3 Retirement of baby boomers can not afford to make mistakes
Sunday, February 6th, 2011The year 2011 will see a lot of Baby Boomers turn age 65. I want to address three errors baby boomers can not afford to do.
# 1 Error: Not enough savings
It is easy to cover because many baby boomers are not saving enough for retirement. Their parents and grandparents had social security and pension income. The two combined was to survive and live a pretty decent collection.
Today, many baby boomers will only social security income. To compensate for the difference they will need their savings. If you are under 65, it’s time to increase your retirement savings to the maximum. You need to put the maximum into your 401k and your Roth IRA. If you’re saving for retirement is necessary to include a plan to make it last. This leads to error # 2.
Mistake # 2: Spending too much too soon
Before reaching retirement, you should examine the costs and revenue opportunities. Yes, it is obvious, but many wait until two or three months to develop a plan. One strategy to ensure that the retirement money will last is the answer to 4%. (I went into detail in another article).
A quick review of the solution of 4%. You do not want to withdraw more than 4% of your retirement account the amount of savings. For example, if you saved $ 500,000 would not withdraw more than $ 20,000 per year.
As baby boomers retire, they’ll see this big 401k balance, for example, $ 500,000 and trying to figure out what to buy. Maybe a new car for a retirement present or pay the mortgage. This may sound good, but economically it might affect your retirement.
An average baby boomer couple has a 50% probability for one spouse to live up to the age of 92. In addition, 25% chance he will live until the age of 97 years. Saving for retirement can be for a period of 30 to 35 years. Spending too quickly could devastate the retirement plan.
# 3 ERROR: NOT ENOUGH risk taking
Yes, this seems a strange error, but stay with me. Let’s say you retire today, with $ 500,000 and decided to implement the solution at 4%. However, it was decided to put all your money in bank CDs. Currently only bank CDs pay about 1% to 2% per year if your lucky. Now, for your After the solution of 4%, which withdrew from the main annual 4% vs 1%.
Over the past decade, the stock market has performed badly, in fact one of the worst periods of 10 years longer. Now, this does not mean that the stock market continues to play badly, because I remember financial advisers tell us that “past performance is no guarantee of future performance.” This is true both stock markets good and bad.
Having said that most financial advisors recommend a party to be invested in equity funds at any time. The amount depends on the individual investor. Some may want 25%, about 50%. Nevertheless, a certain percentage of a retirement of baby boomers should be invested in mutual funds.
What about the remaining percentage of 50% to 75%. This must be shared between the pools of bonds and cash, like CDs or money market funds. CDs play a role in retirement planning, but not the money you need to pass. Part of the solution at 4% will cost should be in a money market fund or cash.
I hope this gives you some ideas and tips on what to do before and during the years of retirement.