The American College of Financial Services recently posted some surprising results from its Retirement Income Literacy Quiz. Nearly three-quarters of respondents ages 60 to 75 failed the test with a score of 60 percent or less.1
The quiz included topics such as which expenses are covered by Medicare and long-term care insurance and what age people should start drawing benefits from Social Security. If you’re not familiar with the answers to questions such as these, we invite you to schedule a consultation so we can help you delve into retirement planning. There are many factors to consider beyond where to invest and how much you’ve saved. Retirement is about preserving and distributing assets, as well as understanding the impact of longevity.
Let’s take a look at some other retirement-oriented questions that are important to answer. For example, do you know how long you have to work for your company before you can keep matched contributions to your 401(k) plan? Some companies that sponsor a 401(k) require employees to work around two to three years before employer-matching contributions are vested. If you leave the company before then, those matches won’t be added to your account balance — even if you maintain the plan with that employer after you go to work for another one.2
It’s worth noting that 401(k) and other employer-sponsored retirement plans may be considered for tax reform. Recent discussions have included eliminating the tax-deferred status of retirement plan contributions, which represent a four-year tab of $583.6 billion that Congress could spend elsewhere. The discussions are in the very early stages, but things can happen quickly in Washington these days, so it’s an issue worth watching.3
For those in the military, on Jan. 1, 2018, the military’s new Blended Retirement System goes into effect. Starting that day, all military personnel whose length of service spans one to 12 years will have one year to make an irrevocable choice between the old and new retirement plans. Service members who started before 2006 will automatically remain in the old plan, which offers a generous pension complete with inflation adjustments. However, anyone joining the military starting next year gets enrolled automatically in the new program, which combines reduced pension benefits with up to a 5 percent match of personal contributions to the government’s Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).4
If you haven’t saved enough money to retire yet, you may be thinking you’ll just keep working until you have enough. However, according to a recent survey of 1,002 retirees, 60 percent said the timing of their retirement was unexpected, citing reasons such as health issues, job loss or the need to care for a loved one.5 While working longer is a worthy goal, it’s good to develop a financial plan that helps provide for possible contingencies just in case you have to pivot to “Plan B.”
Nate Miller
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1 Walter Updegrave. Money. May 12, 2017. “Most Seniors Flunked a New Retirement Quiz. Could You Do Better?” http://time.com/money/4771461/retirement-quiz-pass-or-flunk/. Accessed May 12, 2017.
2 Emily Brandon. US News & World Report. May 8, 2017. “How Long Does It Take to Vest in a 401(k) Plan?” http://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/401ks/articles/2017-05-08/how-long-does-it-take-to-vest-in-a-401-k-plan. Accessed May 12, 2017.
3 Suzanne Woolley. Bloomberg. May 3, 2017. “What Is Washington Doing to My 401(k) Tax Break?” https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-03/what-is-washington-doing-to-my-401-k-tax-break. Accessed May 12, 2017.
4 Dan Kadlec. Money. May 10, 2017. “What U.S. Military Need to Know About Their New Retirement Plan.” http://time.com/money/4767777/military-blended-retirement-system-tips-new-calculator/. Accessed May 12, 2017.
5 Charisse Jones. USA Today. June 2, 2015. “60% of Americans Have to Retire Sooner Than They’d Planned.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/06/02/majority-of-americans-have-to-retire-sooner-than-theyd-planned/28371099/. Accessed June 2, 2017.
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We are an independent firm helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of insurance and investment products to custom suit their needs and objectives. This material is intended to provide general information to help you understand basic financial planning strategies and should not be construed as financial advice. All investments are subject to risk including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values.
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Content prepared by Kara Stefan Communications.
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