RETIREMENT PLANS

How much do I need to retire?

The government has a standard for retirement, but your vision may look different. Understanding what kind of lifestyle you would like to enjoy in your later years can help you create a solid plan to achieve it.
Defining Retirement: Uncle Sam’s Perspective
Social Security may be one of several sources of income that you plan to take advantage of during your retirement. Technically, the earliest age you can start receiving Social Security retirement benefits is 62. However, receiving benefits as soon as you are eligible, either based on your own work history or receiving spousal benefits, can reduce the amount you receive each month.

To get the full amount of your benefit, you must wait until you reach what the Social Security Administration calls your full or normal retirement age. For people born between 1943 and 1954, the full retirement age is 66. The full retirement age ranges from 66 years and 2 months to 66 years and 10 months for people born between 1955 and 1959. If you were born after 1960, your full retirement age increases to 67.

Basically, the government defines retirement as the age at which you can claim all the benefits. Uncle Sam doesn’t take into account your personal financial situation, financial goals, health, or life expectancy. He also doesn’t take into account when he plans to retire or how he would like to spend his golden years.

Talk to a professional
The key to successfully defining retirement is to make it as personalized as possible. And connecting with a financial advisor can help you do just that.

“The best way to create your own financial independence plan is to work with an advisor who does not assume that your financial decisions will be based solely on a standard set of metrics,” says Linda Leitz-financial planner. “Work with an advisor who listens to what is important to you and sees your money as a way to meet your life goals.”
Finding the right local financial advisor to help you plan for your retirement doesn’t have to be difficult.
Once you hire an advisor, take some time to review your definition of retirement. You will want to discuss how much you need to save, whether your goals are realistic, and how to reach them. Tax planning and the possibility of long-term care should also be part of the discussion to ensure that your financial plan for the future is sound.