5 Tips to Help You Ace Your Retirement!

How many of you are already started planning your “New Year’s resolutions” even though it is only November? I think some of us have a year-long list that just keeps going and going and at the end of the year, we put a title at the top proclaiming that we WILL do these things in the coming year. I know people who are firm believers in those resolutions and people who have sworn to never even breathe the WORD resolution because of how guilty they feel when they fail to mark even one thing off the list.

So – resolution list or not – is saving for retirement something that you have done, started doing, or are the person who closes your eyes and hopes that it will go away and do itself? I know, with one-hundred-million-trillion things on your to-do list, you will get to this eventually, right? NO! I know it feels like putting it off is making you feel better about it, but then when it does come time to really, finally, take a look at your retirement plan, you will regret waiting. How do I know? Because I have been there and done that. I made that mistake FOR you.

So, listen up!

Saving for retirement can feel daunting, but you can do it. Using resources like AceYourRetirement.org you can get personalized, simple tips on how to jumpstart your retirement savings and make sure you are on track. And while there are a multitude of places on the internet to find help, this was one of our favorites because it was interactive and gave us great tips based on what we already had started doing. My husband has a thrift plan at work, which is similar to a 401k and we have always contributed to it. But, until recently, I did not know enough to know that we should have been contributing MUCH more than what we were. Just an example – we were contributing 3% of his paycheck and his company matches that 3%. That means we are getting 3% FREE money. Great, right? YES! But for almost 10 years, we could have been getting 8% free money. So, in my eyes, because I chose to procrastinate, I lost out on a LOT of free money!

By using resources like AceYourRetirement.org, I was able to take tangible, actionable, recommended steps to increase that free money and make it work harder for ME, instead of me worrying and stressing about having to even think about the word retirement. So, after doing this and seeing what I had missed out on all of these years, of course I was frustrated. But, at least now I know that it is not nearly as scary and daunting as I had once thought. I may not be a finance expert, but I have taken real steps to secure a more stable financial future and retirement for me and my husband.

I feel very fortunate to have found this and other resources to help me step up my game while I still have time to invest! Unless we hit the lottery, it will probably be a good 30-35 years before we see retirement. So doing everything we can to pump up our retirement savings will ensure that we get to relax and enjoy the fruit of our labor when the time comes.

According to a recent survey from AARP and the Ad Council, more than half of people in their 40s and 50s say that feeling more confident about saving for retirement would help them feel less stressed (54%). And 46% would be happier knowing they are taking care of their family’s future.

Do me a favor and visit AceYourRetirement.org and see if Avo has tips to help you jumpstart (or re-kickstart) your retirement savings. Then come back and tell me what you learned!

Here are a few tips to consider that may help you maximize your retirement savings:

• Make it a Family Affair – While gathered with your family for the holidays, discuss your savings plans and retirement goals, and what you can do today to achieve them. It’s important for everyone in the family to be on the same page about your financial goals and priorities.
• Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late – Start planning now what age you plan to retire and when you plan to start taking your Social Security benefits. Earning a few more years of income could really help you grow your nest egg, and delaying when you start collecting Social Security increases your annual benefit.
• Do Your Research – If your employer offers matching funds for your retirement savings plan, make sure you’re contributing at least enough to get the full employer match.
• Put Pencil to Paper – Brainstorm ideas for earning money in retirement, such as turning a hobby into a source of income, or taking on seasonal part-time work.
• Use Available Resources – Visit resources such as AceYourRetirement.org to get your personalized action plan in just three minutes. Your digital retirement coach, Avo℠, will reveal the top three simple, practical things you can do right now to make sure your retirement plan is on track.

Where will you start with your retirement planning? What’s your biggest challenge today?