It may happen that because of a wide range of circumstances you don’t have enough time to close the gap between the amount of wealth you have today and the amount of wealth you need to enjoy the retirement lifestyle you want.
Any number of reasons could have led to this situation, of course. Perhaps you started investing too late, or suffered heavy losses with your investments, or needed to use your funds for personal reasons such as health issues for yourself or a family member, or you were divorced…the reasons can be diverse. Nevertheless, this is the situation you find yourself in now, and you need to develop a Plan B going forward, and right away.
There are a number of things you can do now to prepare for retirement and still build a nest egg that will support you in your later years. Here are five things you can do to improve your situation.
1. First and foremost, you should make an appointment with a financial advisor who can take a close look at your circumstances and help you create a plan to make the most use of the time and resources you currently have. Remember the adage, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” There could be a number of options available you haven’t thought of which could be brought to bear and make your path easier, less stressful, more effective, and comprehensive. Perhaps looking into a reverse mortgage could provide the financial security you seek, or buying a rental property and earning monthly income is a solution that’s right for you. Meeting with a financial planner could get you back on track in ways you can’t imagine because an experienced professional often knows strategies you haven’t thought of.
2. Second, you and your financial planner can discuss the possibility of putting off retirement for a few more years. Your advisor can calculate the outcomes of different scenarios that may result in securing the future you hope to have, either by working a few more years to build your business to the point where you can retire the way you choose, or working longer as an employee so you can continue to build your 401(k) or some other retirement funding plan that can contribute to your ultimate success.
3. It might be a good choice to consider decreasing the amount of funds you wish to have in retirement, realizing you can live well with less and can enjoy the remaining years without having to sacrifice more time or your health. By reducing your retirement spending plans, you’ll need less money to cross the finish line into your new life.
4. Without question, you should review your current assets with an eye toward preserving and protecting your wealth from predators such as taxes and fees. Your financial planner can review your accounts with these costs in focus, and possibly help eliminate their drag on your wealth-building.
5. Your financial planner could recommend purchasing some form of insurance to protect and mitigate a multitude of risks that will help protect the wealth you’ve built because insurance, when applied properly, is a marvelous tool.
These are some of the ideas that could form the basis for your Plan B, and your financial advisor may be able to offer several more once he or she has had a chance to analyze your financial situation.
If you’re interested in discussing your financial plans for closing the gap and moving forward toward a relaxed and comfortable retirement, make an appointment to consult with your financial advisor today so you can develop a plan of action that brings you closer to your goal.
We hope this article about closing the gap and securing your financial future was helpful. Please contact us so we can review the possibilities for building and safeguarding your personal wealth while enhancing your retirement. Thank you! .
Joseph M. Maas, CFA, CVA, ABAR, CM&AA, CFP®, ChFC, CLU®, MSFS, CCIM
Synergy Financial Management, LLC
13231 SE 36th Street, Suite 215
Bellevue, WA 98006
ph: 206.386.5455
fx: 206.386-5452