,000. A recent survey from Comet Financial Intelligence found that 41% of Gen Xers had not yet begun to build their retirement funds. So, if you have not started or progressed much, you have company. Now is the time to plan your progress and follow through.^3,4

Ronit Rogoszinski, CFP® may be reached at 800.773.9282 or rrogoszinski@slatestonewealth.com

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This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note – investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.

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To contact Ronit please feel free to reach her on 800-773-9282 or rrogoszinski@slatestonewealth.com

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Citations.

1 – irs.gov/newsroom/irs-announces-2018-pension-plan-limitations-401k-contribution-limit-increases-to-18500-for-2018 [10/25/18]

2 – businessinsider.com/401k-fees-devastate-retirement-2017-5 [5/10/17]

3 – fool.com/retirement/2018/02/07/heres-what-gen-xers-have-saved-for-retirement.aspx [2/7/18]

4 – entrepreneur.com/article/309746 [3/2/18]

Ronit Rogoszinski has been demystifying investment strategies for individuals, families and business owners for over 25 years.  Specializing in transitioning widows and widowers, pre-retirees and divorced individuals through major life changes, Ronit’s expertise is translated to actionable, prudent strategies that are   customized to each individual’s unique   situation. As a result, Ronit has become a trusted advisor to her clients, developing lifelong friendships while partnering in the management of their financial plans.

Author: Ronit Rogoszinski

Ronit Rogoszinski is a passionate advocate of financial literacy for women who specialized in transitioning widows, pre-retirees and divorced individuals through major life changes. Applying her skills to each client’s circumstances enables her to translate recommendations into actionable, prudent strategies that are customized to each clients’ unique situation. As a result, Ronit has become a trusted advisor to her clients, developing lifelong friendships while partnering in the management of their financial plans. Ronit is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™ certificant who combines formal education with life long experience, which has led to a holistic all-encompassing approach for her clients and the creation of Women+Wealth Solutions. Individuals and families with inheritance, legal settlements, or sale of businesses who seek to become educated and confident in working with their financial advisor, look to Ronit for guidance in gaining financial knowledge, budget and cash flow management, portfolio and retirement solutions, as well as working with other outside professionals to best serve the client with guidance towards legal and tax solutions. Ronit’s calm, personal and relaxed nature helps put her clients at ease while remaining focused on the mission at hand, which is to help her clients realize their financial goals. Securities offered through...