Tag Archive for Saving for Retirement

Are You Sabotaging Your Retirement?

May 14, 2018 Investing No comments
Are You Sabotaging Your Retirement?

Are You Sabotaging Your Retirement?We all dream of that day in our future when we?ll officially leave the workforce to enjoy an endless amount of free time.

You might envision yourself moving to someplace warmer, finally getting around to every hobby you wanted to pick up, golfing, vacationing, getting through your to-read list, or simply enjoying the fact that you can do whatever you want with your day.

Like most employees you probably put away a portion of your paycheck towards your 401(k) or other retirement fund. However, like many others, you likely do that and only that, and your retirement fund is something that?s simply out of sight and out of mind.

If that?s the case for you, you could be sabotaging your retirement without even realizing it. Here are three ways you could be doing just that.?

1. Not Saving Enough

When it comes to your retirement, the more money you put in now, the more you?ll have in the long-run. That being the case, whether you?re saving only a small portion or not saving at all because you don?t think you can afford it, not saving enough is one surefire way to sabotage your retirement fund.

No matter what, start putting away as much as you can as soon as you?re eligible to participate in a retirement plan. Begin with at least 2-3% and work your way up one percentage at a time when you can afford it.

If you don’t have access to a 401(k) through your employer, you can start investing for retirement with an online broker like Ally Invest.

Ally Invest has an industry-low price of $4.95 per stock trade and has numerous free tools to help you start saving for retirement.

2. Failing to Factor in All of Your Needs

Thinking about your end goal now might seem like a lot, but come actual retirement, it might not be as much as you think. The worst thing you can do is underestimate how much income you?ll actually need.

Think about all of your needs and what kind of lifestyle you hope to have in retirement, then create a solid plan to save for those needs.

By doing so, you?ll ensure your comfort and keep yourself from having to worry about finances or re-enter the workforce as you?re trying to enjoy the rest of your life.

3. Borrowing from Your Savings

The basic principle behind a retirement fund is putting money aside in order for it to build up over time. Start borrowing from that fund or taking out small loans, however, and you?ll lose valuable time and money.

No matter if you pay that loan back, you?ll still miss out on interest you?d otherwise have accrued. Be sure you?re also putting other savings away to use when you really need it. You?ll have money to fall back on in a crisis and keep your retirement fund untouched.

In the moment, taking money out of your paycheck for retirement can seem painful. Moreover, depending on your paycheck, it can seem downright impossible.

Nonetheless, no matter your financial situation, you should do your best to add to that 401(k). And when you do, be sure to plan out and accommodate all of your needs, save as much as you can, and leave that money right where you put it. Come your time to relax from the workforce, you won?t have to worry about money.

 

At what age did you start saving for retirement? What portion of your paycheck do you put away currently?

 

Photo courtesy of: paulbr75

How to Start Investing on a Limited Budget

September 24, 2014 Investing 7 comments
Start Investing on a Limited Budget

Start Investing on a Limited BudgetNo matter how limited your budget might be, you should always try to find a way to put aside money for your future. I know it can be difficult to start investing on a limited budget, but it is possible ? you just have to find ways to do it and make it a priority.

I spoke with investors everyday who felt that they couldn?t start investing with little money and most often it came back to other choices they were making. Granted, some were truly strapped and had few options but that was not the case for the overwhelming majority.

The key to start investing on a limited budget, as it is with most things budgetary related is to look at where your money is going. For many that?s going to mean trying to find ways to save money here and there which will then add up to something you can put into an investment account once per month or quarter. With that in mind, there are two great ways to start investing on a limited budget I?ll cover below.

Start Investing on A Limited Budget Through Your 401k

We are in the day and age where companies are no longer providing us pensions and have replaced those with 401(k) plans. The beauty of the 401(k) is your money is taken right out of our paycheck before the tax is even paid on it. What that results in is lowering the amount of taxes coming out of your paycheck as it?s now being directed to your 401(k). I don?t know about you, but I?d much rather have that money in my retirement account as opposed to going to the IRS.

The common excuse I heard from many was they could not afford to put money in their 401(k). I understand that fear, but it can be done. If that?s not reason enough, many companies provide a match if you decide to invest ? which means they?re giving you free money. Is there any better? The match varies by company, of course, but this is a great way to get started investing on a limited budget as comes directly out of your paycheck and little other work is needed on your part.

Invest in a Roth IRA

If your company does not have a 401(k), this does not give you the excuse to throw up your hands and not start investing. There are many other options available to you and they come in the form of a Roth or Traditional IRA. Each of these has their own set of pros and cons and I?ll direct you to the IRS to see what those major differences are. There are going to be different tax implications with each so you?ll want to speak with a tax professional to see what might work best for you.

Personally speaking, I tend to go with a Roth IRA as the contributions made are after-tax contributions. What that means for you is that you get no tax benefit now, but when you withdraw at retirement those funds are withdrawn tax fee. That?s not too bad at all in my book.

Where Do You Invest

One of the biggest struggles I saw investors deal with was thinking that they couldn?t start investing with little money. That, thankfully, is a myth as many discount brokerages?allow you to open a retirement account for as little as $250 or nothing at all. If you don’t have $250 to start with then you can also set aside a certain amount each week or month until you hit that amount.

Assuming you do have something to start with, you can open an account with a brokerage like Motif Investing and begin saving for retirement for as little as $250. By starting out with that amount you can build it up to a more sizable amount over time while still putting something away for retirement. There are also many other options to consider, such as Scottrade, which is where I do most of our investing with. Scottrade allows you to open an IRA for as little as $500. That is a common entry requirement for many brokerages, as is $1,000.

Another option to keep in mind is if you need or want help managing your investments. It used to be that assistance was only available to those with a lot of money to invest. Thankfully the robo-advisor space changed that for investors with little money. Many robo-advisors, such as Wealthfront, allow you to start investing with as little as $500 and still get the benefits of professional management of your funds.

You might think it?s impossible to start investing on a limited budget, even with the different options available. While it can be difficult, it is most certainly possible. You can start by putting away $50 per month until you hit the amount needed to open a brokerage account and use it as a goal to drive you. You can also use funds from a side hustle to fund your investing. The point is there are options available to you if you?re wanting to start investing with little money.

 

What suggestions do you have for those wanting to start investing on a limited budget? How did you get started when you had little in terms of resources?

 

 

 

Photo courtesy of: Lending Memo