Retirement should not seem like a sprint to the finish line, especially given the current quality of life that many are lucky enough to enjoy. Given that the average retirement age is approximately 66 years old, many working professionals have plenty of time to plan their retirement transitions and make it one of the most enjoyable stages. Let’s look at how you might make a seamless transition into retirement.
Transition into retirement planning
- Jump-start your savings
If you’re nearing retirement, jump-starting your savings might help you pay off your mortgage faster or ease your children’s transition into independent life. To boost your monthly savings and prepare yourself for a seamless transition to retirement, start saving at least one-fifth of your salary.
When you opt to accelerate your monthly savings at this stage in your life, you benefit by making higher payments to your 401(k) or other retirement plan and postponing a larger amount of taxes. When it’s time to retire, you may concentrate on paying your taxes while withdrawing money from your retirement account.
Before deciding how much you want to contribute each year, make a cash flow prediction to see how much money you’ll have left over after completing your annual payments. Cash flow projections can also help you figure out your financial situation after retirement.
- Revisit your investment strategy
It’s a good idea to revisit how you’re investing your financial assets as you get closer to retirement. Soon-to-be retirees should strive for prudent retirement transition programs that account for inflation.
A good level of diversity is essential for people in their 50s and 60s who don’t want to be overly cautious with their investing approach. Diversify your investment portfolio with assets like government-issued bonds, money market funds, and other cash equivalents.
The one thing that every employee retirement transition plan should have in common is a plan to reduce the impact of inflation on their purchasing power. An overly cautious investing strategy invites increasing inflation to eat away the retirement funds. At the same time, an excessively aggressive investing approach might expose you to considerable financial loss, jeopardizing your ability to retire on time.
- Decide how you’ll spend your time.
Coping with a retirement transition can be easy if you can discover what you would like to do to live your retirement happily and stress-free. It’s critical to find time for the activities that make you happy and are unrelated to the stress of estimating your income and savings. After all, it’s pointless to methodically prepare for a financially secure and healthy retirement to waste your newly acquired free time.
Conclusion
It is feasible to plan for a seamless transition into retirement and then relax and enjoy your newfound freedom if you are in your 50s. Start saving now by choosing to invest in your company’s retirement plan.
