Do you know what FIRE is?

In the context of planning for your retirement, it stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early and it represents a philosophy where people become committed to a program of what many would consider extreme savings coupled with investments that aim to enable individuals to retire much earlier than traditional budgets and retirement plans would permit. While going to an extreme is not something all of us would or can commit to, applying some of the principles of FIRE can help to provide an income we can’t outlive, and can do so within a relatively short time frame. Call us if this topic is of interest to you. We’re always here to help you explore options you may not be aware of.

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Early retirement whether wanted or not

This week’s article tells us “More than a quarter of all workers say COVID has prompted them to move up their retirement date, found a survey released in February by the National Institute for Retirement Security.” One study even suggested that nearly 2 million older workers have left the labor force for good since the start of the pandemic. If you are one of these earlier than planned retirees and have questions about what to do for income, or when to take your social security, call us. We’re always here to help.

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Refresher

Some of you have inquired as to whether you can make an appointment to come in and have a general discussion about your retirement plans and current ideas for future financial sustainability. The answer is “Absolutely”! We are always here for you and are happy to have a refresher conversation about information you had given us in the past, explain how that need or objective is served in your current plan, answer any questions you have, or simply dialogue about new or confusing information you have received from someone else. Call us! We look forward to seeing you soon.

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You’ve heard it a hundred times

Most Americans haven’t saved enough for retirement. Clearly $0 in retirement savings is not enough, so just how much is “enough”? How do you know how much you should be saving, and at what ages, in order to reach your retirement goal?” If these questions are on your mind, you might like to learn that while the final answer will vary from person to person, some universal rules apply. Call us if you’re interested in dialoguing about those universal rules. We have a few ideas you might like.

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Wonder why it’s hard?

If you have ever wondered why it is hard to save money for retirement, this week’s article may be of interest to you. “Psychology is often just as important in personal finance as are the numbers – the way we save, spend and invest are all influenced by the way we think and feel, especially when it comes to preparing for future events like retirement.” This may be why it is hard to get the ball rolling on savings for something that either seems far away, or appears to be too difficult to achieve. Call us if you are looking for options that we think are easy, and that guarantee an income when you’re in your golden years. We’re always here to help.

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Risk

While you may know that you cannot avoid risk in your life, you can prepare for it. Depending on your stage in life, there are specific risks you may want to think about, and incorporate into your planning. We read about three key stages of evolving needs and the risks associated with them, and thought to share them with you this week. 1) Providing for your family’s future, 2) Protecting what you’ve worked for, and 3) Passing on your legacy. Call us if you’d like to discuss any of these, or are looking for suggestions on how to accomplish the specific goals you have in mind for your financial future. We’re always here to help.

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Independent Living

Commentary:
Sometimes when we think of our later years in retirement we neglect to reflect on what savings we might need to have for the ‘buy-in’ into an independent living facility, and focus only on the possibility of health care costs and the monthly fee we will be charged for rent and food and more. If you are looking at your savings and wondering where or how you will come up with the larger sum of money for that ‘buy-in’ but still have income you won’t outlive for the rest of your expenses. call us. We have some ideas you may not have considered. We’re always here to help.

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Senior Life Style

I thought to share with you this week’s article because it discusses tips for saving money after retirement. It’s important to remember that “it’s never too late to save, even after retirement.” The author tells us “With increasing life expectancies and financial uncertainties leading up to retirement, here’s how to get on track once you’re retired.” Take a look at the guide provided in the article and then call us if you’d like to hear our ideas. We’re always here to help.

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Is it time to wind down on saving?

This week’s article ask the question “When do you stop saving and start enjoying the fruits of your labor?” Assuming “you’ve done all the right things—financially speaking, at least—in saving for retirement. You started saving early to take advantage of the power of compounding, maxed out your 401(k) and individual retirement account (IRA) contributions every year, made smart investments, squirreled away money into additional savings, paid down debt, and figured out how to maximize your Social Security benefits.” An interesting question, especially when the manner in which you receive your income stream from your savings may vary. Call us if you’d like to discuss options you may have to start that wind down sooner. We’re always here to help.

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We have a Fifth Way

This week’s article suggests us four things to do if we want to save enough to retire in 10 years, but we have an additional idea. As you accumulate those savings meant to carry you through retirement alongside of your social security, we suggest putting some or all of those savings into a place where your principal is guaranteed not to go down if the market does, and where you know that you will receive a guaranteed income for as long as you live. If you tell us how much income you are hoping for in retirement, we can help determine how much you would need to put into this product which is free from market downturns. Call us, we’re always here to help, even if that means just doing the math so that you better understand how close you are to reaching your retirement savings goal.

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