subject: Quick Retirement Tips For Fifty Something [print this page] Planning for your retirement should start decades before you actually leave the workforce. A difficult task even for those who are financially and emotionally well-prepared, proper financial planning should be your priority if you're already in your fifties or sixties, you're on the verge of retirement (if not already retired) - this makes it even more important to fast-track your financial plans and amend them if needed.
If you're in your fifties, you'll need to accomplish a few things before you head on to in-depth retirement planning, such as adapting, cutting debt, and examining your pensions.
As a fifty-something worker, you'll have to become familiar with newer technologies, duties, and challenges and streamline the way you work. Just because you're fed up with work or colleagues, or frustrated with something as trivial as a changed shift, doesn't mean you should quit, or slack off work. Hold off retirement as long as you can, work as hard as you can, and you'll have more money to live on after you've quit the workforce.
You should also consider drastically reducing or eliminating debt by saving more money from your regular paycheck and/or contributing more towards retirement accounts such as an IRA or Roth IRA. You should also think about setting aside some money and investing in stocks or bonds, for example, to help your money grow faster.
Pay attention to your pension plans. If you're already retired, you might have a pension coming from your former boss or previous company. Study the paperwork involved and consult with plan administrators to know how much you'll be getting and when - this will help you obtain a better viewpoint of how much you'll have to retire on.
Planning for your retirement finances can seem insurmountable, especially if you only have a few years to go before you quit work. Prior to establishing proper financial plans or amending your investment strategies with a professional, accomplishing these steps can make a huge difference in your financial stability before you retire.
