Retirement Planning For Dummies. Matthew Krantz

amount of money by a certain age. “Just save a million bucks and you’re good,” such advice goes. Others say you need to max out your 401(k) or give up your daily cup of coffee. Perhaps you're starting to fear retirement planning because you’re not doing something that experts say you must do to retire.

      This book is different. My guiding principle is that each person's idea of a happy retirement is different. Your goal for retirement is as unique as you. That’s why a rule of thumb or guidance for someone else’s retirement is not an exact roadmap for your vision of the future.

      This realization is both liberating and challenging. It's liberating to know that you can work with your current situation and goals and still find solutions for retirement planning.

      So what’s the challenge? The tougher part is figuring out what you want your retirement to look like, especially if your retirement is decades away. So if guessing what you want your future to look like is so challenging, why bother? Simply, the sooner you start, the easier the task will be. Time is your greatest ally when preparing for retirement, so don’t waste it!

      Luckily, many tools are available to help. Think of this book as your guide to mapping out your retirement plan. You discover not only what your retirement goals should include but how to make those goals a reality.

About This Book

      Retirement Planning For Dummies will help you picture what you want your retirement to be, determine what you need to do to make it happen, and discover ways to find out if you’re on track. I share the tricks, tips, and secrets I’ve learned from a career writing about retirement for readers just like you. Unlike other retirement books that try to scare you into saving more, this book looks at retirement planning as an exciting way to think about your future.

Foolish Assumptions

      No matter your skill or experience level with investing, you can get something out of Retirement Planning For Dummies.

      I assume that some readers haven’t saved a dime and don’t know the difference between a 401(k) and a 747. Or maybe you've finally decided that it’s time to start thinking about the future. Part 1 is custom-made for both types of readers, stepping through all the key points in plain English. Although I cover all the technical mumbo-jumbo, such as SEP-IRAs and 401(k)s, I do so only to show you how these are just tools to help you get the retirement you want.

      I assume also that some armchair quarterbacks might pick up this book, looking to discover a few things. Planning for retirement is like a second job for some people. For these folks, this book describes more advanced topics and provides select online resources that can add new tools to a retirement toolbox.

Icons Used in This Book

      

The remember icon highlights information that you should never forget, even when you’re getting caught up in the excitement of retirement planning.

      

Read the tip sections to quickly pick up insider secrets that can boost your success when planning for retirement.

I use this icon to flag complicated topics, non-essential topics, or both. Feel free to skip these sections. If you do decide to tackle the information, it might be loaded with retirement lingo, so don’t be surprised if you need to read the text a second or third time. Hey, you didn’t want this book to be too easy, did you?

      

A warning icon signals information that will help you avoid the landmines scattered throughout Wall Street that can decimate your good intentions of building a successful retirement.

Beyond the Book

      In addition to the content in this book, I've provided an online cheat sheet. The cheat sheet shows you how to get started with retirement planning in just 15 minutes, offers tips for retiring early, and shows you how long a million dollars would last. To see the cheat sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and type Retirement Planning For Dummies in the search box.

Where to Go from Here

      If you’re just starting to think about retirement or are about to sign up for your first 401(k), consider starting at the beginning. That way, you’ll be ready for some of the more advanced topics I introduce later in the book.

      If you’ve been planning for retirement for some time and have a strategy you think is working for you, you might want to skip to Part 2.

      And if you want to know more about a specific topic, simply look it up in the index or check the table of contents and then flip to the appropriate page.

Part 1

      Getting Started

IN THIS PART …

      Put away your fear of retirement planning and learn to look at it as a positive way to build your future.

      Gain a better understanding of your run rate, or how much you spend on a regular basis.

      Determine how much you’ll need for retirement.

      Learn the unique characteristics and benefits of various retirement accounts.

      Measure how much risk you can tolerate in your retirement plan.

Chapter 1

      Retirement Planning Is Up to You

      IN THIS CHAPTER

      

Understanding the importance of retirement planning

      

Seeing how retirement planning has evolved

      

Discovering the new role for employers in retirement planning

      

Finding out how defined contribution plans have taken over pensions

      

Getting an understanding of why Social Security isn’t enough for a comfortable retirement

      If you’re like most people, you want to retire someday. You might love your job and plan to work well into your 70s. Or maybe you’re part of the financial independence retire early (FIRE) crowd and want to escape your corporate ball-and-chain at 40 years old. The beauty of retirement planning is that the timing