Planning for retirement is crucial to ensure that your nest egg is sufficient to cover your needs in your golden years. However, there are several expenses that can drain your retirement savings if not properly anticipated and planned for. Here are seven expenses to consider and how to plan for them.
1. Healthcare costs can be significant, even with Medicare coverage. This includes expenses for prescriptions, surgeries, and long-term care. To plan for these costs, it is recommended to have a health savings account (HSA) or a similar fund specifically for medical expenses. Regularly reviewing your health insurance and considering supplemental insurance can also help mitigate these costs.
2. Homeownership can lead to major expenses, especially as homes age and require significant repairs like roof replacements or plumbing issues. Setting aside a home maintenance fund and conducting regular home inspections can help anticipate and spread out these costs.
3. Inflation can significantly impact your future savings, as you’ll need to take larger withdrawals to make up for the higher cost of living. Investing a portion of your portfolio in stocks that historically provide better returns than bonds and cash can help mitigate inflation. Maintaining a diversified portfolio is also important in the long run.
4. Many retirees find themselves financially assisting their adult children, from student loans to cell phone bills. Setting boundaries and having open financial discussions with family members is essential to ensure this support doesn’t derail retirement plans.
5. Taxes can decrease your take-home income in retirement. Tax planning is key, and one strategy is to convert retirement accounts to tax-free accounts through a Roth IRA conversion. Making retirement savings contributions to tax-free investments such as a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k) is also worth considering. Seeking professional advice can help optimize your tax strategy.
6. Market downturns can have a significant impact on retirement savings. Setting aside at least three years’ worth of income in a low volatility account can provide stable results during market downturns. Rebalancing your portfolio as needed will also help manage market risk.
7. Longevity has increased thanks to advances in healthcare and technology. Planning for a longer retirement is crucial, as you may live into your 90s or even 100s. To combat the increased cost of living longer, have a rainy-day fund, periodically review and adjust your financial plans, consider long-term care insurance, and continuously educate yourself about financial trends related to retirement.
By carefully considering and planning for these expenses, you can help protect your retirement savings and feel confident about your financial future.
Sources:
– Taylor Kovar, certified financial planner and CEO at The Money Couple and Kovar Wealth Management
– Jeff Busch, partner and investment advisor representative at Lift Financial
– HealthView Services Financial
– Bureau of Labor Statistics
– Merrill Lynch
– National Center for Health Statistics
