Our daily roundup of retirement news your clients may be thinking about.
Retirement savers should not listen to market forecasts and instead stick to their strategies, as data show that they are likely to earn more than what they lose, according to this article on CBS Moneywatch. Clients who are approaching retirement or already retired should diversify their portfolio by creating other sources of income. They should optimize their Social Security benefits and supplement their guaranteed income streams by investing in stocks, specifically low-cost target-date funds.
Because of increased longevity many baby boomers opt to continue working through old age, redefining the concept of retirement in the process, writes a certified financial planner on Kiplinger. "One of the most satisfying aspects of my career is seeing the passion that older Americans are bringing to the retirement-transition process," writes the expert. "Money is just a part of the equation. Volunteerism, nonprofits, returning to school, starting a new business—these are the goals of many of the Baby boomers I work with."
Newly hired workers may sign up in their employer-sponsored 401(k) plan through auto enrollment, and when they do, they should make sure their contribution rate is high, according to this article from finance website Morningstar. They should also contribute enough to qualify for their employer's match and check if they can automatically escalate their contributions. Workers may opt for a target-date fund when choosing investments for their account, and they should ensure that they set up their beneficiary information.
After retirement a financial advisor learned that there are unforeseen expenses along the way, so it is important that clients ramp up their savings, according to this article on MarketWatch. “Retirement will cost you more money than you think,” says the expert. “Get real about it. Get a bigger nest egg than you think you’ll need because you will spend it.”
Clients can look forward to a more comfortable retirement, as technological advances will help them do things as their physical and cognitive health declines, according to this article from U.S. News & World Report. They will also probably have the option to work as a contract employee after they retire. Experts say that retirement planning may also have to change to adopt to new realities. For example, "retirement savings will have to increase and last longer to reflect this increasing longevity," says an expert.