Retirement is a long-awaited milestone, but it’s not without its financial curveballs. From managing health care costs to navigating investments, retirees face a unique set of challenges. While these hurdles may seem daunting, a proactive approach can help you sail through retirement with confidence.
In this article, we’ll explore several common personal finance challenges and provide practical solutions to help you maintain financial stability during your golden years.
Not all these tips may work for you, but some definitely will, so be sure to read them all.
1. How to make your money last
To properly manage your money, work with a professional — it’s totally worth it. If you’re not doing this, you could be missing out on some serious financial gains.
A Vanguard study found that, on average, a hypothetical $500,000 investment over 25 years would grow to $1.7 million if you manage it yourself, but more than $3.4 million if you work with a financial advisor. That’s twice as much!
If you’ve got at least $100,000 in investments, check out a free service called SmartAsset. You fill out a short questionnaire and instantly get matched with up to three vetted financial advisors in your area, all legally bound to work in your best interests.
Even if you don’t want help picking investments, an advisor can help lower your tax burden, create a comprehensive financial plan, maximize your Social Security, help with estate planning and making sure you’re on the right track. They can also be there in case one day, you’re not.
Using SmartAsset only takes a few minutes, and in many cases you’ll be offered a free consultation.
Nothing to lose and lots to potentially gain. Take a minute and check it out right now!
Please carefully review the methodologies employed in the Vanguard white paper, “Putting a value on your value: Quantifying Vanguard Advisor’s Alpha.”
2. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
If a large part of your savings is in the stock market — as it should be — you’re well aware that what goes up can also go down. You can’t control the market, but you can hedge against uncertainty by having other forms of wealth.
One of the best ways to protect your savings is diversification. Keep money in different types of investments, ideally ones that go up when others are going down. For example, stocks tend to do poorly when inflation and interest rates are rising and there’s political turmoil brewing.
But there’s one investment that thrives in this scenario: gold.
Be careful who you deal with, though. Some companies in the gold business are shady and won’t hesitate to sell you gold and silver at vastly inflated prices.
Rosland Capital, on the other hand, has been seen on Fox since 2008 and is recommended by William Devane. They have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and an AAA rating from Business Consumer Alliance. They offer just about everything, from precious-metal IRAs to gold coins and gold bars.
You’ll even receive up to $15,000 in free gold on qualified purchases. If you’ve ever thought about investing in gold, check it out right now!
3. Stop letting your debt spiral out of control
Worrying about debt is probably the worst way you can spend your time, and paying interest and late fees is the worst way you can spend your money.
If you’ve got a problem, the sooner you deal with it, the better.
National Debt Relief is one of the most respected providers of debt relief in the U.S.
They’ve helped more than 500,000 people, are A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau and also are top-rated by Top Consumer Reviews, Top Ten Reviews, ConsumersAdvocate.org and ConsumerAffairs.
You simply fill out a form on the company website, then a debt coach will call you to learn more about your situation. If they can help you, they’ll set you up with an affordable plan that works for you — and give you an estimate of when you can expect to be debt-free. There’s no upfront fee and no obligation to get started.
National Debt Relief can help you with almost any unsecured debt, like credit cards, personal loans, medical bills, repossessions … even some student loan debt. Ready to start a new, happier chapter of your life? Don’t wait another minute. Check them out right now.
4. Instead of paying your mortgage, get paid
You’ve spent years maintaining and building equity in your home. Now it’s time for your home to pay you back.
A reverse mortgage is an insured loan that lets homeowners 62 and older convert their home equity into cash, but without selling the home. Take the money however you’d like: monthly, lump sum or line of credit. Use it however you’d like: home repairs, bills, traveling or simply living a better life.
Your home remains yours. You hold the title until you die or choose to move elsewhere, provided you maintain the home. When you leave the house, the loan is repaid.
A reverse mortgage can make a huge difference in your quality of life. But they’re not for everyone, so it’s important to get more information. Also important: not all lenders are equal. Be careful who you deal with.
One lender that’s highly rated and happy to answer questions is Longbridge Financial. They’ve earned 4.9 of a possible 5 stars from Trustpilot and ConsumersAdvocate.org said, “By far the best online experience and tools among all the reverse mortgage lenders we reviewed.”
If you’re 62 or over and have equity in your home, it’s time to at least need to see what your options are.
5. You don’t have a plan for long-term care
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 7 in 10 people who turn 65 today will probably need some kind of long-term care.
“But won’t Medicare take care of all that?” Nope. Medicare doesn’t cover long-term custodial care — and paying thousands for it out of pocket could take a huge chunk of your retirement savings.
Solution? Long-term care insurance.
Without it, an extended-care nursing home stay could deplete your savings, leaving you less to live on, and little to nothing to leave to your family.
One place to find it is GoldenCare. (Unless you live in the four states where GoldenCare doesn’t operate: Alaska, Florida, Hawaii and Washington.)
At least check it out and see if it’s a fit. Because a little planning today could mean a far more secure tomorrow.
6. Not anticipating big-ticket expenses
The cost of car repairs is skyrocketing. One shop told Consumer Reports that a decade ago, their average repair was $1,600. These days, the average bill is $4,000.
Typically, a vehicle manufacturer warranty lasts three years. Yet the average car is around 12 years old. If you’re concerned about coming up with thousands of dollars for a repair bill, protect your investment with Endurance Warranty Services.
The company provides extended warranty plans of up to 36 months. Choose from at least six different plans, to get only the coverage you actually need, for cars up to 20 years old.
All their warranties include 24/7 roadside assistance plus rental car benefits while your vehicle is being repaired. For the first year, you’ll get the Elite Benefits program for free; this includes complete tire coverage, key fob replacement, a collision discount and a $1,000 payment if your car is determined to be a total loss.
Endurance has a network of thousands of ASE-certified repair shops. More important: Endurance pays the repair bill upfront. All you need to cover is the deductible.
ConsumerAffairs calls Endurance “a solid choice” for drivers of any age, and “particularly appealing” for those with older vehicles.
Take a minute and get a quote.
7. Not saving where you can
Are you over 18? Then you’re eligible to save hundreds of dollars every year simply by joining AARP.
“What?” You say, “I thought AARP was for retired people.”
As it turns out, you don’t have to be 50 or older to join AARP. And members get discounts on hundreds of things, like:
- Up to $200 per person off flights
- Up to 30% off rental cars
- Up to 15% off restaurants
- Up to 20% off hotels
You’ll also save on eyeglasses, prescriptions, meal deliveries and lots more. And that’s not all. AARP offers a Fraud Watch Network, job listings, retirement planning tools, games, and tons of information, programs and resources.
Anyone trying to save money can’t afford not to join AARP, especially since the cost is as low as $12 per year with auto-renewal. You’ll likely recoup the cost in the first week. Click here and check it out.
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