Retirement fears

Paying the Bills: Potential Sources of Retirement Income

Posted on June 19, 2023 by - Retirement fears, Uncategorized

Piggy bank with stacks of coins beside it. Article title: Paying the Bills: Potential Sources of Retirement Income

Planning your retirement income is like putting together a puzzle with many different pieces. One of the first steps in the process is to identify all potential income sources and estimate how much you can expect each one to provide.

Social Security

The vast majority of people age 65 and older receive Social Security benefits. However, most retirees also rely on other sources of income.

For a rough estimate of the annual benefit to which you would be entitled at various retirement ages, you can use the calculator on the Social Security website, ssa.gov. Your Social Security retirement benefit is calculated using a formula that takes into account your 35 highest earnings years. How much you receive ultimately depends on a number of factors, including when you start taking benefits. You can begin doing so as early as age 62. However, your benefit may be approximately 25% to 30% less than if you waited until full retirement age (66 to 67, depending on the year you were born). Benefits increase each year that you delay taking benefits until you reach age 70.

As you’re planning, remember that the question of how Social Security will meet its long-term obligations to both baby boomers and later generations has become a hot topic of discussion. Concerns about the system’s solvency indicate that there are likely to be changes in how those benefits are funded, administered, and/or taxed over the next 20 or 30 years. That may introduce additional uncertainty about Social Security’s role as part of your overall long-term retirement income picture and put additional emphasis on other potential income sources.

Pensions

If you are entitled to receive a traditional pension, you’re lucky; fewer Americans are covered by them every year. Be aware that even if you expect pension payments, many companies are changing their plan provisions. Ask your employer if your pension will increase with inflation and, if so, how that increase is calculated.

Your pension will most likely be offered as either a single or a joint and survivor annuity. A single annuity provides benefits until the worker’s death; a joint and survivor annuity provides reduced benefits that last until the survivor’s death. The law requires married couples to take a joint and survivor annuity unless the spouse signs away those rights. Consider rejecting it only if the surviving spouse will have income that equals at least 75% of the current joint income. Be sure to fully plan your retirement budget before you make this decision.

Work or other income-producing activities

Many retirees plan to work for at least a while in their retirement years at part-time work, a fulfilling second career, or consulting or freelance assignments. Obviously, while you’re continuing to earn, you’ll rely less on your savings, leaving more to accumulate for the future. Work also may provide access to affordable health care.

Be aware that if you’re receiving Social Security benefits before you reach your full retirement age, earned income may affect the amount of your benefit payments until you do reach full retirement age.

If you’re covered by a pension plan, you may be able to retire and then seek work elsewhere. This way, you might be able to receive both your new salary and your pension benefit from your previous employer at the same time. Also, some employers have begun to offer phased retirement programs, which allow you to receive all or part of your pension benefit once you’ve reached retirement age while you continue to work part-time for the same employer.

Other possible resources include rental property income and royalties from existing assets, such as intellectual property.

Retirement savings/investments

Until now, you may have been saving through retirement accounts such as IRAs, 401(k)s, or other tax-advantaged plans, as well as in taxable accounts. Your challenge now is to convert your savings into ongoing income. There are many ways to do that, including periodic withdrawals, choosing an annuity if available, increasing your allocation to income-generating investments, or using some combination. Make sure you understand the tax consequences before you act.

Some of the factors to consider when planning how to tap your retirement savings include:

  • How much you can afford to withdraw each year without exhausting your nest egg. You’ll need to take into account not only your projected expenses and other income sources, but also your asset allocation, your life expectancy, and whether you expect to use both principal and income or income alone.
  • The order in which you will tap various accounts. Tax considerations can affect which account you should use first and which you should defer using.
  • How you’ll deal with required minimum distributions (RMDs) from certain tax-advantaged accounts. After age 72, if you withdraw less than your RMD, you’ll pay a penalty tax equal to 50% of the amount you failed to withdraw.

Some investments, such as certain types of annuities, are designed to provide a guaranteed monthly income (subject to the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuer). Others may pay an amount that varies periodically, depending on how your investments perform. You also can choose to balance your investment choices to provide some of both types of income.

All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, and there is no guarantee that any investment strategy will be successful.

Inheritance

An inheritance, whether anticipated or in hand, brings special challenges. If a potential inheritance has an impact on your anticipated retirement income, you might be able to help your parents investigate estate planning tools that can help reduce the impact of taxes on their estate. Your retirement income also may be affected by whether you hope to leave an inheritance for your loved ones. If you do, you may benefit from specialized financial guidance that can integrate your income needs with a future bequest.

Equity in your home or business

If you have built up substantial home equity, you may be able to tap it as a source of retirement income. Selling your home, then downsizing or buying in a lower-cost region and investing that freed-up cash to produce income or to be used as needed is one possibility. Another is a reverse mortgage, which allows you to continue to live in your home while borrowing against its value. That loan and any accumulated interest is eventually repaid by the last surviving borrower when he or she eventually sells the home, permanently vacates the property, or dies. (However, you need to carefully consider the risks and costs before borrowing.)

If you’re hoping to convert an existing business into retirement income, you may benefit from careful financial planning to help reduce the tax impact of a sale. Also, if you have partners, you’ll likely need to make sure you have a buy-sell agreement that specifies what will happen to the business when you retire and how you’ll be compensated for your interest.

With an expert to help you identify and analyze all your potential sources of retirement income, you may discover you have more options than you realize.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. We hope it has given you some insight into Social Security and retirement.  If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to contact us. We would love to hear from you. Our newsletter is a great way to stay up-to-date with our latest offerings and get helpful retirement planning tips. Signing up is easy; click here.

Source

Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. prepared this material for use by Social Security Benefit Planners, LLC.

Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. does not provide investment, tax, legal, or retirement advice or recommendations. The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on individual circumstances. Social Security Benefit Planners, LLC  provide these materials for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable — we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.

Social Security Benefit Planners, LLC and its affiliates are in no way associated with or approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Social Security Administration.

Myths and Facts About Social Security

Posted on March 7, 2023 by - Retirement Benefits, Retirement fears

Myth: Social Security will provide most of the income you need in retirement.

Fact: It’s likely that Social Security will provide a smaller portion of retirement income than you expect.Myths and Facts About Social Security

There’s no doubt about it — Social Security is an important source of retirement income for most Americans. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), nearly nine out of ten individuals age 65 and older receive Social Security benefits.1

But it may be unwise to rely too heavily on Social Security, because to keep the system solvent, some changes will have to be made to it. The younger and wealthier you are, the more likely these changes will affect you. But whether retirement is years away or just around the corner, keep in mind that Social Security was never meant to be the sole source of income for retirees. As President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “The system is not intended as a substitute for private savings, pension plans, and insurance protection. It is, rather, intended as the foundation upon which these other forms of protection can be soundly built.”

No matter what the future holds for Social Security, focus on saving as much for retirement as possible. When combined with your future Social Security benefits, your retirement savings and pension benefits can help ensure that you’ll have enough income to see you through retirement.

Myth: If you earn money after you retire, you’ll lose your Social Security benefit.

Fact: Money you earn after you retire will only affect your Social Security benefit if you’re under full retirement age.

Once you reach full retirement age, you can earn as much as you want without affecting your Social Security retirement benefit. But if you’re under full retirement age, any income that you earn may affect the amount of benefit you receive.

  • If you’re under full retirement age, $1 in benefits will be withheld for every $2 you earn above a certain annual limit. For 2023, that limit is $21,240.
  • In the year you reach full retirement age, $1 in benefits will be withheld for every $3 you earn above a certain annual limit until the month you reach full retirement age. If you reach full retirement age in 2023, that limit is $56,520.

Even if your monthly benefit is reduced in the short term due to your earnings, you’ll receive a higher monthly benefit later. That’s because the SSA recalculates your benefit when you reach full retirement age and omits the months in which your benefit was reduced.

What Is Your Full Retirement Age?
If you were born in: Your full retirement age is:
1943-1954 66
1955 66 and 2 months
1956 66 and 4 months
1957 66 and 6 months
1958 66 and 8 months
1959 66 and 10 months
1960 and later 67

If you were born on January 1 of any year, refer to the previous year to determine your full retirement age.

Myth: Social Security is only a retirement program.

Fact: Social Security also offers disability and survivor benefits.

With all the focus on retirement benefits, it’s easy to overlook the fact that Social Security also offers protection against long-term disability. And when you receive retirement or disability benefits, your family members may be eligible to receive benefits, too.

Another valuable source of support for your family is Social Security survivor insurance. If you were to die, certain members of your family, including your spouse, children, and dependent parents, may be eligible for monthly survivor benefits that can help replace lost income.

For specific information about the benefits you and your family members may receive, visit the Social Security Administration website at ssa.gov, or call 800-772-1213 if you have questions.

Myth: Social Security benefits are not taxable.

Fact: You may have to pay taxes on your Social Security benefits if you have other income.

If the only income you had during the year was Social Security income, then your benefit generally isn’t taxable. But if you earned income during the year (either from a job or from self-employment) or had substantial investment income, then you might have to pay federal income tax on a portion of your benefit. Up to 85% of your benefit may be taxable, depending on your tax filing status (e.g., single, married filing jointly) and the total amount of income you have.

For more information on this subject, see IRS Publication 915, Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits.

Myth: Social Security is going bankrupt soon.

Fact: Social Security is facing significant financial challenges, but is not going bankrupt.

Social Security is largely a pay-as-you-go system, with today’s workers (and employers) paying for today’s retirees through the collection of payroll (FICA) taxes. These taxes and other income are deposited in Social Security trust funds, and benefits are paid from them.

According to the SSA, due to demographic factors, Social Security is already paying out more money than it takes in. However, by drawing on the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund, the SSA estimates that Social Security should be able to pay 100% of scheduled benefits until fund reserves are depleted in 2034. Once the trust fund reserves are depleted, payroll tax revenue alone should still be sufficient to pay about 77% of scheduled benefits. So at that time, if no changes are made, beneficiaries may receive a benefit that is about 23% less than expected.2

That’s not good news, but Congress still has time to make changes to strengthen the program and address projected shortfalls. Until then, consider various income scenarios when planning for retirement.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. We hope it has given you some insight into Social Security.  If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to contact us. We would love to hear from you. Our newsletter is a great way to stay up-to-date with our latest offerings and get helpful retirement planning tips. Signing up is easy; click here.

1) Social Security Administration, Social Security Basic Facts, 2022
2) 2022 OASDI Trustees Report

Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. prepared this material for use by Social Security Benefit Planners, LLC.

Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. does not provide investment, tax, legal, or retirement advice or recommendations. The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on individual circumstances. Social Security Benefit Planners, LLC  provide these materials for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable — we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.

Social Security Benefit Planners, LLC and its affiliates are in no way associated with or approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Social Security Administration.

Minimizing Taxation of Your Social Security Retirement Benefit

Posted on February 12, 2023 by - Retirement fears, Social Security Benefits

Minimizing Taxation of Your Social Security Retirement Benefit

Your Social Security retirement benefit may be taxableMinimizing Taxation of Your Social Security Retirement Benefit

Did you know that you might have to pay federal income tax on your Social Security retirement benefit? If the only income you had during the year was Social Security income, then your benefit usually isn’t taxable. However, if you earned other income during the year or had substantial investment income, then you might have to pay federal income tax on part of your benefit if your total income exceeds a certain base amount.

If you have earned income or investment income over the base amount, you can use certain strategies to minimize (or even eliminate) the amount of tax you have to pay on your Social Security benefit. These strategies include changing your filing status and reducing your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). However, before using these strategies, consult your tax advisor for information on your individual situation.

Is your benefit taxable?

Determining whether your Social Security retirement benefit is taxable

Before you consider ways to minimize taxation of your Social Security retirement benefit, you must determine whether your benefit is taxable at all. Your benefit is taxable if one-half of your Social Security benefit plus your MAGI exceeds the base amount for your filing status.

Your MAGI includes taxable pensions, wages, interest, dividends, and other types of taxable income. It also includes tax-exempt interest income plus normally excludable income such as interest from Series EE savings bonds (which may also be called Patriot bonds) and the foreign earned income of U.S. citizens and residents.

Your filing status

When you fill out your federal income tax return, you choose your filing status based on your marital status. You can file in one of five ways: single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, unmarried head of household, or qualifying widow or widower (with a dependent child). For Social Security purposes, your filing status is important because the amount of income you can have before your benefit is taxable depends partly on your filing status.

The base amount for your filing status

How much income you can have before your Social Security benefit becomes taxable is known as the base amount. The base amount is determined by law and is not adjusted annually for inflation. The base amount that you use to determine the taxability of your Social Security benefit depends upon your filing status. Your base amount is:

  • $25,000 if you file as single, head of household, or qualifying widow(er)
  • $25,000 if you file as married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for all of the tax year
  • $32,000 if you file as married filing jointly
  • $0 if you file as married filing separately and you lived with your spouse at any time during the tax year

How much Social Security retirement benefit you received

At the end of each tax year, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will send you a form (SSA-1099 or RRB-1099) showing the amount of benefit you received during the year. You can use this to figure out whether any of your benefit will be taxable.

Adding it all up

You can use Worksheet A in IRS Publication 915, Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits to calculate whether your total income (as defined above) exceeds the base amount for your filing status. This worksheet has the following steps:

  • Enter the amount from box 5 of all your Forms SSA-1099 and RRB-1099. Include the full amount of any lump-sum benefit payments received in the current tax year, for the current tax year and earlier years. (If you received more than one form, combine the amounts from box 5 and enter the total.)
  • Note: If the amount on line A is zero or less, stop here; none of your benefits are taxable this year.
  • Enter one-half of the amount on line A.
  • Enter your taxable pensions, wages, interest, dividends, and other taxable income.
  • Enter any tax-exempt interest income (such as interest on municipal bonds) plus any exclusions from income.
  • Add lines B, C, and D.
  • Note: Compare the amount on line E to your base amount for your filing status. If the amount on line E equals or is less than the base amount for your filing status, none of your benefits are taxable this year. If the amount on line E is more than your base amount, some of your benefits may be taxable. You need to complete Worksheet 1.

How much of your benefit is taxable?

What percentage of your retirement benefit is taxable?

Even if you determine that your Social Security retirement benefit is taxable, you won’t have to pay tax on your whole benefit. Either up to 50 percent or up to 85 percent of your benefit will be taxable, depending on your filing status and whether the total of your MAGI and one-half of your Social Security benefit exceeds a certain limit.

What is your modified adjusted gross income?

On IRS Form 1040, adjusted gross income (AGI) is your gross income minus certain “above-the-line” deductions allowed by law. These include:

  • Certain business expenses of reservists, performing artists, and fee-basis government officials
  • IRA deduction
  • Student loan interest deduction
  • Health savings account deduction
  • Deductible part of self-employment tax
  • Self-employed health insurance deduction
  • Self-employed SEP, SIMPLE, and qualified plans
  • Penalty on early withdrawal of savings
  • Domestic production activities deduction

Your MAGI is your AGI, minus (or not including) the taxable amount of your Social Security benefits, plus income that is normally not included in AGI (such as foreign earned income and income from qualified U.S. savings bonds).

When up to 50 percent of your retirement benefit will be taxable

Up to 50 percent of your retirement benefit will be taxable if the total of one-half of your benefits and your MAGI is more than the following base amount for your filing status:

  • $25,000 if you’re filing as single, head of household, or qualifying widow(er)
  • $25,000 if you’re filing as married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for the whole tax year
  • $32,000 if you’re filing as married filing jointly

When up to 85 percent of your benefit will be taxable

Up to 85 percent of your retirement benefit will be taxable if one-half of your Social Security benefit plus your MAGI exceeds the following base amount for your filing status:

  • $34,000 if you’re filing as single, head of household, or qualifying widow(er)
  • $34,000 if you’re filing as married filing separately and you lived apart from your spouse for the whole tax year
  • $44,000 if you’re filing as married filing jointly
  • $0 if you’re filing as married filing separately and you lived with your spouse at any time during the tax year
Calculating your taxable benefits

Because the calculation is complex, you need to use a worksheet to compute your taxable benefit. Several worksheets are available from the IRS. What worksheet you use depends upon your situation. In general, you can use the worksheet available in the instructions for IRS Form 1040 (or 1040A) or Worksheet 1 in Publication 915. However, you must use a worksheet specified by the IRS if any of the following situations apply to you:

  1. You contributed to a traditional individual retirement arrangement (IRA) and your IRA deduction is limited because you or your spouse is covered by a retirement plan at work. In this situation, you must use the special worksheets in Appendix B of Publication 590 to figure both your IRA deduction and your taxable benefits.
  2. Situation (1) doesn’t apply and you take an exclusion for interest from qualified U.S. savings bonds (IRS Form 8815), for adoption benefits (IRS Form 8839), for foreign earned income or housing (IRS Form 2555 or IRS Form 2555-EZ), or for income earned in American Samoa (IRS Form 4563) or Puerto Rico by bona fide residents. In this situation, you must use Worksheet 1 in Publication 915 to figure your taxable benefits.
  3. You received a lump-sum payment for an earlier year. In this situation, also complete Worksheet 2 or 3 and Worksheet 4 in Publication 915.

Tax considerations

You may be able to deduct the amount of Social Security retirement benefit that was taxed from your state income tax return

Check with your tax advisor or state tax official to find out if your state allows this deduction.

Questions & Answers

If your child receives Social Security benefits but the check is made out to you due to his or her age, do you need to include the amount of benefit your child receives in the calculation to determine whether your own Social Security benefit is taxable?

No. Your child’s benefit doesn’t affect whether your benefit is taxable, even if the check is made out in your name.

When will you receive your annual statement from the Social Security Administration showing how much benefit you were paid during the year?

You should receive your annual statement by January 31 of the year following the year of benefit payments.

If you know that you’re going to owe income tax on your Social Security benefit, can you have that tax withheld?

Yes. You can fill out IRS Form W-4V, Voluntary Withholding Request, and choose to withhold a specific percentage of your total benefit payment. If part of your benefit is taxable, you may have to make estimated tax payments or request additional withholding from other income next year.

We love to help you retire better. Check out our many Social Security planning options. Also, we love to keep in touch with our newsletter; click here to sign up.

Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. prepared this material for use by Social Security Benefit Planners, LLC.

Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. does not provide investment, tax, legal, or retirement advice or recommendations. The information presented here is not specific to any individual’s personal circumstances. To the extent that this material concerns tax matters, it is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Each taxpayer should seek independent advice from a tax professional based on individual circumstances. Social Security Benefit Planners, LLC  provide these materials for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable — we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials may change at any time and without notice.

Social Security Benefit Planners, LLC and its affiliates are in no way associated with or approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Social Security Administration.

Common Retirement Fears

Posted on April 4, 2017 by - Retirement fears

Do you have fear around retirement? A startling number of Americans do, so don’t feel silly if thinking about the whole idea of retirement just makes you want to shut down.

The very common response of fear and anxiety when thinking about retirement stems from several sources. Getting older itself is anxiety-provoking for most of us. We want to stay young and healthy forever, and it can be unsettling to admit that this isn’t how our lives are going to work.

But beyond the basic discomfort with aging, there’s often a more specific fear around the idea of retirement. That fear frequently leads even highly intelligent people to push away the thoughts and ignore the issue. It’s a natural response, but an unfortunate one because avoiding the issue is precisely the action that is most likely to lead to a negative experience at retirement.

If you do make yourself examine your fears around retirement, you’ll probably find that they center on four questions that many people share:

• Will Social Security even be there when I retire? This is a reasonable fear, given that so many politicians try to inspire panic about the program’s future. But Social Security has been around a long time and it probably isn’t going anywhere. True, the funding formula and/or benefits will need to be adjusted at some point, but the situation is nowhere near as dire as some make it sound. You’ve been paying into Social Security for many years and it will almost certainly pay you back in your retirement years. Don’t depend on the program as your only income in retirement, but don’t worry too much about it either. Social Security is going to be there.

• What if I didn’t save enough? This question is another valid concern. Most people don’t save enough to provide the same income they had when they were working. Since we’re living longer now, it’s more important than ever to build your retirement savings. You know this, so don’t waste time in fear of the future; save for it instead. Talking with a retirement planner can help you understand just how much you’ll need to save each month so that you will have enough funds to live comfortably for many years after retirement. This is one area where ignoring the problem will only make it worse, so face your fear and talk with your financial advisor. Taking action feels good, and you’ll thank yourself later.

• Will I be bored and lonely not working? As our parents age, we sometimes seem them struggle with these issues. It’s natural to wonder if you’ll face the same problems. Retirement can be a lonely time or a wonderful period to pursue old and new interests, relish relationships with all kinds of people and thoroughly enjoy yourself. To ensure your experience is positive, it’s important to prepare yourself for the changes. Remember, you don’t have to retire all at once. You can work less over gradually in many cases, while also strengthening your social networks and engaging in interests that you didn’t have time for when you were working full time. Make friends and hobbies a priority now, and you’ll be thrilled to have more hours to enjoy them when you retire.

• What about health care costs? The rising costs of health care inspire fear in most people, whether they’re working or retired. Save for retirement expenses, including health care, but don’t let the fear paralyze you. Medicare is one of the most generous health insurance programs available, and you’ll qualify for it by the time you retire, most likely. Also keep in mind that the healthcare landscape is changing, and costs may not be as high as you fear when you actually retire.

Retirement fears are real and reasonable. Taking an active stance as you prepare for your retirement and examine the reasons for your anxiety will go far toward alleviating those fears. It will also reduce the risk of those fears coming true, so don’t play ostrich any more. Look forward to retirement with your eyes wide open, and take advantage of your current opportunities to ensure a positive experience later.

Not associated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other government agency.

Are You Part of the Sandwich Generation?

Posted on March 9, 2017 by - Retirement Benefits, Retirement fears, Social Security Benefits, Uncategorized

Many Americans today are part of what is known as the sandwich generation. No, that doesn’t mean covered in peanut butter or surrounded by lettuce and tomatoes. It refers to being economically sandwiched by two other generations, one older and one younger, that rely on you for financial support.

Providing emotional support for parents and children is part and parcel of being human. It’s both demanding and rewarding, but also creates some fear for the future. Providing financial support for these loved ones while taking care of yourself and your own future, however, can be tough. For many, it seems like an inescapable burden, and fulfilling it can leave you unable to provide sufficient resources to meet your own needs.

If you’re still funding your adult kids’ lifestyles and struggling to take good care of your parents’ financial needs at the same time, you might want to consider whether it’s the best strategy. Despite the desire to provide everything you can for your family, this financial sandwich can leave you in a bad situation a few years down the road.

  • Your kids have their whole life to pay back college and other debts. It feels good to provide your children with a debt-free college education and help with a car, house or other steps toward the good life. But can you afford it? Ignoring your financial future so you can give them the best start isn’t in anyone’s best interest. If you can’t support yourself in retirement, they’ll feel duty-bound to help. It’s often better to let them take out loans to accomplish their goals, while you save for your retirement years. That leaves you better prepared to take care of your own future needs while helping them realize the true costs of their choices and value them appropriately.
  • Learn from your parents and save more toward retirement. The financial sandwich you’re in now should illustrate the importance of saving for retirement. It’s more expensive than most people expect, between rising healthcare costs, inflation and longer lifespans. You’re seeing that first-hand with your parents; learn the lessons that their predicament illustrates and get serious about saving now, so you won’t be in the same one later.
  • You cannot take out loans for retirement. While it’s relatively easy to get a loan for a college education, house or car, just try asking for one to pay for retirement expenses. Lenders will laugh at you! Once you’re past working age, it’s virtually impossible to get a loan unless you can prove you have the resources to pay it back. That’s not a situation that inspires confidence for older Americans who need extra income just to get by, so let the kids get a loan now. It’s far easier to obtain and pay back than the one you’ll need if you don’t save enough for your retirement.

What’s the takeaway? Giving your retirement savings short shrift so you can keep paying for the generational sandwich isn’t wise. If you don’t have enough saved, it’s helpful to do what you can to maximize your Social Security income. But in the big picture, it’s probably more important to save for your own retirement than to fully fund your children’s college and post-college years.

Not associated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other government agency.