Saturday, July 9, 2011

Calculating Your Post-Retirement Income

By Takara Alexis


Whether we decide to acknowledge it or not, retirement is creeping up on us. Even for those who have just started their career, retirement planning is essential to obtaining a secure future for themselves and their loved ones. But that does not mean we're defenseless against time. In fact, with the proper planning, life after work can be the most rewarding years of your life.

One of the most simple ways to start planning for retirement is figuring out your post-work income. Post-work income is the amount of money you will need to live comfortably at current income levels, after you have retired. That means having enough money to live comfortably without worrying about running out. It also means making sure you have enough extra to do the things you've always wanted to, like travel, or just simply relax!

Your post-retirement income heavily depends on the age you wish to retire and how much money per-year you wish to spend. Usually, you want to have between 75 percent and 95 percent of your pre-retirement income available to you, ever year. This way, you will not be forced to deal with a drastic drop-off in the way you live.

Many people become accustomed to living on a certain income, and it is important to remain consistent after retirement. People are living longer too, so you'll also want to take that into account, along with inflation. In general, it's been said that in order to preserve your retirement assets, you'll want to take out 6% or less of them each year.

By running it through a series of tests, professionals can see what possible risks and warning signs might come up. Say, for instance, if you or a spouse were put in a long-term care facility at some point during retirement, your advisor could look at your determined number and see if it will hold up under the strain.

By figuring out the exact amount of post-retirement income you will need, you've taken the first step towards saving for your retirement. Once you get that out of the way, you've begun down the path of securing your future. Asking for assistance can be crucial, because an expert can tell you if your number will hold up in case of emergencies or other unexpected events. Meeting with a professional and determining how much you need to save is the first step towards determining future goals for retirement. It will wake you up to the real number you need to reach.




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