#retirement #RetirementCrisis #RetirementAccounts #pensions
The three legs of the retirement stool are rickety, at best.
As Bob Pisani put it in his article for CNBC, all three legs – retirement savings, pension and Social Security – “are all in dire shape.” His article was published April 1, 2019.
The article was published to plug CNBC’s new financial wellness initiative it calls, “Invest In You: Ready, Set, Grow, “ published in partnership with Acorn.
At Vanguard, the financial services group, the median 401(k) account value for an investor age 65 and older is a mere $58,035,” the article says.
That’s about a year’s salary for the average person, and a pittance, considering all the time these folks had to save.
The St. Louis Fed concluded, “It could be worrisome that, for many American households, the total balances of their retirement accounts may not be sufficient to ensure a solid life in retirement,” the article says.
There could be many reasons for this crisis. The average person can do little about the condition of Social Security, or if their employers have cut back, eliminated or never offered pensions.
The savings part is the only thing within a person’s control.
If you are already in the 65-and-older cohort used in the Vanguard numbers, starting to save more may be advised, but it may be an exercise in futility. Working until you die may not be an option, either, because employers may not want you around anymore, or because your job is so demanding you’ll kill yourself before you get to retire.
If you are young, start socking away money now, however you can. As it grows, move it carefully from a bank to a more lucrative investment. Get good trustworthy advice as you do this.
If you are not sure how to begin saving, find a good financial coach. Bear in mind your income may not be the issue. Your spending may be the key to saving. Keep track of where every penny goes. Those pennies saved can be dollars earned in the future, to borrow from Ben Franklin.
If you are middle aged, and still have a decent job, but have very little, if anything, saved for retirement, start socking money away in bigger chunks. Again, that could involve analyzing spending habits to find savings.
Finally, no matter your age, job situation, education or background, there are many ways out there to earn extra money by devoting a few, part-time hours a week away from your job, or you can devote more time if you don’t have a job. The money you could earn could dwarf what you are otherwise earning, or did earn, at a regular W-2 job.
To check out one of the best such vehicles, message me.
The responsibility for retirement security has gradually, over the decades, be foisted upon individuals. Some 50 years ago, one knew he had a secure job, with a pension coming, as long as he or she behaved himself or herself, did satisfactory work etc. Social Security, plus that pension, and maybe a stress-free, part-time job in retirement could make one comfortable.
Pension plans and Social Security have become less stable, though Social Security should be around in some form for years to come. Pension plans? Not so much.
So the burden largely falls on the individual to secure his own retirement. If savings alone isn’t going to give you what you want in your later years, perhaps it’s time to think about doing something different – perhaps something you thought you would never do
Peter