For most people, the prospect of retiring can be an inviting proposition. Sadly, however, far too many people underestimate the amount of money they will need to maintain anything even remotely close to their current standard of living. Worse, some people fail to make any serious plans of any kind. To avoid having to rely on the mediocre income provided by Social Security, here's some advice for retirement planning Rockland MA workers need to consider.
The most important thing to remember is that there are only a finite number of working hours and years in the average worker's life. That means that, almost by definition, there is only so much time in which to plan for the end of one's career. As a result, every person should begin taking steps toward preparation as early as possible.
For most workers, any planning will involve a strategy of investments designed to maximize returns on savings. Though few people can manage to invest truly large sums in the stock market, the fact is that the vast majority of people can find some way to invest if they exercise common sense and solid budgeting practices.
Risk reduction is the key to successful investment, of course, and that most often translates into diversification. Smart investors utilize a combination of strategies that focus on stocks, mutual funds, and bonds. The exact mix of these different types of investments will evolve over the course of an investor's life, with a greater reliance on somewhat riskier investments in the younger years and a migration to safer vehicles as he gets older.
It is also wise to take advantage of 401(k) programs offered by employers. Not only are these an easy way to access stocks and other investment vehicles, but the plans can also help to manage tax requirements. In some cases, the employer actually matches each employee's contribution, making the decision to participate in the plan an obvious choice.
A worker's current lifestyle comes into play during planning as well. There is an obvious tendency for people to want to improve their standard of living as they age and make more money. It seems there's always a better car or a bigger house to buy. The drawback to that is obvious: every dollar spent frivolously today is one less dollar that can be invested for tomorrow.
It is also wise to learn to manage money efficiently while working. The average person lives from paycheck to paycheck, constantly spending every dollar he or she receives. While low incomes and other factors can sometimes make this a necessity, in many instances it is merely a matter of habit and an inability to live within one's means. Wasteful habits can dramatically reduce the money available upon retiring.
Those impoverished citizens are often left with little choice but to rely on government programs. For everyone else, however, the idea of retiring in a comfortable manner is one that can be turned into reality if the worker starts the process early in life. All it takes is control over spending, a good investment plan, and laser-like focus on the goal.
The most important thing to remember is that there are only a finite number of working hours and years in the average worker's life. That means that, almost by definition, there is only so much time in which to plan for the end of one's career. As a result, every person should begin taking steps toward preparation as early as possible.
For most workers, any planning will involve a strategy of investments designed to maximize returns on savings. Though few people can manage to invest truly large sums in the stock market, the fact is that the vast majority of people can find some way to invest if they exercise common sense and solid budgeting practices.
Risk reduction is the key to successful investment, of course, and that most often translates into diversification. Smart investors utilize a combination of strategies that focus on stocks, mutual funds, and bonds. The exact mix of these different types of investments will evolve over the course of an investor's life, with a greater reliance on somewhat riskier investments in the younger years and a migration to safer vehicles as he gets older.
It is also wise to take advantage of 401(k) programs offered by employers. Not only are these an easy way to access stocks and other investment vehicles, but the plans can also help to manage tax requirements. In some cases, the employer actually matches each employee's contribution, making the decision to participate in the plan an obvious choice.
A worker's current lifestyle comes into play during planning as well. There is an obvious tendency for people to want to improve their standard of living as they age and make more money. It seems there's always a better car or a bigger house to buy. The drawback to that is obvious: every dollar spent frivolously today is one less dollar that can be invested for tomorrow.
It is also wise to learn to manage money efficiently while working. The average person lives from paycheck to paycheck, constantly spending every dollar he or she receives. While low incomes and other factors can sometimes make this a necessity, in many instances it is merely a matter of habit and an inability to live within one's means. Wasteful habits can dramatically reduce the money available upon retiring.
Those impoverished citizens are often left with little choice but to rely on government programs. For everyone else, however, the idea of retiring in a comfortable manner is one that can be turned into reality if the worker starts the process early in life. All it takes is control over spending, a good investment plan, and laser-like focus on the goal.
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