3 things financial planners wish everyone knew about retirement

Retirement. It’s the one thing that everyone has in common.

Whether you are starting your career, getting married, starting a family, or determining your ongoing career plan, retirement is the one thing that is always on our minds.

Trying to understand what retirement will even look like can be challenging enough. The act of trying to save, invest, and plan for it can feel outright confusing and overwhelming.

We asked over 100 CFP® Professionals at Facet to share the one thing they wish everyone knew about retirement.

Here are the top three secrets they revealed about how to build a successful retirement plan.

#1 – Retirement is more than a financial milestone

Most people approaching retirement ask similar questions like “How much money do I need?” or “Am I saving enough?”

These are reasonable questions to ask since financial security is a critical component of living well in retirement. While money matters, the happiest retirees know that it’s not the most important thing to leading a happier, more fulfilling life.

What do the happiest retirees have in common?

First, the happiest retirees defined retirement on their own terms. To most, it’s not purely about retirement savings or income. It’s about finding a sense of purpose, remaining engaged with friends and their community, and staying connected with family.

Second, they had a personalized strategy that helped them create financial security and independence that put them in control of the life they want to live.

It’s important to determine what your version of financial independence looks like. Here are some of the key questions to consider:

• Would you prefer to be debt free or have more retirement savings? 
• How important is spending time with friends and family? 
• Is it about starting your own business and being your own boss? 
• Do you want to volunteer and remain engaged in your community? 
• Is it important to have the freedom to travel and experience different cultures?
• If money wasn’t an issue, how would you spend your time?

Defining what financial independence means to you is a critical first step in making it a reality.

#2 – It’s about so much more than your investments

Financial advice and retirement planning have historically focused on one element of your finances - your investments. While your investments are important, there are many more aspects of your financial life that you need to plan for if you want to live well today and tomorrow.

Here are a few things to consider:

Paying down debt

Whether it’s student loans or a mortgage, choosing between paying down debt, saving, or investing can be a hard decision. The right choice depends on the interest rate, tax benefits, your comfort with risk, and other factors.

Minimizing fees and taxes

Most people focus on their investment returns. While returns matter, the fees and taxes you pay on your money can mean your returns are much lower than you think. Focusing on low cost investments and having a plan to reduce your taxes today as well as in retirement are essential strategies for success.

Deciding when to retire

The age at which you retire affects your Social Security benefits, health care decisions and Medicare elections, and even your investment income. Delaying Social Security benefits until age 70 means your benefits will be almost 77% greater than at age 62 and even 30% greater than at your full retirement age.

Planning for lifestyle expenses

Where you retire, the home in which you live, your lifestyle, and how you spend your money will affect your need for retirement income. Controlling your expenses leading up to retirement is just as important as how much you save and invest.

There is so much more to retirement planning than just your investments. Your path to financial independence starts with a personalized strategy that takes your entire life into account.

#3 – Cookie cutter advice won’t cut it

When it comes to retirement planning, most people follow general guidelines or ‘rules of thumb.’

While these can be good starting points, they are based on averages, meaning roughly 50% of outcomes are above and 50% are below the general rule.

Are you willing to leave your retirement up to what is essentially a coin flip?

Here are some assumptions that just won’t cut it:

Saving 20% of your income

This rule says that if you save 20% of your income (after taxes), you’ll be on track for retirement. However, this doesn’t factor in when you start saving, how your taxes will change over time, what to do if you can’t reach 20%, how much money you will need in retirement, and more.

The 4% withdrawal rule

This rule says you can take a 4% withdrawal from your retirement accounts every year and never run out of money. For every $100,000, you can generate roughly $4,000 per year in income. But the 4% rule doesn’t account for fees, how your money is taxed (fully taxable like an IRA or tax-free like a Roth IRA), unexpected health care costs, or how long your retirement may last.

Replace 70% to 80% of your income

Most advice says you only need to replace between 70% to 80% of your pre-retirement income. However, this assumes that you are saving almost 15% to 20% of your income today, your mortgage is paid off, and that your taxes will be lower in retirement.

The ten times your income rule

Various studies indicate that you need to have ten times your salary saved by retirement. So, if you make $150,000 per year, you will need about $1,500,000 in your retirement account. If you read these studies further, you will find that the appropriate retirement savings can range from seven-to-fourteen times your annual income depending on your marital status, retirement income sources, length of retirement, and tax bracket.

Final word

If there’s one common thread that Facet’s financial planners shared, it’s this: the sooner you define what financial independence looks like to you and start planning for it, the sooner you will start taking control of your future.

Financial independence isn’t something you achieve overnight, but it’s possible with the right strategy over time.

Are you ready to get started on your path to financial independence?

A CFP® Professional at Facet can help develop a personalized financial plan and investment strategy that puts you in control of the life you want to live - today and for years to come.