Retirement Planning

Retirement Planning Services

If you’re visiting this site, you are aware that you, and you alone, have the ability to impact your financial future. The one thing necessary to create a happy and secure retirement is planning. If you have a retirement plan in place, you will likely have a more financially secure retirement which will lead to more peace of mind and more opportunities to do what you’ve always wanted to do – whatever that is. The good news is you’re here and the sooner you get started, the better off you’ll be. So, welcome and let’s get this plan and your future nailed down.

Creating a Plan for Retirement Is the First Step

You can’t follow a plan until you’ve got a plan to follow. We’ll start by taking a look at where you are now, then identify the steps you may need to work on.

4 Key Questions to Ask When Planning for Retirement

Every person is in a different situation. The secret to creating the perfect retirement plan is listening to what YOU want.

Critical Retirement Considerations

It’s not a simple question to answer, but running some numbers will give you a good idea about where you stand.

Tips for Those Closer to Retirement

If you are within 5-10 years of retiring, every action you take becomes more critical. During these last few years, the decisions you make could make or break your retirement timeline.

Top Cities Where We Can Provide Retirement Planning Advice

Creating a Plan for Retirement Is the First Step

You can’t follow a plan until you’ve got a plan to follow. We’ll start by taking a look at where you are now, then identify the steps you may need to work on. If you’ve already got some things in place, great. If not, our retirement planners will help you take the steps necessary to get you on the right track. While earning and saving money are important, you can also improve your situation by cutting and prioritizing expenses, and following a specific plan. Take the first few planning steps, and begin to take charge of your financial future.

4 Key Questions to Ask When Planning for Retirement

Every person is in a different situation. The secret to creating the perfect retirement plan is listening to what YOU want. Our retirement planning experts will do just that. It’s your retirement – your future we are helping you plan, so it has to work for you and your individual situation. We start by looking at four monetary aspects of your life:

What do you want in retirement? Retirement dreams are as individual as the people who have them. Every retirement plan starts with setting your own goals to reach your desired outcomes. Our retirement planning specialists will walk you through the specifics of your goals and give you realistic expectations so you can adjust your plan accordingly. Our goal is to get you to your goal.
What are you doing currently? Debt, Expenses, and Savings The first step in financial security is managing your debt. Getting rid of debt is always the first priority. Second, you must manage your expenses. Debt and expenses are very often intertwined. If you have debt or expenses that are too high, you need to set up a more detailed budget and stick to it. The third item to focus on is saving money. Once you have a plan to eliminate debt and save some of your income, the final step is investing properly.
How much will you need in retirement? Based on your retirement goals, we will help you calculate what it will take to meet them. Making these monetary goals clear and obvious will help you know if you are on track for retirement or if you need to make some lifestyle changes to enable you to meet them. Again, the earlier you get started following this plan, the closer you will come to seeing your retirement dreams come true.
Where is your money coming from now? You must know and consider all money sources. Our retirement planning advisors will review your income sources including social security, any investments you have in your portfolio, home equity, etc. This will help you determine if you have to remain in the workforce at some level and when it makes sense to fully retire.

Remember, a goal without a plan is just a wish. Wishing your retirement will be good is not good enough. By working with one of our retirement advisors, you’ll have a solid plan to follow and your retirement years will be as good as they can be.

If you are in need of a retirement planning advisor now or in the near future, contact The Retirement Planning Group today to schedule an appointment with one of our professionals.

Critical Retirement Considerations

The biggest question – when can you comfortably retire?

It’s not a simple question to answer, but running some numbers will give you a good idea about where you stand. A good rule of thumb is to plan on living on 75% – 85% of your current income when you retire. Because you will be spending less on everyday expenses associated with working, payroll taxes, debt (hopefully you’ve paid that off), and retirement savings. Social security (or a pension) will provide some income, but the difference will need to come from your savings.

And don’t forget about new expenses, like higher health care costs, travel/vacation expenses, college tuition, children’s weddings, etc. If you foresee these expenses in your future, you may want to increase your target to 100% (or more) of your current income.

Make a plan to pay off your debt

Most people have some debt when considering retirement. For instance, you may have a portion of your mortgage to pay off. We will help you understand the implications of any debt and create a plan to pay it off. Knowing your options is very important, and that’s where our retirement advisors shine.

Consider medical care as a possible expense

If you are 65 years old, you will qualify for Medicare. You’ll need to apply for coverage 3 months before you turn 65. If you have retiree health benefits through your employer or other coverage through a spouse who’s still working, you’ll still qualify for Medicare. While Medicare covers basic health services, like hospital stays, doctor visits, and prescription drugs, it doesn’t cover long-term care services, vision, dental, or hearing aids, so you may need supplemental insurance. If you retire before age 65, and your employer doesn’t offer coverage for retirees, you’ll need to find your own coverage. If it is within 18 months of turning 65, COBRA insurance through your employer may cover you until you qualify for Medicare. You’ll have to pay the cost of this insurance out of pocket, but it will offer the same coverage as your employer plan. If you need to save for health care expenses, consider an HSA or health savings account that lets you save money pre-tax. Your retirement advisor will help you navigate the tricky landscape of Medicare to make sure you get the most out of your money.

Be smart about social security

While you can start collecting social security payments at age 62, you’ll want to know all of the ins and outs of how timing will affect your income. Our retirement planning advisors will let you know your options and how applying specific strategies to your social security can affect your income in your retirement years.

Tips for Those Closer to Retirement

If you are within 5-10 years of retiring, every action you take becomes more critical. During these last few years, the decisions you make could make or break your retirement timeline. Make sure you’ve got a professional retirement advisor to not only make sure you ask the right questions, but to answer them as well. The closer you are to retirement age, the more important it is that you call us to help you make the best decisions for your retirement. Trust the professional retirement advisors at The Retirement Planning Group.