While planning for retirement isn’t an exact science, financial experts agree on a few hard-and-fast rules for what you shouldn’t do, according to a recent NBC News article:
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1. Don’t be overly optimistic
While optimism is usually a welcomed attribute, when it comes to retirement, a more pessimistic view may be more appropriate. According to Tami Simpson, CFP and president of Wealth Financial Group West, a retirement management services and financial consulting firm in Southern California, “too much positive thinking isn’t the best recipe for saving…a healthy dose of pessimism is actually a good thing for your retirement planning.”
Simpson says that some people put off saving money because they “hope” things will simply fall into place down the road. People imagine the best case scenarios and don’t account for unexpected events that could occur.
2. Don’t underestimate your spending
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Many people underestimate how much they’ll be spending once they hit retirement. Wells Fargo financial adviser Fay Sheppard reminds her clients that “retirees often take more vacations, make more home improvements, and dine out more frequently than they did before they left the workforce.”
When planning for retirement, people need to be realistic and look at income, inflation, long-term care needs and emergencies.
3. Don’t focus only on investments
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According to Jeff Yeager, author of How To Retire The Cheapskate Way: The Ultimate Cheapskate’s Guide to a Better, Earlier, Happier Retirement, “paying off all of your debt before you retire is as central to a good long-term plan as the size of your retirement fund.” He believes that the greatest retirement asset is something you don’t have: debt.
4. Don’t worry about being “selfish”
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When it comes to preparing for retirement, experts says we must concentrate on our own financial well-being. This means that we stop paying for our children or helping friends or relatives. “It’s important to leave your retirement funds intact for yourself, no matter how hard it may seem to turn somebody down if they ask for money.”
5. Don’t put off your financial physical
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Similar to our yearly health physical, Jack Keeter, CFS, and president of Jack Keeter and Associates, advises that a periodic “financial physical” is the key to a healthy retirement. He insists that everyone meet with a financial professional before there’s a problem and review your financial health. We advise all of our estate planning clients to work with a good financial advisor. If you or a family member are in need of a referral please contact my office so we can put you in touch with a qualified financial advisor.
Have you or your elderly loved ones got your affairs in order by updating your Will and Trust so that your home and cash assets are protected from Medicaid and nursing home liens? There has been many changes in laws that may have impacted your estate plan. Call us for a review!
To register for a free estate planning workshop at the learning center go here: http://www.myfamilylifeplan.com/workshops-Registration-Form.php or call 781-871-PLAN (7526).
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation please call Attorney Patrick Kelleher at 781-871-PLAN (7526) or by email at Pat@myfamilylifeplan.com
Our firm helps families taking care of them for life. We not only “create” their Will and Trust, but we “maintain it and keep it updated” for them throughout their life! The meter is not running for our ‘Client Care Plan’ members!
Patrick J. Kelleher is a South Shore, MA resident and estate planning attorney serving and protecting families and businesses in the South Shore, MA area. For more information on estate planning visit our firm’s website at www.MyFamilyLifePlan.com where you can check out our Blog, free Newsletter library, free Estate Planning Channel on Youtube and sign up for a Free e-Newsletter!
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This article is not intended to provide legal or tax advice or create or imply an attorney-client relationship. No information contained herein is a substitute for a personal consultation with an attorney.
References: NBC News (December 6, 2012) “5 retirement-planning mistakes to avoid”
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