Retire With Confidence: A Guide to Retirement Planning

Mar 2, 2023 10:15:00 AM / by Jason Shaw

Confident RetirementRetirement is one of the most important milestones in a person's life. It is a time when you can finally relax, travel, and enjoy your hard-earned savings. However, retiring with confidence and financial stability requires careful planning. Retirement planning is a crucial aspect of personal finance. It is the process of setting goals, developing strategies, and making decisions to ensure you have enough income and assets to sustain you throughout your retirement. Many people today face the prospect of retiring without adequate planning and preparation. As a result, they risk running out of money in their golden years.

When to Start Retirement Planning?

Early retirement planning is crucial for ensuring a comfortable and secure future. The earlier you start, the more time you will have to build your nest egg and make wise investments. Additionally, starting early gives you the opportunity to take advantage of compound interest, which can help your savings grow exponentially over time. Furthermore, by starting early, you have the flexibility to make changes to your retirement plan if necessary and adjust to any unexpected expenses or life events. With early planning, you can feel confident that you have taken control of your future and are making steps toward a comfortable and worry-free retirement.

How to Start Retirement Planning?

The first step in retirement planning is to determine your retirement goals. You need to determine how much money you need to have saved by the time you retire to maintain your standard of living. Once you have determined your retirement goals, the next step is to assess your current financial situation. This includes reviewing your income, expenses, debts, and assets. You must also determine your current savings rate and assess whether you are on track to meet your retirement goals.

The Impact of Inflation on Retirement Planning

Inflation is a critical factor to consider when planning for retirement. Inflation erodes the purchasing power of your money over time. For example, if the inflation rate is 3% per year, the cost of goods and services in Des Moines that cost $100 today will cost $103 in a year's time. Over an extended period, the impact of inflation can be significant.

It is essential to consider the impact of inflation when determining your retirement goals and assessing your current financial situation. You need to factor in the impact of inflation when determining the amount of money you need to save to maintain your standard of living when you retire.

Understanding the Options for Generating Retirement Income

Once you have determined your retirement goals and assessed your current financial situation, the next step is to understand the various options for generating retirement income. There are several options available, including:

Social Security: Social Security is a government-sponsored program that provides retirement income to eligible individuals.

Employer-Sponsored Plans: Many employers offer plans to help employees save for retirement. These plans are tax-advantaged plans that allow employees to save and invest a portion of their salary for retirement, with the option of making pre-tax contributions (401k) or post-tax (Roth) contributions.

Pension Plans: Pension plans are employer-sponsored retirement plans that provide a dependable source of income when you retire.

Investment Income: Investment income includes dividends, interest, and capital gains generated by investments. Investing is one of the best ways to grow your retirement savings. Consider investing in a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. This will help you maximize your returns and reduce your risk.

Annuities: Annuities are contracts with insurance companies that provide a reliable source of income for your lifetime or a specified period.

It is essential to understand the various options available for generating retirement income and choose the options that best suit your needs and goals.

Seek Professional Advice:

Finally, consider seeking professional advice from a financial advisor. A financial advisor can help you understand your options and guide you through creating a retirement plan. Even with proper planning, government legislation can affect those plans. For example, Governor Kim Reynolds recently signed House File 2317 into law, which excludes retirement income from Iowa taxable income for eligible taxpayers. A financial advisor can help you understand and navigate how these changes affect you.

At Boelman Shaw, we offer personalized and comprehensive retirement planning services to help clients achieve their financial goals. With a team of experienced and knowledgeable financial advisors, Boelman Shaw provides tailored investment strategies and a wide range of retirement planning solutions. By choosing Boelman Shaw, clients can have peace of mind knowing their future is being looked after.

Tax and accounting services provided through Boelman Shaw & Company, LLC. Advisory services provided through BSC Capital Partners, LLC a state of Iowa registered investment advisor.

Topics: Retirement

Written by Jason Shaw