by Many people, regardless of their level of education or financial resources, need to start thinking about retirement. There is a 50% chance that a married woman born in the year 2000 will live to be 90.
Because of this, it’s entirely feasible that the phase of your life after work will last for twenty-five years or more. In all likelihood, you have a much longer life expectancy than you currently believe.
You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
In all likelihood, you are very well-versed in a wide range of subjects. When it comes to retirement, however, there are thousands of variables that can change how much money you have to live comfortably in old age.
I hope this is your one and only retirement. A successful retirement hinges on your ability to ask and answer important questions, but many lack the experience to do so.
Better Health Due to Less Stress
The stress level skyrockets when money issues arise. Health problems have been linked to money worries, with the American Psychiatric Association reporting that over 70% of adults worry about money.
Migraine headaches, heart disease, diabetes and insufficient sleep are just some of the diseases and disorders that have been linked to financial stress. In addition, stress and depression brought on by financial concerns can leave you unable to take pleasure in the here and now.
Your physical and mental well-being will benefit from the proactive steps you take today to improve your retirement planning.
Knowing Your Pension Plans Helps You Make Better Financial and Career Decisions
As you progress through life, you’ll be presented with a number of perplexing queries. In most cases, there is no simple yes or no answer.
For instance:
- Where do you see your career going, whether it be at your current company or one of your own?
- Do you think it’s a good idea to change your major or profession later in life?
- Do you have to pay for your kid’s college or can you find some other way to pay for it?
- What about a beach house? Can you afford one?
These choices can’t be made without considering the consequences to one’s financial stability. When you have a firm grasp of your retirement savings, you can make life-altering choices with assurance.
One of the most significant benefits of retirement planning is the improved quality of one’s personal financial and lifestyle choices.
Enjoy a Happier Marriage
It’s not shocking that financial strains are a major factor in the decision to divorce.
Arguments in a marriage are common when one or both partners have money problems, such as having different spending priorities or being in over their heads with debt.
You can put a lot of tension in your relationship to rest if you and your partner approach retirement planning from the same perspective.
If you remove the need to save money for retirement, you’ll have more mental bandwidth for more interesting choices, like where you want to live in your golden years.
To save your marriage, consider working with a financial advisor who is able to give you impartial, rational advice. One of the many benefits of careful retirement planning is a more peaceful marriage.
Forced Retirement Won’t Look So Scary
It’s great to retire at 55 if it’s in the budget, but it’s not so great to lose your job and have to start a new chapter of your life. Sad to say, nearly half of today’s retirees aren’t there because they wanted to. The vast majority were either fired or laid off, while some had to leave work early due to medical issues.
Having your retirement plan in place will put you in a much better position if you are forced to leave your job and retire early.
Even if you haven’t saved up enough for a comfortable retirement, having some money stashed away gives you more flexibility and time to make changes to your plans if you have to retire before you’d originally planned.
If you would rather continue working, you may want to consider entrepreneurship. Check out our post on starting a business for more information.
You Won’t Have to Worry About Being a Burden to Your Children
The ‘sandwich generation’: have you heard of it?
Those people are part of a larger demographic known as “split-parents,” because they provide financial support for both their parents and their children.
About 44% of middle-aged adults with dependent children have at least one living parent who could require care; 15% are full-fledged members of the sandwich generation, providing financial support to their parent(s) as well as their own children.
Medical expenses and the possibility of long-term care expenses should be part of any comprehensive retirement plan. With your bases covered, you won’t have to bother your loved ones to make ends meet.
You Can Be a Really Cool Grandparent
If you have saved enough money for retirement, you won’t have to worry about being a financial burden on your children, and you’ll have more freedom to spend time with your grandchildren.
It would be great to take the whole family on a yearly trip or have everyone over to your spacious vacation home.
If you want to be a more involved grandparent, having a stable income will allow you to travel to see your grandchildren more frequently and attend important events in their lives. Your ability to bond with your grandchildren won’t be hampered by financial constraints.
You Won’t Run Out of Money in Retirement
The prospect of running out of money is one of life’s most terrifying realities. A portfolio that seems sufficient at first glance may not be sufficient for your needs.
Preparing for retirement is crucial because it can reduce the likelihood of outliving one’s savings.
Your plan can assist you in determining the required rate of return on your investments, the appropriate level of risk, and the sustainable rate of withdrawal from your portfolio.
The right amount of savings will be in place when you finally retire, and your assets will be managed in a way that protects you against the unexpected so that you are never caught short in a downturn if you work with a financial advisor who specializes in retirement income planning.
Conclusion
There are, as you can see, a lot of good reasons to start thinking about retirement early.
You need to take the initiative and futureproof your finances if you want to reach your retirement goals. The earlier you begin saving and investing for retirement, the more comfortable your golden years will be.
As you approach retirement, you can choose from dozens of options designed to maximize your quality of life over the next quarter-century.
