Courtesy Sterling Manor Financial LLC
By Stephen Kyne, CFP®
Navigating the world of retirement planning can feel daunting. With a mix of jargon, acronyms, and seemingly contradictory advice, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. However, much like any successful long-term strategy, the foundation of a secure retirement rests on a few core principles: starting early, being consistent, and having a clear plan. This Q&A breaks down the essential first steps to help you get on the right track.
Q: This all seems so complicated. When should I actually start saving for retirement?
A: The simple, unwavering answer is: now. The single most powerful tool in your financial arsenal is compound interest, which is the interest you earn on your initial investment and on the accumulated interest from previous periods.
Think of it this way: if you invest $10,000 and it earns an average of 7% per year, after one year you’ll have $10,700. The next year, you earn 7% on the full $10,700, not just the original $10,000. Over decades, this effect snowballs, allowing your money to do much of the heavy lifting for you. The person who starts saving in their 20s has a monumental advantage over someone who waits until their 40s, even if the late-starter contributes more money annually.
Q: How much do I actually need to save? Is there a magic number?
A: While there’s no universal “magic number,” there are excellent rules-of-thumb to guide you. Many financial advisors suggest aiming to save 15% of your pre-tax income each year for retirement. This includes any contributions your employer might make on your behalf.
To figure out your ultimate goal, a common guideline is the “4% Rule.” This principle suggests that you can safely withdraw 4% of your retirement savings in your first year of retirement, and then adjust that amount for inflation each subsequent year, with a high probability of your money lasting for at least 30 years. To use this, you can work backward: estimate your desired annual income in retirement and multiply it by 25. If you think you’ll need $60,000 a year, your target nest egg would be $1.5 million ($60,000 \times 25).
Q: I’m ready to save. Where should I be putting the money?
A: Some of the best place to start is with tax-advantaged retirement accounts. The most common are:
• 401(k) or 403(b): These are employer-sponsored plans. Your contributions are often made pre-tax, lowering your current taxable income. The biggest advantage is the employer match. If your employer offers to match your contributions up to a certain percentage, you should contribute at least enough to get the full match—it’s essentially free money and a 100% return on your investment.
• Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA): Anyone with earned income can open an IRA. There are two main types:
• Traditional IRA: Contributions may be tax-deductible, and your money grows tax-deferred. You pay income tax on withdrawals in retirement.
• Roth IRA: You contribute with after-tax dollars (no upfront tax break), but your investments grow completely tax-free, and you pay no income tax on qualified withdrawals in retirement.
Q: What should I invest in within these accounts? Stocks? Bonds?
A: This is where you structure your plan to succeed. A portfolio should be diversified, meaning you don’t put all your eggs in one basket. The core components are stocks and bonds. Stocks (equities) offer higher potential for long-term growth but come with more volatility. Bonds are generally considered safer and provide stability and income, but with lower long-term returns.
A common strategy is to hold a higher percentage of stocks when you’re young and have a long time horizon to recover from market downturns. As you approach retirement, you may gradually shift your allocation to be more conservative, depending on your actual need for growth and risk.
As always, your circumstances are unique. As helpful as rules-of-thumb may be, it’s important to evaluate your specific needs in formulating a long-term plan to help ensure a successful retirement. Be sure to consult your Certified Financial Planner® professional for a strategy that’s right for you!