When can you retire?

The answer is…when you have enough money to meet your financial life needs for as long as you live. Now, let’s determine how long you’ll live, what your expenses are today, what they’ll be tomorrow, and then let’s look at your ability to fund your lifestyle.

Sound simple? Definitely not.

There’s a lot of audacity to taking on this challenge. The farther away from retirement you are, the more difficult to determine the amount you’ll need, yet it can be done. The closer you get to retirement, well, more specifics are known and yet the task can still be daunting. Why? Well, the thought of trying to figure out whether or not you can leave your full-time profession and live your dream life in retirement stops many from actually doing what is necessary in the present. And that’s planning. That’s why we call it “having the courage to plan.”

And, it truly is a bit of courage that brings our clients to the table to work on a financial plan for a financially sustainable, as well as, healthful lifestyle. But, we are here with some straight-forward thinking that will get you on the right path for you and your family.

You see, we’ve found that it’s a lot about “what” retirement means to you in order to figure out “when” you can retire.

7 Tips in planning for your retirement

Here are a few tips to help you begin to answer the question “When Can I Retire?” We believe that once you know these answers, you’ll be better able to actually plan for your retirement.

• Do you love what you do so much that you plan to work part-time at it in your next phase?
• Are you the type of person that desires to quit working entirely and just plan to relax, perhaps travel, start a hobby that has a cost associated with it in retirement?
• Do you have dreams of starting your own business in retirement or begin a different, if less profitable, job? Perhaps something you’re passionate about that you aren’t doing today?
• What expenses will you no longer have in retirement…mortgage? No longer need a 2^nd car?
• How much do you spend annually today? Do you currently have a spending plan to give you certainty of this number?
• Any specific health concerns for you or a close family member?
• Do you save and invest regularly? If so, do you know if your savings and investments are enough for your next phase?

Once you’ve answered these questions, we feel, you’re off to a great start in finding the peace of mind that knowing what lies ahead for your next phase can bring. Step 2 is getting a financial planning partner. A financial planning partner can put it all together to document a plan for your future.

For more information about retirement, check-out more of our blogs including…How to Plan for your Retirement.

Important Note:  Please note that nothing in this post should be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase an interest in any security or separate account. Nothing is intended to be, and should not be taken to be, investment, accounting, tax or legal advice. If you would like investment, accounting, tax or legal advice, you should consult with your own financial advisors, accountants or attorneys regarding your individual circumstances and needs. No advice may be rendered by Lenity Financial, Inc. unless a client service agreement is in place.

Sources:  Lenity Financial, Inc. – It’s more than just money.

Other resources:  ssa.gov