by Saving for retirement is one of the most important parts of securing your financial future. While programs like Social Security can help, they often aren't enough on their own. For this reason, it is important to have your own pension plan. You may be wondering exactly how much money is enough; For example, could you survive on $800,000? Let's take a look.
If you need more help planning your retirement, you should consider working with a financial advisor.
Determining the cost of retirement
The first step to finding out how long your money will last is to determine your cost of living:
fixed costs
Fixed costs are those that do not change from month to month. These can include, for example, rent or a mortgage, insurance premiums and utilities. Add up these expenses and see how much you spend monthly and annually.
Variable expenses
Variable expenses are expenses that are not the same every month. Many things could fall into this category, including travel expenses, healthcare expenses, entertainment, and charitable donations. Since these expenses are variable, you'll likely need to put a cap on how much you can spend on them each month. If you hit that limit, you'll either have to use money elsewhere in your budget or give up buying it.
Calculation of Retirement Income
The next challenge is calculating retirement income. This can be more difficult than calculating your income while you work, since you may have more sources of income. For example, your retirement income might include:
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Social Security
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retirement plans
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retirement provision
The good news is that Social Security and pension benefits don't change from month to month. While they can come with yearly increases in the cost of living, their relative stability makes planning around them easier. Retirement provision is more difficult to plan, especially if you are dependent on investments. SmartAsset's free retirement calculator can help you find out if you're on track to reach your retirement goals.
Estimate of the length of retirement
Another challenge in retirement planning is estimating how long your retirement will be. This question is not easy to answer as many variables can affect life expectancy. However, estimating your life expectancy is an important part of retirement planning. People are living longer than they used to. So it's important to be prepared if you're going to live several decades past your retirement. Life expectancy in the United States is currently about 77 years.
In addition to life expectancy, you should consider things like your current health and family history and how these affect your life expectancy. Finally, you should use an inflation calculator to check how long your money will last.
Retirement portfolio styles
The next step is to define your investment strategy. For example, your portfolio could be more conservative or more aggressive. Here's a quick look at what an $800,000 retirement portfolio might look like depending on the strategy:
Conservative portfolio
With a conservative portfolio, your investments will consist primarily of relatively low-risk investments. For example, you might have:
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50% Bonds ($400,000)
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30% cash ($240,000)
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20% stock ($160,000)
The goal of a conservative portfolio is generally wealth preservation rather than wealth accumulation. As such, you might also want to focus on blue-chip stocks that pay dividends rather than growth stocks.
Balanced portfolio
A balanced portfolio may suit retirees who want a mix of growth and income and are willing to take some risk in exchange for higher returns. An example of your asset allocation could be:
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50% stock ($400,000)
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30% Bonds ($240,000)
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20% cash ($160,000)
This portfolio has a significantly higher allocation to equities, and cash accounts for the lowest percentage. A balanced portfolio often consists of a mix of stocks, bonds, and cash. The focus tends to be on diversified investments that offer a mix of growth and income.
Aggressive portfolio
An aggressive portfolio may be appropriate for retirees with a longer time horizon who are willing to take on more risk in exchange for higher potential returns. If you have an aggressive $800,000 retirement portfolio, stocks take center stage in your portfolio:
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70% stock ($560,000)
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20% Bonds ($160,000).
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10% cash ($80,000)
An aggressive portfolio might include a mix of high-growth stocks and small-cap stocks. Some aggressive investors may venture into alternative investments such as commodities or precious metals.
It is important to note that these are just examples and the right investment strategy for your retirement portfolio will depend on your individual goals, risk tolerance and time horizon. It's always a good idea to consult a financial advisor before making any major investment decisions, especially when it comes to retirement planning.
bottom line
How long $800,000 will last you in retirement depends on factors such as your expenses, your retirement income, and the length of your retirement. If you have significant income from sources like retirement and Social Security, an $800,000 portfolio could last you for many years. This is especially true if your expenses are low and you don't have significant healthcare expenses. But there are many variables here too. The best thing to do is meet with a financial advisor to help you create a customized retirement plan.
Tips on saving for retirement
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A financial advisor can help you make important financial decisions, such as determining your investment strategy. SmartAsset's free tool puts you in touch with up to three financial advisors based in your area, and you can interview the right advisors for free to decide which one is right for you. If you're ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
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Deciding how to invest can be challenging, especially when you don't know how much your money will grow over time. With SmartAsset's investment calculator, you can estimate how much your money will grow and use it to decide which type of investment is right for you.
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