Report by: Olanrewaju Elegbede (Real Africa News)
Here's how much the average young family has saved for retirement
Most American families, even those close to retirement, have little or no retirement savings .Not surprisingly, younger families have less stashed away. According to a report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), the mean retirement savings of a family between 32 and 37 years old is $31,644:
But that number doesn't tell the whole story. Since so many families have zero savings and since super-savers can pull up the average, the median savings, or those at the 50th percentile, may be a better gauge. The median for families between 32 and 37 is a scant $480:
How big should your nest egg be in your 30s? According to retirement-plan provider Fidelity Investments, to be financially ready to retire by 67, you should aim to have three times your salary saved by 40.
While this can sound daunting, if you're putting your money to work in your 20s, it's not as difficult as it sounds, thanks to compound interest.
The simplest starting point is to contribute to your 401(k) plan , if your employer offers one. If you don't have a retirement savings plan at work , you can contribute to other tax-advantaged accounts designed specifically for retirement, such as a traditional IRA, Roth IRA or myRA .
No matter the retirement savings vehicle you choose, the most important step is to open an account.
Next, follow these three steps so your money can grow over time:
1. Contribute as much of your income as possible. Most experts recommend setting aside 10% or more .
2. Automate your contributions . Have your employer do a payroll deduction or have your money taken out of your checking account and sent straight to your retirement account. After all, you can't spend money you never see.
3. Get in the habit of upping your savings consistently, either every six months, at the end of each year or whenever you get a raise. Again, if you make this automatic by setting up "auto-increase," you won't forget to up your contributions (or talk yourself out of setting aside a larger chunk).
What to Do if You Haven't Saved for Retirements by Age 50
Fifty may be the new 40, but when it comes to your retirement age, most people don't think 77 is the new 67.
Those of you who are aged 50 or older have probably been working for a few decades, and you may be thinking about what comes next. Most of us dream of eventually leaving the workforce for good -- but what if you haven't even started saving for retirement yet?First off, know you're not alone. In fact, a recent GOBankingrates.com survey found that 28% of people over age 55 have no retirement savings at all, while 26% report that they have under $50,000 saved for retirement. But with retirement fast approaching, there are still some moves you can make to get closer to achieving financial independence. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.
Work longer
If you're in your 50s and still haven't put anything away for your golden years, you should consider working until at least your Social Security full retirement age -- the age at which you can receive the full Social Security benefit you're entitled to based on your work history. The later you retire, the longer you can live on earned income and build up your savings, rather than drawing those savings down in order to get by.Over the next 10 to 15 years, you'll need to turbocharge your savings. Generally, a savings rate of 15% of gross annual salary is recommended for people who have decades to prepare for retirement. But if you're in your 50s and haven't really been saving, then you need to dig as deep as possible. Ideally, you'll save 30% or more of your salary in order to get your savings on track to meet your needs in retirement.
If you're unable to save that much, then try to start at 15% and look for ways to make small increases over time. For example, every time you get a raise, put it directly toward your savings contributions.
Take advantage of catch-up contributions
Now that you know how much you should be saving, let's address where you should be saving. Tax-sheltered retirement accounts can offer you current and future tax benefits. If you have an employer-sponsored 401(k) or 403(b), you can contribute up to $18,000 this year, plus a $6,000 catch-up contribution if you're aged 50 or older, for a total of $24,000. If you can max out your retirement account and possibly earn an employer match, then you'll make up for some lost time.If you don't have a workplace retirement plan, then you can save up to $5,500 per year, plus an additional $1,000 if you're aged 50 or over, in an IRA. If you're in a position to do so, make sure you reach to get these catch-up contributions in order to bridge the gap between what you have and what you need in savings. In fact, saving the full $6,500 for the next 15 years in an account earning 5% would yield a nest egg of about $150,000.
Look to sources of guaranteed income
Social Security was never intended to be your only source of retirement income -- or even the primary source. But if you haven't amassed sufficient personal savings, then you will need to run the numbers to determine how you can maximize your Social Security benefit in order to help you make ends meet in retirement. Go to the Social Security Administration's website, set up an account, and take a look at your expected Social Security benefit. Consider how much your check will continue to increase each year you delay filing for benefits. For each year you delay filing, your Social Security check will increase by about 8% until age 70, when your benefits will max out.Meanwhile, if you reach retirement with a smaller nest egg, you might consider annuitizing a portion of your savings to provide a guaranteed stream of income. To learn more about how you can achieve this, see this article.
If you're 50 or older and nowhere close to being retirement-ready, then you need to start thinking seriously about how to build the savings you'll need to have a happy and secure retirement -- and you may ultimately need to adjust your idea of what your retirement will look like. While this may be your last chance to move the needle in the right direction, the good news is that if you commit to changing your situation, there is still time to make some progress toward retiring in comfort.
