10 Things To Do If You Want To Retire Soon But Have No Savings (2024)

FAQs

10 Things To Do If You Want To Retire Soon But Have No Savings? ›

If you retire with no money, you'll have to consider ways to create income to pay your living expenses. That might include applying for Social Security retirement benefits, getting a reverse mortgage if you own a home, or starting a side hustle or part-time job to generate a steady paycheck.

If you retire with no money, you'll have to consider ways to create income to pay your living expenses. That might include applying for Social Security retirement benefits, getting a reverse mortgage if you own a home, or starting a side hustle or part-time job to generate a steady paycheck.

Seek professional financial advice

If you need assistance or have questions about how to save for retirement, or how much, consider seeking professional advice. Brokerage companies like Fidelity and others offer one-on-one retirement planning, advice and overall coaching to help you reach your financial goals.

#1: Find out where you stand.

Here are some items that could change as you age: your retirement date, expected future expenses, savings tally, and potential income sources. It's also a good idea to put your plan to the test from time to time. You can use a retirement calculator to see if you're saving enough.

20% of adults ages 50+ have no retirement savings, 61% worry they won't have enough at retirement, as per new AARP survey. Plus six tips to start saving now.

Financial planners often recommend replacing about 80% of your pre-retirement income to sustain the same lifestyle after you retire. This means that, if you earn $100,000 per year, you'd aim for at least $80,000 of income (in today's dollars) in retirement.

First, the earlier you retire the longer your money has to last. If you retire at age 40 and expect to live to age 90, for example, you'll need to save enough money to last a half-century. Waiting until you're 65 to retire, on the other hand, can ease some of the pressure to save.

What is the $1000 a month rule for retirement? ›

One example is the $1,000/month rule. Created by Wes Moss, a Certified Financial Planner, this strategy helps individuals visualize how much savings they should have in retirement. According to Moss, you should plan to have $240,000 saved for every $1,000 of disposable income in retirement.

Yes, it's very possible to retire comfortably even if you start saving at 40. Regular contributions to your retirement accounts will go a long way toward making that dream a reality. Take advantage of catch-up contributions after the age of 50.

The 3% rule in retirement says you can withdraw 3% of your retirement savings a year and avoid running out of money. Historically, retirement planners recommended withdrawing 4% per year (the 4% rule). However, 3% is now considered a better target due to inflation, lower portfolio yields, and longer lifespans.

3-4 Months Before Retiring

Check with your credit union, employee organization, or insurance plan to see if certain types of payroll deductions can be continued into retirement. Check with your health benefits officer or personnel office to determine your eligibility for health and dental coverage as a retiree.

December 31. As above, December 31 has the benefit of a full month of income with the pension starting the next day. This is a common date for federal employees, who are the kings and queens of gaming the retirement system. Retiring on December 31 is likely to maximize your unpaid annual leave check.

Yes, it's very possible to retire comfortably even if you start saving at 40. Regular contributions to your retirement accounts will go a long way toward making that dream a reality. Take advantage of catch-up contributions after the age of 50.

Financial planners often recommend replacing about 80% of your pre-retirement income to sustain the same lifestyle after you retire. This means that, if you earn $100,000 per year, you'd aim for at least $80,000 of income (in today's dollars) in retirement.

Running low on money in retirement, on the other hand, can mean a reduction to your current standard of living — but not necessarily a descent into full-on poverty. Americans can rely on at least one source of guaranteed income in later life: Social Security.

Unless you have a secret plan to get free money or you're lucky enough to hit the lottery, not saving enough for retirement will leave you scrambling to get by in old age. At the very least, you'll need to work longer or make serious adjustments to your lifestyle to get by.