Bush Wealth Management ,LLCStacy B. Bush, RP®President2225 Bemiss Road Ste DValdosta, GA [email protected]
Women and Retirement Planning
October 30, 2012
Women face special challenges when planning forretirement. Because their careers are ofteninterrupted to care for children or elderly parents,women may spend less time in the workforce andearn less money than men in the same age group. Asa result, their retirement plan balances, SocialSecurity benefits, and pension benefits are oftenlower. In addition to earning less, women generallylive longer than men, and they face having to stretchlimited retirement savings and benefits over manyyears.
To meet these financial challenges, you'll need tomake retirement planning a priority.
Begin saving nowTo maximize your chances of achieving a financiallysecure retirement, start with a realistic assessment ofhow much you'll need to save. If the figure issubstantial, don't be discouraged--the most importantthing is to begin saving now. Although it's never toolate to save for retirement, the sooner you start, themore time your investments have to grow.
The chart below shows how just $2,000 investedannually at a 6% rate of return might grow over time:
Age you begin savingfor retirement:
Amount you'll havesaved by age 65:
20 $451,016
30 $236,242
40 $116,313
50 $49,345
60 $11,951
Note: This is a hypothetical example, and does notreflect the performance of any specific investment.Results assume reinvestment of all earnings and notax.
Save as much as you can--you havemany optionsIf your employer offers a retirement savings plan,such as a 401(k) or a 403(b), join it as soon aspossible and contribute as much as you can. It's easyto save because your contributions are deducteddirectly from your pay, and some employers will evenmatch a portion of what you contribute. If youremployer offers a pension plan, find out how manyyears you'll need to work for the company beforeyou're vested in, or own, your pension benefits.Women struggling to balance work and familysometimes shortchange their retirement savings byleaving their jobs before they become vested in theirpension benefits. Keep in mind, too, that becauseyour pension benefits will be based on your earningsand on your years of service, the longer you stay withone employer, the higher your pension is likely to be.
Most employer-sponsored plans allow you to choosefrom several investment options (typically mutualfunds). If you have many years to invest or you'retrying to make up for lost time, give specialconsideration to growth-oriented investments such asstocks and stock funds. Historically, stocks haveoutperformed bonds and short-term instruments overtime, although past performance is no guarantee offuture results. However, along with potentially higherreturns, stocks carry more risk than less volatileinvestments. A good way to get detailed informationabout a mutual fund you're considering is to read thefund's prospectus. It includes information about thefund's objectives, expenses, risks, and past returns. Afinancial professional can also help you evaluate yourretirement plan options.
Save for retirement--no matter whatEven if you're staying at home to raise your family,you can--and should--continue to save for retirement.If you're married and file your income taxes jointly,
Women face specialchallenges whenplanning for retirement,so it's important theymake retirement planninga priority.
Page 1 of 2, see disclaimer on final page
Prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2012
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for anyindividual. To determine which investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. All performancereferenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.
The tax information provided is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax planning advice. We suggest that you consult with aqualified tax advisor.
Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC
and otherwise qualify, you may open and contributeto a traditional or Roth IRA as long as your spousehas enough earned income to cover the contributions.Both types of IRAs allow you to make contributions ofup to $5,000 in 2011 and 2012, or, if less, 100% oftaxable compensation. If you're age 50 or older,you're allowed to contribute even more--up to $6,000in 2011 and 2012.
Plan for income in retirementDo you worry about outliving your retirement income?Unfortunately, that's a realistic concern for manywomen. At age 65, women can expect to live, onaverage, an additional 20 years.1 In addition, manywomen will live into their 90s. This means that womenshould generally plan for a long retirement that willlast at least 20 to 30 years. Women should alsoconsider the possibility of spending some of thoseyears alone. According to recent statistics, 42% ofolder women are widowed, 11% are divorced, andapproximately half of all women age 75 and older livealone.2 For married women, the loss of a spouse canmean a significant decrease in retirement incomefrom Social Security or pensions.
So what can you do to ensure you'll have enoughincome to last throughout retirement? Here are sometips:
• Estimate how much income you'll need. Use yourcurrent expenses as a starting point, but note thatyour expenses may change dramatically by thetime you retire.
• Find out how much you can expect to receive fromSocial Security, pension plans, and other sources.What benefits will you receive should you becomewidowed or divorced?
• Set a retirement savings goal that you can worktoward, and keep track of your progress.
• Save regularly, save as much as you can, andthen look for ways to save more--dedicate aportion of every raise, bonus, cash gift, or taxrefund to your retirement savings.
• Consider purchasing long-term care insurance tohelp protect your retirement savings and incomefrom the high cost of nursing home care.
What's your excuse for not planningfor retirement?I'm too busy to plan
Perhaps you're so wrapped up in balancing yourresponsibilities that you haven't given retirementplanning much thought. That's understandable, but ifyou don't put retirement planning at the top of yourto-do list, you risk shortchanging yourself later on.Staying focused on your goal of saving for acomfortable retirement is difficult, but if you putyourself first it will really pay off in the end.
My husband takes care of our finances
Married or not, it's critical for women to take an activerole in planning for retirement. Otherwise, you may beforced to make important financial decisions quicklyduring a period of crisis. Unfortunately, decisions thatare not well thought through often prove costly later.Preparing for retirement with your spouse will helpensure that you're both provided for, and pave theway to a worry-free retirement.
I'll save more once my children are throughcollege
Many well-intentioned parents put their ownretirement savings on hold while they save for theirchildren's college education. But if you do so, you'repotentially sacrificing your own financial security. Yourchildren have many options when it comes tofinancing college--loans, grants, and scholarships, forexample--but there's no such thing as a retirementloan! Why not set a good example for your children bygetting your own finances in order before contributingto their college fund?
I don't know enough about investing
Commit to spending just a few minutes a day learningthe basics of investing, and you'll becomeknowledgeable in no time. And remember, you don'thave to do it by yourself--a financial professional willbe happy to work with you to set retirement goals andhelp you choose appropriate investments.
According to the U.S.Census Bureau, womenown almost 30% ofnonfarm businesses. Ifyou're self-employed orown a small business,look into retirementsavings options tailoredto your needs, includingindividual 401(k) plans,Keogh plans, SEP plans,and SIMPLE IRAs and401(k)s.
Sources:1 The National VitalStatistics Report, Volume60, Number 4, January20122 U.S. Department ofHealth and Human ServicesAdministration on Aging, AProfile of Older Americans:2010
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