Most of us do not relish being old, but unfortunately, unless you have a special power it is going to happen. The reality of that means that if you want your finances to be in order in your senior years you should be seeking the advice of financial advisors who can create a retirement plan for you.
The alternative to doing that is that when you get to an age when you realise retirement is on the horizon, it can create significant levels of stress and worry. Fearing that you may not have enough money to live a reasonably comfortable life when you are older, can have negative implications for both your mental health and your physical health too. The good news is it need not be that way.
If you seek the advice of financial advisors in regard to retirement planning, they can create not just a retirement plan for you, but also a financial plan which can get your finances in order now. Why wait until you retire to avail yourself of financial advice that can resolve many of your stressful money worries. As for ensuring that your retirement is a financially secure and stress-free period of your life, here are seven steps to get you there.
Identify What You Most Value In Life: The first step is to consider what are the most important things to you on a personal level. By doing this you can determine what you want your retirement years to look like and thus ensure you have the finances required to create them. Whatever it is you love in life, plan for more of it when you retire.
Maximise Your Superannuation: For most people, the majority of their retirement income will come from superannuation. As this will be your biggest retirement asset, it makes financial sense to maximise it. Given the favourable tax rates associated with saving for retirement via superannuation, it will pay ‘literally’ for you to nurture it carefully for retirement with no money worries weighing you down.
Evaluate Your Saving Versus Spending Ratio: Having the optimal balance between what you spend and what you save is critical to ensuring stress-free retirement finances. We are not suggesting you do not spend your money on things you enjoy but rather that you look for ways of saving just a little bit more than you currently do. Just $100 saved per month over 35 years with compound interest of 3% totals over $75,000 when you retire.
Consider Investments For The Future: Another way to have a stress-free retirement with no financial worries is to have multiple investments. Whether they be stocks and shares, bonds, asset funds, or property, if you invest wisely, and by that we mean by following investment planning advice, your return on your investment will provide a healthy income in later years.
Minimise Your Tax Liability Within What Is Legally Permitted: The less money you pay in taxes the more you have to save and invest for your future. This is why seeking ways to legally and legitimate reduce your tax liability should be high on your list of things to do for your retirement. Tax bills can cause anxiety as they are often your biggest annual expense so anyway that can be reduced will benefit your finances and your health.
Create A Sensible Debt Repayment Plan: Every dollar you earn in savings and investment interest is diminished by the interest you pay on your debts. Even if you have your debts under control and they are not causing you to stress you should seek other ways to minimize them such as consolation or lump sum payments.
Seek Financial Advice: It may be the final step, but it is also the most important one. Having financial advisors assess your finances and creating an effective retirement plan for you, can often feel like a huge weight being lifted for your shoulders. It reduces worry and stress about your financial future, allowing you to enjoy your life, not just at this moment, but safe in the knowledge you can do likewise when you retire.