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A proposed federal rule aims to clear the way for retirement savings plans to include alternative assets. But it may not be enough to protect employers from lawsuits.
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Are you thinking of retiring soon? Perhaps earlier than you had planned years ago? A potential hurdle could be the incentives set up by the Social Security Administration - they calculate your benefits to reward you for staying in the workforce.
But if you are looking to take an early retirement, you're not alone.
SEE MORE What If I Retired Today?
In the first 15 months of the COVID pandemic (March 2020-May 2021), about 2.5 million Americans retired. That was about twice the number of people who retired in 2019. This means there were essentially 1.2 million fewer people in the workforce over the age of 55 than would otherwise be expected.
First, find out what Social Security benefits you can expect
For anyone born in 1943 or later, your full retirement age, as defined by the Social Security Administration, is between age 66 and 67, based on your birth year. If you're contemplating retiring before that, it's important to know that the Social Security program has been orchestrated to incentivize beneficiaries to delay claiming benefits. Specifically:
If you start taking benefits at age 62, your Retirement Benefit will shrink by 25% to 30%, depending on your birth year. That's because your lifetime annual benefits are decreased by approximately 8% for each year prior to your full retirement age you start to claim them.Conversely, your lifetime annual benefits increase by 8% for each year past your full retirement year if
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Although you can start collecting Social Security at age 62, you can get much higher monthly payments if you wait as long as age 70. But many people want to or must retire before 70. If you're one of them, consider a possible strategy, backed by recent research, to use your retirement savings to put off receiving Social Security.
Build a Social Security Bridge
New research from the Center for Retirement Research explores retiree appetite for a "bridge" between retirement and collecting Social Security benefits, specifically one where retirees tap 401(k) assets in an amount equivalent to what they'd draw from Social Security on a monthly basis. This stream of payments would continue until age 70 or until the money ran out.
Such an option appealed to a good number of survey respondents; nearly 27% said they'd use it to some extent, even with minimal information about plan details. Among respondents provided with more information on the option, the total climbed to 35%. Researchers also propose a formalized "bridge" plan that employers could offer using 401(k) funds.
SEE MORE Feeling Insecure About Social Security? You're Not Alone.
But why tap those funds? The answer is that any chance to delay collecting Social Security benefits means you'll receive a larger monthly check when you finally do start to draw benefits.
How Much Can You Increase Your Social Security by Delaying Benefits?
As a rule, retirees must decide for themselves when to begin claiming Social Security benefits.
If they can wait to collect, though
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You're getting ready to retire, and you're thinking about your expenses. One expense you'd like to forgo is the premium you pay for the life insurance policy you bought decades ago. The question is: Are your only two options to pay the premiums or cancel your coverage? The answer is no, you usually have other alternatives.
Start assessing your options by first determining whether your policy is a term insurance plan or some kind of permanent insurance with cash values.
Term insurance
Term life insurance is generally the cheapest coverage, but it works like rent. When you're done "renting" the insurance, you leave with no equity. So, if you reach the end of the policy's term — for example, 20 years — you lose your insurance coverage. You still may have some options, though. Some term policies let you renew your coverage. You can continue your insurance, just at a higher premium. Generally, the cost increase is so high it's a deal killer. If you need the coverage, though, it may be worth it.
SEE MORE Other Uses for Life Insurance You May Not Know About
Term insurance policies often have conversion rights, meaning you can convert your term insurance policy into a permanent plan. The good news is this will continue your death protection for the rest of your life, but the bad news is you'll be paying a much higher ongoing premium. While this may sound like a non-starter as you face retirement, it may be a good idea if your life expectancy has been shortened because of a medical condition. The conversion privilege also allows you to change your soon-to-expire term policy into a permanent policy without you having to show insurability - no physicals or bloo
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It probably comes as no surprise that ongoing economic fallout from the pandemic, including inflation, market volatility and the threat of a recession, have led millions of Americans to re-evaluate their retirement plans. New research from the Nationwide Retirement Institute® shows that two-thirds of Americans (66%) say they worry more now than they did before about their retirement income— that's a 10-point increase from 2021!
SEE MORE When You Claim Social Security Can Have Huge Implications for Your Spouse
In volatile moments like we're experiencing, it's easy to make emotional decisions with lifelong implications. Unfortunately, misconceptions about Social Security, which forms the foundation of almost every American's retirement income strategy, are all too common, according to the survey. The good news is with the right advice from a trusted financial professional, you can avoid unintended consequences that may come with an uninformed decision.
What People Are Getting Wrong About Social Security
About half (49%) of consumers believe if they file for Social Security early, their benefit will automatically go up once they reach their full retirement age — it won't. A sizable number of boomers (39%) who are not currently receiving Social Security plan on drawing from their benefits before their full retirement age, a decision that may cost them in the long run and should only be done with eyes wide open about implications for the future.
Misperceptions like this could make a huge difference in
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