The new approach to retirement readiness is here and it’s based on the belief that when you take the time to educate yourself, proactively analyze and strategize and then build and implement an informed plan, you’ll enjoy a more confident and comfortable retirement. Retirement happens…get ready with our complimentary Readiness kit below.
“People who have a written retirement plan accumulate 4x as much in assets as those who don’t.”
-2015 Wells Fargo retirement study
Here in our Retirement Readiness Kit, you’ll see a variety of content (in a number of formats) to help you get started with your retirement plan.
You can interact with the content at your own pace, in any order you please, or follow the steps we’ve outlined. There’s also a wealth of information on our website. Once you’ve reviewed all of the materials, you can request any of our complimentary assessments at the bottom of the page. We look forward to helping you get ready for retirement.
Step 1: Envision: Retirement is More Than Money
Review these 4 Life in Retirement Exercises to consider your preparedness for retirement outside of financial concerns.
Step 2: Educate: Test Your Retirement IQ and Learn What You Don’t Know About Retirement
We’ve compiled a list of the most important 30 questions you need to answer as you prepare for retirement. Retirement Power Hours affiliated advisors are uniquely skilled in helping you address these tough, but necessary questions. If you don’t pass the test (or if you want to beef up your retirement knowledge, be sure to check out our online e-classes). Knowledge is power.
Step 3: Take an Inventory of What You’ve Got
Regardless of the planning system you use, we recommend you start by taking an inventory of your assets, income and expenses as a key part of discovering if you have enough of the “right stuff” to last throughout retirement. Our multi-discipline planner below allows you to get a snapshot of all the disciplines in your retirement plan in one place and what you’ve got in each area. The planner becomes the catalyst for completing your full retirement plan.
Step 4: Analyze: Determine if Your Savings & Income Will Last
The most important area to focus on in retirement readiness is determining if your savings and income will last a potentially long retirement. Life, and retirement is about making the right decisions. And there’s no shortage of critical decisions to be made about your retirement. Informed decisions are the most impactful on your financial security. In the analysis step, you’ll want to research, gather the data, and assess the options for making sure your income lasts throughout retirement. It’s also extremely important to consider and calculate the retirement risk factors we all face such as longevity, volatility and taxes, to name a few. If you ignore any of these factors in your analysis, your portfolio could be significantly impacted.
Step 5: Strategize: Build Your Retirement Plan
Once your analysis has been completed, the next step is to review various strategies and build your retirement plan. Planning for income distribution in retirement is COMPLETELY different from the accumulation phase of your life. Your portfolio will have a completely different set of goals and strategies. A reliable plan will address:
- How to suitably invest retirement assets for growth, while minimizing portfolio volatility and preserving principle?
- How to mitigate key risk factors that can sabotage your retirement?
- What’s the appropriate income distribution method to utilize, which reflects each client’s individual needs?
- When to apply for Social Security to try to maximize income benefits?
- How to eliminate your tax burden in retirement?
Step 6: Retirement Planning Isn’t Easy…Get Help from a Hybrid “Retirement” Advisor
While retirement planning is imperative, it certainly isn’t easy. The accumulation phase of your life is easy compared with retirement. There’s so many more considerations and issues to address in retirement. While you can certainly undertake retirement education and be your own advisor, we recommend that you make the investment in working with a hybrid “retirement” advisor who has the experience and know-how every retiree needs. The investment is much more afforable than you think, potentially saving you thousands and thousands of dollars in bad decisions. Not just any advisor will do.
Read this article on why you should work with a hybrid retirement advisor
Next Steps: Don’t Let Procrastination Derail Your Retirement Plans
Procrastination is the number one reason people don’t have a written retirement plan. Don’t let this happen to you.
We recommend you learn more about our approach to getting your retirement right, which includes being guided by a RetireMentor throughout the process.
You can also get matched with an affiliated Hybrid Retirement Advisor and get started on a plan today or request any number of assessments below.
Request an Assessment with an Affiliate Advisor
Our affiliate advisors can perform a number of different assessments to help you determine if you’re on the right track. Submit your details and we’ll be back in touch shortly. Feel free to email us at: help@retirementpowerhours.com.