Taking the Mystery Out of Retirement Planning

Printer Friendly Version

Table of Contents

• Planning for a Lifetime
• Chapter 1: Tracking Down Today's Money
  • Worksheet A - Today's Money
• Chapter 2: Tracking Down Future Money - at Retirement and After
  • Worksheet B - Your Money 10 Years from Today
  • Worksheet C - New Savings Between Now and Retirement
  • Worksheet D - Monthly Income Over a 30-Year Retirement
• Chapter 3: Tracking Down Future Expenses
  • Worksheet E - Monthly Expenses Today
  • Worksheet F - Monthly Expenses in 10 Years
• Chapter 4: Comparing Income and Expenses
  • Worksheet G - Comparing Projected Income and Expenses
  • Worksheet H - Additional Savings Needed Before Retirement
• Chapter 5: Making Your Money Last
• Chapter 6: Tracking Down Help for Retirement - Resources

Planning for a Lifetime

It's not going to be your parents' retirement -- rewarded at 65 with a gold watch, a guaranteed pension, and health insurance for life. For many Americans, retiring in this century is a mystery. Earlier generations of workers could rely on employer-provided pensions, but now many workers will need to rely on their own work-related and personal savings plus Social Security benefits. These savings have to last longer because Americans are living longer, often into their eighties and nineties.

If you are one of those people who want to plan – and are about 10 years from the day you retire – this publication is for you. Today's (and tomorrow's) retirees may well have a new kind of retirement. With a longer and healthier life span, bikes, boats, planes, and RVs may be part of your life, because you are more likely than previous generations to have an active retirement lifestyle.

Opportunities to take courses, start a new career, and become a volunteer can make your future an adventure. A longer life, however, will also mean more medical care, some of which will not be covered by the federal Medicare program.

The whole retirement scene has changed and many American workers find it a mystery. In fact, a 2023 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute suggests that only 51 percent of workers and/or their spouses have tried to calculate how much they need to save to live comfortably in retirement. In this publication, each chapter will give you clues on how to take control of your finances so that when you retire, you have the time and money to do what you've always wanted. For some, it's simply being with friends and family. For others, it's starting a new hobby. And for some, it's starting a new life.

Whether you are 10 years from retirement or have a different timeframe – or even if you are retired – this publication will help you unravel the financial mysteries of life after work and discover changes you can make for a financially secure future.

Time on Your Side

Getting started today will help you put time on your side. To help, Taking the Mystery Out of Retirement Planning offers a simplified, bottom-line approach to figuring out just how much you may need when you retire. The worksheets in this publication will provide a guesstimate. Regard them as a starting point.

Each chapter in this publication asks you to chart a different part of your financial life – your savings and your expenses – and helps you project future costs and savings well into your retirement years. Of course, no one has a crystal ball, and life has a way of throwing changes our way. But getting time on your side now, before you retire, means you will not be awake at 3 a.m. worrying about, instead of planning for, the future.

This publication uses three time periods in charting your retirement savings. The starting point is today, when you are about 57 years old and plan to work approximately 10 years more. This is a good time to take stock of where you are in terms of retirement savings and set financial goals you would like to achieve in the 10-year period you plan to work.

The second point in time is the day you retire, when you are about 66 to 67 years old. The period between now and then is an important one. In those (approximately 10) years, you will have time to put more of your paycheck to work in a retirement account. It will grow, not only from your additional savings, but also from the "miracle of compounding," the world's greatest math discovery, according to everyone's favorite genius, Albert Einstein. This is the result of earnings from interest and from investments continually increasing the base amount.

Finally, the third time period used in this publication is the approximately 30-year span you hope to enjoy retirement. It is the time period experts suggest you plan for, based on the average 67-year-old American male living 18 more years and the average 67-year-old female living 20 more years. These are only averages, so planning for 30 years will help you avoid outliving your income.

As you read through this publication, keep an eye on the Timeline for Retirement that follows. The timeline offers some milestone opportunities to make changes so you can have the kind of retirement you want. The time to start is today.

Chapter 1: Tracking Down Today's Money

This chapter will help you shine a light on the mystery of where you will find the money to support yourself in retirement. Many people don't have a clear idea of how much money they actually have, so it's hard to know how much they might be able to count on when they no longer work. Finding out what part of today's money can go toward retirement simply means adding up the value of all your current assets. In this case, "assets" are cash, investments, and anything of value you can exchange for cash, like your house, savings bonds, or even fine jewelry. This figure will be your first important clue.

Recording these amounts could be a pleasant surprise. You don't want to count emergency money and savings for your children's education or a big trip – only money that you are not going to touch for at least 10 years. For purposes of the following worksheet, you also don't want to include any future Social Security benefits and guaranteed pensions because these items are future income, not current assets (and they will be included later). Money in work-related retirement plans, like 401(k) plans, is counted, however, and you will want to include amounts from current and former jobs. In fact, these assets will probably be at the top of your "today's money" list that follows.

More Than You Think

Tracking your money in retirement plans should be fairly easy. If you didn't roll over your retirement plan balance when you changed jobs into a new retirement plan account or into an IRA, or if you didn't take your account balance as cash, you may discover some forgotten retirement assets you have. This is a good time to think about keeping your money with fewer, rather than more, quality financial institutions so it is easier to manage.

Recording current and old retirement account amounts on Worksheet A, Today's Money, is important for a couple of reasons. First, locating any old account could take time. The longer it's "lost," the harder it will be to find. Second, understanding your current financial standing should automatically start you thinking about how to make your money grow.

Quit Worrying, Start Planning

Remember you're facing a retirement that's probably going to be longer than your parents' and will involve more uncertainties. This new kind of retirement means there are many American workers worrying about, instead of planning for, the future.

You can choose to stop worrying and start figuring. Not only will you come up with facts to work with, the chances are good you might change the way you save. A 2021 survey found that 89 percent of people who tried to figure out their financial futures were confident in their financial security.

When filling out the worksheets that follow, remember to include your spouse's assets if you're married. Like all of the worksheets in this publication, be prepared to redo this first one. A raise and changes in your investments, for example, will affect the numbers on Worksheet A. To make it easy, we've included extra worksheets at the back of this publication.

About Worksheet A: Today's Money

Here you will write down money you have today that you plan to use when you retire in about 10 years (do not add Social Security and traditional pensions at this stage; they will be figured in later on). The first money source, the balance on your current retirement plan account at work (a 401(k) plan, for instance), should be easy to find. If you don't have a recent statement, ask the benefits department at work.

If you rolled over accounts from former jobs into an IRA, then read your statement or call the financial institution holding this account. In addition, get statements from all your bank or mutual fund IRA accounts, "Keogh" retirement savings, Simplified Employee Pension-IRAs (SEP-IRAs), and Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees of Small Employers (SIMPLE) plans.

Personal savings and investments are next as possible retirement resources. They could be in a savings or checking account at a bank or credit union or in a brokerage account. The assets in these accounts may include cash, U.S. savings bonds, certificates of deposit, stock and bond mutual funds, and individual stocks and bonds.

To get a dollar amount for your home equity, subtract the current mortgage balance from the current market value of your house. Also subtract the amount you owe on home equity loans or lines of credit (enter it as a negative amount on the worksheet). The bank holding the mortgage can provide the amount of your remaining mortgage balance. An appraiser or real estate professional can give you an estimate of the value of your house in the current market, or you can check on the Internet recent sales in your neighborhood (real estate values can change, however, so check your home's value from time to time).

Be realistic about how much of your home equity might be available for retirement. Remember that you will always need housing, and that condo fees, real estate taxes, maintenance and repairs, and rent tend to go up.

Other assets could be valuable collections or the cash value of life insurance. Keep in mind that the actual value of items like houses, boats, and collections can be determined only when real buyers make real offers.

Worksheet A - Today's Money

Chapter 2: Tracking Down Future Money -- At Retirement and After

Now that you know from Chapter 1 how much money you have today, you can estimate how much that money could be worth – because it will probably grow – in the 10 years between now and retirement. The worksheets will help you project a 10-year total, which will help you estimate a 30-year total. Yes, it's just a guesstimate, because the further in the future you plan, the more that can happen. But the totals give you some idea of how much you may have for your retirement years.*

[* People who are retired may want to skip the worksheets in this chapter and focus on the information about ways to grow your money]

In addition, the worksheets in this chapter will let you see how much your money can grow by investing it in different ways. In fact, you will be able to assign different rates of return to different types of savings and to see how your decisions can impact the growth of your money over the next 10 years. Rates of return are simply the amount your money earns over a certain period.

How your money increases over time will depend on the nature of your investments, the rates of return, and other factors, such as the economy. One kind of investment, for instance, is a bond, which is often referred to as a "fixed income" investment because the interest rate is fixed. As an example, if you owned a bond with an original value of $10,000 and you got a 5 percent return (or yield) on your investment, your original investment would increase to $16,289 in 10 years.

Digging Deeper

You will probably want to dig deeper by assigning different rates of return to different pots of money – workplace savings accounts, IRAs, bank savings accounts -- you have put aside for retirement. Let's say you have $2,000 in a checking account that you never use. Your rate of return, in this case, with interest compounded monthly, will be low, maybe 1 percent. But your money is safe. Then let's say you've invested in a stock mutual fund for 15 years using your retirement plan account and you get a return of 9 percent. Investments in securities can bring a higher rate of return than simple interest because prices of securities often rise and gains are compounded. Of course, security prices can fall, as we saw with stocks in 2001, 2008, and 2020. The tradeoff for aiming for higher returns is taking on more risk, including the risk of losing money. Keep this in mind in selecting rates of return for the worksheets that follow.

In the example above, with some money invested in stocks and some in a safer, interest-bearing account, you are already doing what the experts recommend. You are practicing "asset allocation" by putting your money in different types of products that earn different rates of return. Financial planners highly recommend this technique as a way to spread risk. A general allocation is to have some money in "cash," such as a savings, checking, or money market account with little or no risk; some money in bonds, with a little more risk but paying more interest; and some money in stocks, with more risk but a likely higher return, especially in the long run.

Another way to spread your investments among different categories is to invest in index mutual funds. Index funds are a collection of investments, such as bonds or stocks, that closely match the performance of the major holdings for that category of investment. For instance, a Standard and Poor's (S&P) index fund tracks the 500 broad-based stocks that comprise the S&P 500 Index. A bond index fund would track the performance of major bond holdings in that index. In this way, your investment is following the financial market for that particular category.

Experts recommend that you spread your money among a range of investments so that your money is "diversified." In addition, most experts add that you should not only invest among categories but within each major category as well. For instance, your risk of losing money is less if you buy shares in several mutual funds investing in various types of assets (such as large company stocks, small company stocks and bonds). Even investing in just one mutual fund will help you to diversify compared to investing in individual securities on your own, since mutual funds, by their nature, allow you to invest in a collection of stocks, bonds, etc.

Financial planners believe that diversifying your investments helps reduce risk as markets move up and down. For example, in 1980 when some certificates of deposit (CDs) were paying 12 percent, stocks were barely holding their own; but in 1999 most stock prices were rising fast, and CDs were paying 5 percent. You will see sample rates of return for some common places to put your money in the box above.

Too much money in one type of investment is always a bad idea and puts your money at risk. For example, many of America's workers are holding a lot of their employers' stock in their retirement accounts. This ties both your current paycheck and your retirement savings to one employer's success … or failure. This can be risky.

About Worksheets B and C: Your Money and New Savings

One quick way to estimate how much money you could have by your first year of retirement is to multiply your total retirement assets from Worksheet A, Chapter 1, by 1.629 (the factor equal to a 5 percent rate of return for 10 years). The result shows how much you will have if your money grows at 5 percent in that 10-year period. For example:

$100,000.00 (total from Worksheet A)
x 1.629
$162,900.00

The 5 percent return, by the way, is used to keep things simple: remember investment returns go up and down and cannot be guaranteed.

But digging deeper may mean coming up with your own numbers, and the worksheets that follow let you do just that. To keep it simple, the worksheets give you a choice of rates of return – 3, 5, and 7 percent -- and include multiplication factors for each of these rates.

They are lower than the 8 to 10 percent returns often used before the stock market fell in 2000. Whether you're an optimist or a pessimist about interest and rates of return, being conservative in your estimates is safer; better to have extra money than too little.

Worksheet B, Your Money 10 Years from Today, will let you take your current retirement saving sources and then figure out how much they might grow over 10 years, depending on how the money is invested.

In Worksheet B, you will be able to transfer the dollar amounts for your income sources directly from column 3 of Worksheet A, starting with 401(k) and 403(b) plans. Then multiply each of these results by an asset growth (rate of return) factor you'll see at the top of Worksheet B. Write the total in Column 3.

The rate you choose depends on what you've done with your retirement savings. If they're all in fixed income investments, your rate is predetermined. If they're in mutual funds, you'll need to do some research to figure out past rates of return as a guide for estimates for the future. Retirement plan statements should indicate past rates of return. But remember, for investments, past performance never guarantees future results.

Like Worksheet A, Social Security benefits and pensions are not included since you most likely won't receive these sources of income until retirement. There will be more later in the publication about how waiting to receive Social Security (and pension) benefits will mean a bigger check.

Estimating a rate of return on your home will depend on the real estate market in your community. Figure a low estimate for this and for any personal property in which the value depends on how much a buyer would pay. Also consider any mortgage or liens you have on the home since those would be repaid from any cash you would obtain on the sale of the home.

If you have other investments, such as annuities, put them in the "Other assets" row of Worksheet B. In addition to these sources, include any money you can count on receiving in the next 10 years – for example, an inheritance – and enter its estimated lump-sum value.

As an example of a possible calculation, suppose you have $10,000 in a traditional IRA, and you believe it will earn 5 percent over the next 10 years. Your calculation would look like this:

$10,000.00 (amount in an IRA)
x 1.629 (rate of return factor for 5%)
$16,290.00 (savings in 10 years)

Worksheet B - Your Money 10 Years from Today

When you have finished Worksheet B, go on to Worksheet C, New Savings Between Now and Retirement. This worksheet will allow you to take any additional workplace and personal savings you can expect to add between now and retirement and determine how much they will grow to at the time of your retirement.

You can enter any estimated periodic contributions (such as to your 401(k) or IRA) between now and retirement in the first column. Remember that you are only estimating the rate of return on this money over a period of years and that you will need to review your estimate from time to time.

Multiply these amounts by the savings growth factor for the rate of return you select from the top of Worksheet C. As with Worksheets A and B, three different rates of return have been selected but based upon the nature of your investments, you may want to use a different rate of return. Enter the results in the third column.

As an example, if you save $100 a month in a workplace 401(k) plan, and if you believe that investment will earn 5 percent per year, the calculation would look like this:

$100.00 (savings each month)
x 155.282 (rate of return factor for 5%)
$15,528.20 (savings in 10 years)

Worksheet C - New Savings Between Now and Retirement

You are making great progress in tracking down your retirement assets and solving the first half of your retirement mystery. Now move on to Worksheet D, Monthly Income Over a 30-Year Retirement, to take all of your anticipated assets from Worksheets B and C and convert them to a monthly income that you can use later to compare with your anticipated monthly expenses in retirement.

In this worksheet, we now add Social Security and pension benefits since it deals with income you can rely on during retirement.

You can fill in the box in Column 3 for Social Security benefits by entering your estimated Social Security benefit. You can create a free online my Social Security account for immediate access to your Social Security Statement to review estimates of future retirement benefits. Your Statement is available anytime if you set up an online account. If you're 60 or older and don't have a my Social Security account, a statement will be mailed to you three months before your birthday.

If you have a fixed pension from work, the amount for Worksheet D is based on your pay at the end of your career. Your employer, union, or pension plan administrator can give you details about the amount and start date of your pension, and whether you will get your pension in a lump sum or fixed monthly checks (see discussion in Chapter 5 describing these options to help you choose). If you receive your benefit as a lump sum, put that amount in Column 1. If you receive it as a fixed monthly benefit, fill in only Column 3.

If you were in a traditional pension plan that was abandoned for some reason, like your employer going out of business, you will still receive some (or all) of your pension benefits since these plans are federally insured. Information about your plan and benefits may be available from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. (See Chapter 6 for PBGC contact information.)

For those assets you tracked down for Worksheets B and C, take the totals for each source, such as your 401(k) plan, from both worksheets, add them together and enter them in Column 1. Select an income conversion factor representing the rate of return you expect to earn on those assets in the future and enter it in Column 2. Multiply Column 1 by Column 2 and enter the result in Column 3. Remember, this calculation is a guesstimate, since things that impact your income, such as your tax status, will vary.

When you add up all of the numbers in Column 3, you will have a monthly income for the 30 years of your retirement. This fixed monthly income is used to simplify the calculations. Realize that it takes into account the continued growth of your assets while you are withdrawing money to live on.

Also keep in mind that while the worksheet includes your home equity, you may need to live in your home for some time or use some of the assets from its sale to purchase another home or pay for rent, so it may not provide immediate income.

Here is an example of the Worksheet D calculation:

$50,000.00 (401(k) account balance)
x 0.005368 (income conversion factor for 5%)
$268.40 (per month)

Worksheet D - Monthly Income Over a 30-Year Retirement

Chapter 3: Tracking Down Future Expenses

This chapter will start you on the road toward a realistic look at your expenses in retirement and how they will be affected by inflation. These numbers are important clues to your retirement mystery.

You will be looking at your expenses today and estimating how they will change over time and, specifically, during two other time periods: the day you retire 10 years from now and over the approximate 30-year span of your retirement. In doing so, you will have some idea of whether the money you have saved will be enough to last. You will also have a chance to look at your spending patterns and decide how they could change over time. After all, you can't control inflation over this stretch of time, but you certainly can control what you spend.

Your expenses will likely change as you grow older. Early on, you will spend less on work-related things like transportation and clothing. Maybe you'll spend more on traveling, hobbies, or other things you have always wanted to do. As you age, it is likely that more of your budget will go toward medical expenses, which you will read about soon. Retired people may find that recording their expenses will alter future spending patterns.

About Worksheet E: Monthly Expenses Today

First add up current monthly expenses in Worksheet E (Monthly Expenses Today). Then in Worksheet F, Monthly Expenses in 10 Years, take those totals and adjust them for inflation to estimate your expenses during your first year of retirement. Chapter 4 will look at those expenses over a 30-year retirement and how you will be spending the income you just calculated. If you want a quick estimate of how much monthly income you'll need to cover expenses in retirement, figure on at least 70 percent of your preretirement income. Many experts are now increasing that figure to 80 or 90 percent.

Avoid getting stuck on the details and giving up because you don't have exact records of your spending. If you don't know the exact amount you pay for car insurance, for example, use a guesstimate until you can look it up. You can always come back with more accurate numbers.

Don't include one-time costs like college tuition. If monthly bills for one item vary, like your heating bill, get a year's worth, add them up, and divide that total by 12 for an average monthly expense. If you get a bill four times a year, add up a year's worth and divide by 12 for an average monthly cost. Remember to include your spouse's expenses if you're married and the expenses of anyone financially dependent on you.

Worksheet E - Monthly Expenses Today

Inflation and Your Future

Inflation, in its simplest terms, means that dollar for dollar your money will not buy as much next year as it does this year. This means inflation is a major factor in determining how much money you will need in retirement since, to cover inflation's impact, you will need more money every year. In other words, if your money is not earning more than the rate of inflation, you will lose part of your nest egg's buying power.

You can't know and can't control future inflation. The only accurate inflation rates are from the past, and they vary widely. In 1980, overall prices went up a whopping 13.5 percent; in 2015, they went up only .1 percent. Looking at the past shows how rates may vary widely. Worksheet F uses the factor for a 3 percent rise in prices for the next 10 years. But these are estimates, and remember, we've gotten used to low inflation overall -- with a few glaring exceptions -- over the last decade.

Facing Down Rising Costs

One exception to low inflation rates is medical costs, which have risen faster than inflation over the last 20 years. Worksheet F assumes a 10 percent rise in medical costs each year over the next 10 years with costs rising as retirement approaches due to inflation and an increasing need for medical care. If you have, or your family history includes, a serious medical condition like heart disease, you will probably spend more on health care than you ever imagined. According to two studies, 12 percent of retiree income will be spent on health care now and will grow to 17 percent by 2030.

While Medicare is a great benefit to people 65 and older, it does not cover all medical costs – deductibles, co-payments, and long-term care, for example. Medicare Part A covers hospital care only. Medicare Part B, an additional insurance you will be offered when you turn 65, covers doctors' services, outpatient hospital care, and things like physical and occupational therapy and some home health care. The current cost of Medicare Part B is about $175 per month for most people, although some may pay more. In addition to Medicare Parts A and B, many retirees buy a Medicare Supplement Insurance policy also called Medigap, a private health insurance that supplements Medicare. It helps pay some of the health care costs that Medicare doesn't cover, including copayment, coinsurance, and deductibles. While prices vary by age, sex, and where you live, the average cost for the fastest-growing level of coverage (Medigap Plan G) is $124.83 per month at age 65. Because there can be big differences in the cost, it's important to ask how an insurance company prices its policies and compare. Medicare, private insurance, and/or Medicaid pays for only about 85 percent of retirees' overall health care expenses.

Medicare also has a Part C, which serves as an alternative to traditional Part A and Part B coverage. Under this option, beneficiaries can choose to enroll in and receive care from private "Medicare Advantage" and certain other health insurance plans that contract with Medicare. In most of these plans, there are extra benefits and lower premiums than the original Medicare plan; however, your choice of doctors and hospitals may be limited, and the plans' copayments and charges may vary. You do not need to purchase a Medigap policy if you join a Medicare Advantage Plan.

An additional feature is the Medicare prescription drug program (Medicare Part D). Those who become eligible for Medicare Part A and/or Part B can join a prescription drug plan offered in their area. By paying a small premium – around $33 a month in 2024 – those who join can get prescription drugs at a lower cost. (The Resources section includes publications about this program.)

If you are thinking about retiring early, consider your options for health coverage until Medicare kicks in at age 65. Some employers cover health care for retirees; however, you should know that employer-provided health benefits for retirees might not be guaranteed and could be reduced or eliminated by your former employer under some circumstances. Other options to consider include enrolling in your spouse's employer plan through special enrollment, temporarily continuing your employer coverage by electing COBRA, or enrolling in the Health Insurance Marketplace. The Marketplace offers comprehensive health coverage and you may be eligible for a tax credit that will lower your monthly premiums and cost-sharing reductions that will lower your out-of-pocket costs for deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. Your rights to these options will depend on your individual circumstances, so find out what your options are before you retire.

Where Will You Live When You Retire?

Make planning for your future housing needs one of your first priorities since where you live in retirement affects not only your income, but also your emotional, social, and physical well-being. It is an important part of your overall retirement strategy. While the cost of owning a home hasn't gone up as much as health care, it is high in many regions. Home heating and cooling costs are rising fast, too. Maintenance, condo fees, real estate taxes, and insurance are other costs affected by inflation.

As you age, you may want to look into other types of housing. Over half of people turning 65 can expect to receive assistance with their health or personal care needs during their life. Continuing care retirement communities, for older people who want to stay in the same place through the aging process, starting out living independently with the expectation of needing long-term care services and supports, often require a large down payment, for example, $402,000, and then a monthly fee of $2,000 to $4,000. Most long-term care is provided in one's own home, but others receive services in nursing homes, assisted living and other types of residential settings. Median nursing home care is $108,405 a year for a private room while median assisted living costs are $54,000 a year. Saving for this care might make you feel more financially secure.

With medical, long-term services and supports, and housing costs such a big part of a retirement budget, it's no surprise that products and services have been developed to help plan for and manage these costs. Rising health care costs, in particular, could consume all the money saved for retirement. One of the products developed is long-term care insurance, which can protect retirees' assets by paying for long-term services and supports in various residential settings, including your own home. Premiums vary by the features you choose, such as the amount of the daily benefit paid and protection against inflation. The premium in 2022 for a 55-year-old couple was $5,025 a year. Buying such a policy at a later age means higher premiums. If you're considering a policy, get some advice, because long-term care insurance has many options and some policyholders may find the coverage isn't what they need.

To cope with these future expenses, some preretirees start special health care savings funds at work, separate from their retirement savings. One example is a type of account, a health savings account (HSA), which is designed to help certain employees save for future qualified medical and retiree health expenses on a tax-free basis. Essentially, an HSA is a savings account into which you can deposit money for future use. If you belong to a health plan with a deductible of at least $1,600 (for individual coverage) or $3,200 (for family coverage), you may be able to set up an HSA. Individuals who don't belong to a workplace health plan can sign up for HSAs with some banks, insurance companies, and other approved entities.

These accounts can receive contributions from you, your employer, or even a family member on your behalf. You can use the funds from an HSA to help offset future medical costs, and the money in your account can be carried over from year to year. In addition, this type of account is portable; it stays with you as you move from one employer to another or if you leave the work force. To learn more about health savings account criteria, see the Resources section.

About Worksheet F: Monthly Expenses in 10 Years

This worksheet will show you how inflation can increase your total expenses in your first year of retirement.

You will notice that Worksheet F has room for some new types of health-related expenses many retirees are likely to incur in retirement.

Here is an example of the calculations you will do in Worksheet F:

$200.00 (amount spent on food each month today)
x 1.3439 (inflation factor of 3%)
$268.78 (cost of the same food basket in 10 years)

Note that for many mortgages and some loans, your payments have taken into account the rate of inflation. If you have a fixed mortgage or loan, you will not need to do the calculation for this item. However, your mortgage expenses may change after retirement if you decide to sell your home and purchase something smaller or move to a region with lower housing costs.

The worksheets in this publication don't account for savings during retirement in order to simplify the calculations. However, you may find or put aside additional savings in retirement. For example, since your home mortgage will be paid at some point, this may be one place where money will be freed up. You may want to use that money (or other funds) as savings during retirement, whether to add to your nest egg for unexpected retirement emergencies or to plan for inflated expenses later in your retirement. But remember, it is easier to save now than it will be in retirement.

Worksheet F - Monthly Expenses in 10 Years (First year of retirement)

Chapter 4: Comparing Income and Expenses

Now you will compare your income with your expenses during retirement and see if they match up. This is the number you've been working toward as you've investigated your assets and income, then expenses, and finally, figured the effects of time on your money. By the end of Chapter 4, you will discover whether you need to save more for retirement and, if so, how much more...and you will learn how to grow your savings over time.

Few people will have exactly the amount of money they will need in retirement. Most will get a negative figure – a gap – when they do the math. If this is your situation, this chapter can help you figure how much more to save each month over the next 10 years until you retire. After you come up with your totals, be sure to read on to find out the difference a year can make and the five ways to close the gap and boost your savings. Where will you find additional savings? Here are some suggestions for active workers and retirees alike.

You probably know by now the easiest way to watch your nest egg grow is to make the maximum contribution to your workplace savings plan through payroll deductions. If you are 50 or over, you will have the chance to add even more to your savings through catch-up contributions, ranging from $1,000 to $7,500, depending on the type of retirement plan you have. And you are reducing your taxes. If there's no retirement plan at work, you can add annual contributions to any IRA accounts you have.

Join the Club

Most people haven't thought about how long their savings will last in retirement or how much inflation will increase over time.

Worksheet G is where all your prior work comes together. Building on the clues uncovered in the earlier worksheets, Worksheet G compares your anticipated income and expenses over the 30 years of your retirement. Making the comparison in dollars valued at the time of your retirement, this worksheet takes into account that while you will have a fixed monthly income, your expenses will increase due to inflation.

At the beginning of retirement, most people's monthly income likely will exceed their expenses; but after a decade or so, expenses begin to exceed the monthly income. Realizing this now will allow you to save and invest any extra income in the early years of retirement so that it will grow and can be used to cover increased expenses later in retirement. Especially if you have a shortfall, this worksheet will allow you to see how much you may need to add to your savings. When doing this comparison of your projected income and expenses, keep in mind that the value of a dollar tomorrow is less than a dollar today. The goal is to stay ahead of inflation. For example, a dollar today is worth more than a dollar in 30 years if the rate of return, say 5 percent, is greater than the inflation rate, say 3 percent. The worksheet addresses the impact of inflation by converting your anticipated cash flows into a constant dollar value at the time of your retirement.

About Worksheet G: Comparing Projected Income and Expenses

Start Worksheet G by taking the total monthly income calculated in Worksheet D and multiply it by a value adjustment factor you select from Clue 3. Select the rate of return with a 0 percent inflation rate. Then multiply this result by 360 – the number of months in a 30-year retirement. Enter that amount in Column 4 of Worksheet G.

Next move on to expenses in row 2, taking the total monthly expenses calculated in Worksheet F. For expenses other than health, go to Clue 3 to select an inflation adjustment value factor. Use the 3 percent inflation rate (used in Worksheet F) or select another that you believe will reflect inflation over the 30 years of your retirement. For health, use an inflation rate less than 10 percent (the rate used in Worksheet F) over retirement. By retirement age, your annual medical costs will have already increased a lot so future increases will be smaller. Multiply this result by 360 and enter it in column 4. Subtract the total value of projected expenses ("other than health" and "health") over 30 years of retirement in Column 4 from the corresponding total value of your projected income (Column 4). Here is an example of how this works:

Projected value of income:
$1,400.00/month
x 0.5174 (5% rate of return, 0% inflation)
x 360 (months in 30 years)
$260,769.60

For this example, we are using an 8 percent inflation rate for health expenses and 3 percent for other than health expenses:

Projected value of expenses:
Health expenses
$200.00 /month
x 1.6193 (5% rate of return, 8% inflation)
x 360 (months in 30 years)
$116,589.60

Other than health expenses
$700.00 /month
x 0.7520 (5% rate of return, 3% inflation)
x 360 (months in 30 years)
$189,504.00

Total projected value of expenses:
$306,093.60

$260,769.60 (value of income over 30 years)
-$306,093.60 (value of expenses over 30 years)
-$45,324.00 (shortfall)

Worksheet G - Comparing Projected Income and Expenses – Are You Prepared?

If the result is negative, don't worry. Just about everyone will need to make up a shortfall in savings. Remember, also, that it is difficult to project inflation rates, especially for health care, that far in the future. It is better, however, to have a rough idea of where you stand than have no guesstimate at all.

The good news is that time is on your side. Remember the effect of interest compounding and how it can make your money grow in 10 years. Each year, as you set aside more money, the combination of savings and earnings will help close the gap. Worksheet H lets you figure out how much you need to start to save today to make up the gap between projected income and expenses. Multiply the gap from Worksheet G by an additional savings factor you select from the top of Worksheet H, based on the rate of return you think you will earn.

For example:
$45,324.00 (gap from Worksheet G example above)
x 0.00644 (5% rate of return)
$291.89 /month to close the gap

Socking away that amount of money over the next 10 years, while getting a rate of return you're comfortable with, should go a long way toward matching up income and expenses over 30 years of retirement.

The good news is that you don't have to save the total amount of any gap between what you have and what you need. Each year the amount you invest will grow, and the growth of your savings lessens the amount you need to save.

Worksheet H - Additional Savings Needed Before Retirement (in 10 years)

Five Ways to Close the Gap

Where will you find additional savings? Here are some suggestions for active workers and retirees alike.

Number 1 - Work your workplace contributions

Without exception, retirement planners advise contributing the maximum to your retirement plan, especially if your employer contributes, too. If your contributions are made by salary deduction, saving is easier to do and may seem almost painless. And contributing more means postponing, or "deferring," taxes until you withdraw the money at retirement. Then you may be in a lower tax bracket.

Catch-up provisions for some retirement plans allow you to contribute extra amounts if you're over 50. Information about 401(k) catch-up contributions is available from your retirement plan administrator or on the Internet. If your plan has a catch-up provision, act on it now.

Number 2 - Work longer, retire later

Staying employed as long as possible benefits your retirement finances in several ways. Having an income gives your retirement savings more time to grow. A regular income could mean more regular savings. If you work for a company that provides health insurance, you won't have to fully pay for a policy yourself.

You don't have to stay at your same job if there are other opportunities. Maybe you want a new career, one that ties in to your personal interests. Longer life spans and better health mean many older people have the energy and enthusiasm employers are looking for, not to mention the skills and experience. Many people find the social benefits of working as important as the financial ones.

Number 3 - Cut expenses, big and little

Moving to a region with lower housing and living costs or moving to a smaller home can help narrow the savings gap. Another option is staying in your community but downsizing to a smaller place like a condo or apartment. The same factors that drove up the value of your current house, however, will also have driven up overall housing costs, including real estate taxes. Housing is a major part of everyone's budget so think carefully about where you want to be and whether you can afford it. Keep in mind, however, that moving includes its own financial expenses and means leaving friends and your community.

Financial planners say that preretirement years are the wrong time to take on large debts, including home equity loans and high interest credit card debt. Buying a new car, boat, or vacation home is not wise if you need to save. Investing that $400 a month (an average 5-year car loan payment) and getting a 5 percent return would put more than $27,000 in your retirement account. Consider keeping your old car or buying a used one.

Preretirement is also the wrong time to give or "loan" large sums of money to your children and grandchildren. Their earning power is usually far better than yours. Now is the time to take care of your finances so you don't have to ask others to bear the financial burden for your care later on.

Number 4 - Social Security, now or later?

The amount of your monthly Social Security benefit goes up the older you are when you start receiving it. For example, a 61-year-old man earning $60,000 in 2022 and eligible for his early Social Security benefit at 62 would receive an additional $1,152 a year by waiting 1 year, until he is 63, to collect his benefits. On the other hand, retirees who are seriously ill, who need the money immediately, or who feel comfortable investing their monthly checks may choose not to wait.

In this example, the worker turning 62 in 2023 would have a full retirement age of 67 under Social Security. At full retirement, his benefit will be $1,814. If, however, he starts to receive benefits at age 62, his monthly benefit would be reduced to $1,193. By waiting until age 70, his monthly benefit would be $2,332.

On average, early retirement will give you about the same total Social Security benefits over your lifetime, but in smaller amounts to take into account the longer period you will be receiving them.

If you delay retirement beyond the full Social Security retirement age, you can earn retirement credits, increasing Social Security by a certain percentage (depending on date of birth) until you reach age 70.

Regardless of the age you start receiving Social Security benefits, remember to sign up for Medicare at age 65. If you don't (for example, because you have other coverage), you may be limited on when you can enroll later and may pay more in premiums. For more information, see the Resources section.

Number 5 - Put your money where the returns are

Educate yourself about investing and consider paying a professional to help you choose the right place for your money. Financial experts say too many people keep too much money in the wrong kinds of accounts, for example checking accounts, savings accounts, and money market funds, which typically have low interest or return rates. Review the discussion in Chapter 2 about asset allocation and diversification of investments.

Chapter 5: Making Your Money Last

The point of all the calculations you have done in this publication is to make sure your income will last a lifetime. If doing the worksheets has uncovered a gap between your retirement income and expenses, you probably should change some financial habits over the next 10 years. The only part of your retirement mystery that remains is deciding how you are going to make your retirement income last as long as you do. You will need a strategy.

Solving your retirement mystery has revealed that more saving (especially for medical costs), more investing, and less spending will boost your confidence and your financial bottom line as you near the end of your working life.

For now, you will probably need to focus on adding to your nest egg and investing it wisely. Take into account that you will also have income taxes to pay. Take the short tax quiz in this chapter to find out about minimizing your taxes in retirement.

You may also want to take a look at financial products and services that could help build some financial security into your retirement. But first, a word of caution. Because you're growing a nest egg, you may start hearing from people offering their own strategies for managing your retirement money. These people may be relatives and friends. You will also hear from strangers in phone calls, letters, and emails. Some may offer to double your money at no risk. Think long and hard about involving them in your financial affairs, unless they're qualified financial professionals and can be objective. Retirees are frequently targets for scams. Don't give out any personal information to strangers. Don't be a courtesy victim. Con artists will not hesitate to exploit your good manners. Save courtesy for friends and family members, not potential swindlers!

It's A Big Deal

"Having a strategy" may sound like retirement is a battle or a complicated business opportunity. You may be thinking, "What's the big deal? I'll just withdraw money when I need to pay bills." Your parents may have done fine by simply cashing their monthly Social Security and pension checks to live on. Their taxes on this income most likely were a lot simpler and a lot easier to do.

In today's world, keep in mind that the money you have saved and invested will be earning income until you withdraw it. Part of solving your retirement mystery will be deciding how to handle your retirement money, including continual investing, throughout your life. Your tax situation, both federal and state, may not be so clear. You need to plan a withdrawal strategy so you pay less tax on money you take out of your retirement account and continue to grow the money you leave in. A qualified tax adviser can help here.

Getting Your Retirement Benefits

You may need to decide whether to take your pension or your retirement plan benefit in a lump sum or in an annuity. You can find out about your retirement plan payout options by reading your plan documents. Or you can contact the plan administrator directly for information about what your plan offers.

If you are in a traditional pension plan, your benefit is paid in the form of an annuity – that is, through periodic payments, typically monthly, for an extended period, usually your lifetime. If you select an option that provides for a survivor benefit for your spouse, note that your monthly benefit will be reduced. The survivor benefit is typically 50 percent of the retiree's benefit, but some plans provide for other options, such as 75 percent.

If you are in a defined contribution plan, such as a 401(k) plan, you do not automatically get your benefit as an annuity. You can take your retirement benefit as a lump sum paid entirely at the time of your retirement or, as in some plans, through periodic payments over a short period of time, such as 3 or 5 years. Your plan may provide an annuity option or you may choose to buy an annuity with all or part of your lump sum benefit. To help with your decision, use the individual benefit statement provided by your plan at least annually that includes two illustrations of your account balance as a stream of estimated monthly lifetime payments (as a single life annuity and a qualified joint and survivor annuity). If you choose to take your benefit in a lump sum, be sure to put it in a tax-deferred account, such as an IRA, within 60 days to avoid paying high income taxes (the highest tax being 37 percent as of 2023) on the amount. You will then have to decide how to invest what could be the most money you've ever accumulated and make sure it lasts for the 30 years of your retirement.

If you choose an annuity, make sure you realize the risks and rewards. An annuity provides a steady stream of income that lasts throughout your life and can provide adjustments for inflation. This is helpful especially in the early years of retirement when you may be tempted to spend the excess income instead of saving it to make sure it is there in 20 to 30 years. Keep in mind that if you die sooner than expected, however, the insurance company may keep the remaining balance unless you have opted for a survivor benefit. That is why annuities are usually not recommended for those with a shortened life span. Annuities come in many varieties. If you are purchasing one, choose an insurance company with a good credit rating and track record. Be sure you know what you're buying – there are costs involved in ending the contract. The more you learn upfront, the better.

You can also buy an annuity with money from other assets such as an inheritance or the sale of your house. Like other annuities, you will receive a monthly check for a defined period or for life. The tax treatment of these payouts will be different, however. Like any investment, review the terms of the annuity before you purchase it. For example, will the amount paid vary based on investment returns or is it fixed, what will you pay in related fees, etc.

Another way to make your money last is to obtain a reverse mortgage – essentially a bank loan based on the amount of the equity in your home. It can provide you with a monthly check, but at a cost. You are spending down the value of your home. If you can keep your house in good repair so the bank sees value in the loan, this is a way to supplement your income and not have to leave your home. When you or your heirs sell the house, however, the loan has to be repaid. Talk with the bank about any taxes due on these payments and make your family aware of your reverse mortgage.

Also, remember long-term care insurance can help you plan for increased health care costs in your later years.

Withdrawals: Which Pot?

You probably have some personal savings included in your retirement nest egg that you've already paid taxes on. A Roth IRA, for example, is a good place to leave money you've invested for growth because the withdrawals are not taxed. Retirement experts say you usually should withdraw from this pot of money earlier in retirement when you may be in a higher income tax bracket. Withdraw your taxable retirement plan money (such as your 401(k) or other workplace savings plan) later, when you have less taxable income and possibly higher deductions due to medical expenses.

Be aware, however, that the IRS requires you to start withdrawing tax-deferred money from retirement accounts when you turn 72 years of age, which increases to 73 years of age in 2024. (This is a milestone on the Retirement Timeline at the beginning of this publication.) By doing so, you will avoid tax penalties. These withdrawals are called "required minimum distributions," and the formula for determining the amount can be complicated. You may want to consult a tax expert for help.

Can You Beat It?

As you're withdrawing money to pay your bills in retirement, you should try to grow your remaining money to at least keep up with inflation. Of course, it's better to beat inflation. Experts say you need to continue investing and diversifying your assets throughout your life. Keeping your money in accounts paying guaranteed interest rates will keep it safe, but not from inflation. Inflation is a major threat to your financial future, so make it a consideration in your investment decisions.

Going It Alone Vs. Getting Help

With a lot of study and regular attention to changes in tax laws, the economy, the stock market, and your money, you may be able to come up with a strategy to minimize taxes and maximize income. There's even software to help.

There's another road, too. You can hire someone to develop your strategy and manage your money for you. Especially during the later years of your retirement, you may want to seek the help of a professional, when you may have less interest, energy, and ability to keep your strategy on target.

Good financial professionals, and the companies they work for and with, legally must be clear and open about their fees and charges and whether they are paid by commissions or for the sales of financial products, such as annuities and mutual funds. Be sure to ask questions, get references, and avoid anyone who guarantees performance on returns. This way you can make an informed decision. After all, it is your money you are putting in their hands. See the Resources section for more information on getting help.

Taxes & Retirement – True or False?

Income taxes go away when you're retired. True or False?

False. Remember all that pretax money you contributed to your retirement plan? When you withdraw it at retirement, you pay income taxes.

Social Security benefits are not sheltered from taxes. True or False?

True. A portion of your Social Security benefits is included in your taxable income if, for example, in 2023, half of your Social Security benefits plus all of your other income is more than $25,000 for a single person or $32,000 for a couple.

There are no tax consequences if you don't start to withdraw your pretax savings at age 72 (age 73 starting in 2024). True or False?

False. There is a 50 percent tax penalty on amounts that the IRS requires to be taken out after age 72 (age 73 starting in 2024) and that are not withdrawn when required. In tax terms, these are called "required minimum distributions."

A Few Words About Scams

As you plan your retirement, don't let fear, desperation, or the need to catch up financially push you into any hasty investment decisions. In all legitimate investments, higher returns are accompanied by higher risks – risks you may well not want to take as you near retirement. Be wary of anyone who claims they can sell you a product that offers great reward without great risk -- a sure sign of a scam. Here are a few points to keep in mind when you make any financial decision:

Recognize that anyone can claim to be a "financial consultant" or "investment counselor." That person may not have the special training, expertise, or credentials necessary to back up the claim, however. Ask about licensing and professional designations and check them out with securities regulators and any trade groups in which they claim membership.

Understand your investments and never be afraid to ask questions. Good financial professionals are never pushy, and they never dismiss your concerns.

Don't let embarrassment or fear keep you from reporting suspected investment fraud or abuse. Contact the securities agency in your state as soon as you suspect a problem or believe you have been dealt with unfairly.

Never judge a person's integrity by how they sound or how they appear. The most successful con artists sound extremely professional and have the ability to make even the flimsiest investment seem as safe as putting money in the bank.

Monitor your investments. Ask tough questions and insist on speedy and satisfactory answers. Make sure you get regular written and oral reports. Look for signs of excessive or unauthorized trading of your funds when you receive statements, and do not be swayed by assurances that this kind of practice is routine.

Above all, become an informed investor. In investing, as in life, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Routinely monitoring your online accounts is also one of the basic steps you can take to reduce the cybersecurity risk of fraud or loss to your retirement account. Some additional steps you can take include using strong and secure passwords, keeping personal contact information updated, being wary of free Wi-Fi, and knowing how to report cybersecurity incidents.

Now that you have tracked down all the clues pertinent to your retirement mystery, you've almost solved the case. In the next chapter, you will find several resources with more information. Take advantage of them.

Chapter 6: Tracking Down Help for Retirement

Like a black and white TV, retirement used to have high contrast and few choices: One day you were working and the next day you weren't. One day you lived on a paycheck and the next day on pension and Social Security checks. Your income was fixed and retirement was no mystery.

You have the power to put some color, maybe even gold, in your retirement. It mostly means planning to close the income-expense gap and manage your money smartly now and during your later years. You won't be alone. By 2030, one in five Americans will be over 65. That's a lot of people today who will need to work on a clear and realistic retirement plan during the next 10 years. Make sure you're one of them so your retirement wishes come true.

In the following list of resources, you will find ways to discover more clues about retiring gradually and maybe working longer, paying attention to your assets and income, saving and investing, planning for increased expenses, including medical costs, and developing a withdrawal strategy. The information available on the websites listed is rich in detail and wide in scope. Remember to protect your privacy by not giving out personal information, such as your Social Security number, telephone, or address, unless you know whom you're dealing with.

Helping American workers succeed in a new kind of retirement has become the focus for a number of government agencies and organizations. Businesses selling products and services like annuities, long-term care insurance, and income management services are another source of information. To reach all these sources, use the Internet, your telephone, and the public library.

Periodically look back over the worksheets you have done and fill them out again as your finances change. Unforeseen events, such as job loss or an illness, may have an impact on how you plan and save for your retirement, making it necessary to change your approach. Chart your progress through the next 10 years until retirement and beyond. Get time on your side and get going.

Resources

This publication is presented by:

U.S. Department of Labor
Employee Benefits Security Administration
200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20210
Toll-free publication request line: (1 866) 444-3272

North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc.
750 First St., N.E., Suite 1140, Washington, DC 20002
(202) 737-0900

The following websites, booklets, pamphlets, and other references are available from these organizations and others that focus on retirement and savings issues.

Retirement Savings Calculators:

(Note: The Department of Labor does not endorse one specific website over another.)

AARP

American Savings Education Council

360 Degrees of Financial Literacy

Retirement Planning and General Retirement Issues:

• Retirement Toolkit
• Filing a Claim for Your Retirement Benefits
• What You Should Know About Your Retirement Plan
• Savings Fitness …A Guide to Your Money and Your Financial Future
• Top 10 Ways to Prepare for Retirement
• Women and Retirement Savings

To order copies, contact EBSA electronically or call (1 866) 444-3272. For more information on ways to protect your online retirement account from risk of fraud and loss, see EBSA's online security tips.

Social Security Administration

The Social Security Administration website has resources to help calculate your retirement benefits, and to learn about survivor benefits and Medicare. Two publications you may want to view or order:

• Understanding the Benefits
• What Every Woman Should Know

AARP

AARP offers a wealth of information, including a fact sheet on reverse mortgages and a retirement income calculator.

1-888-OUR-AARP (687-2277)

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation

For employees who may have worked for a company with a traditional defined benefit pension, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation can assist in locating any money still in your account. Those with defined benefit plans will also find these two resources useful:

• Your Guaranteed Pension
• Finding a Lost Pension

(1 800) 400-7242

National Endowment for Financial Education

Browse the National Endowment for Financial Education website for a wealth of information about financial wellness.

Saving and Investing:

Consumer Federation of America

In addition to consumer fact sheets and studies, the Consumer Federation of America's website offers a free savings brochure, 6 Steps to Six-Figure Savings.

(202) 387-6121

Investor.gov

The Securities and Exchange Commission website offers a menu of online investor information topics for consumer reference. View Five Questions to Ask Before You Invest and other titles.

MyMoney.gov

This website is sponsored by the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Internal Revenue Service

The Internal Revenue Service's Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) is one of several guides to retirement plans that the agency offers. This guide provides information on distributions and withdrawals from an IRA. A second publication discusses contributing to an IRA.

USA.gov

The USA.gov website is your portal to government information from car insurance to retirement savings.

360 Degrees of Financial Literacy

This site, sponsored by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, views finances throughout life – from childhood to college, career, and retirement and estate planning.

Getting Help:

North American Securities Administrators Association

This site alerts readers to the latest money scams and to any disciplinary rulings against individual financial advisers. It also includes a section on investor education, including the NASAA Fraud Center.

LetsMakeAPlan.org

The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards website lets you look up a certified financial planner near you. The website also provides information on a variety of financial topics, including retirement planning, and financial planning for certain life stages.

(1 800) 487-1497

National Association of Personal Financial Advisors

This is the site for the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, an organization of fee-only comprehensive financial professionals. It also includes retirement planning information.

1-888-FEE-ONLY (333-6659)

Society of Actuaries

The Society of Actuaries website links to informative articles in the group's publication, The Actuary.

Federal Trade Commission

The Federal Trade Commission's site includes over two dozen fact sheets and brochures warning consumers about scam investments. View articles about reverse mortgages and other topics.

Administration for Community Living

The Administration for Community Living's website includes information for older adults on topics from money to housing.

Medicare

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) site is your first and most reliable resource for information on Medicare. It includes information on enrollment, billing, appeals, long-term care, and links to information on the prescription drug program. Start with these publications:

• Medicare & You
• Choosing a Medigap Policy: A Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare
• Your Guide to Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage

Social Security Administration information on the Medicare Prescription Drug Program

The Social Security Administration also has information on the Medicare Prescription Drug Program to help people with limited income lower or cut their Part D costs, like deductibles and copays.

HealthCare.gov

Use this website to apply for health coverage in the Health Insurance Marketplace, compare plans, and enroll online.

LongTermCare.gov

National clearinghouse for long-term care information from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Longevity Illustrator

Developed by the American Academy of Actuaries and the Society of Actuaries, the Longevity Illustrator is designed to provide perspectives on longevity risk – the uncertainty of how long an individual and their spouse/partner might live.

Worksheets for the Future

You have seen the following worksheets before. They appear in some of the preceding chapters. This additional collection will prove useful:

It will help you redo some or all of your calculations from time to time.

If you get a raise and add it to your savings, that's an ideal time to update Worksheet A.

Its abbreviated instructions will provide an extra level of understanding.

Do you plan to pay off a mortgage between now and retirement? This will also affect your worksheet calculations.

Each time you add more to savings, you close any gap between the money you have and the money you will need for retirement. (Worksheet H)

Saving copies of all the worksheets will clarify the progress you are making toward your retirement goals.

These lighter colored versions will also make it easier to make extra copies as needed. So if you anticipate needing more than one extra set, why not make it now?

And don't forget to use your trusty number 2 pencil. Remember, the reward for completing this information should be a happy retirement future rather than a beautifully drafted plan. Done well, it will be as considered and accurate as it is erased and dog-eared. Accomplishing such a goal will require that each mystery be solved a clue at a time.

If all this sounds a little daunting, please don't forget our generous time frame – 10 years if we start now. Even devoting just one hour a month will allow more than enough attention to develop your successful strategy.

Instructions for Worksheet A: Today's Money

Worksheet A lets you shine some light on the money you will have to support yourself (and your spouse, if you have one) in retirement.

Write down in this worksheet only the money you have today that you plan to use when you retire. Include the balance on your 401(k) plan, "Keogh," SEP-IRA, and SIMPLE plans in the spaces provided. The next rows include savings in IRAs (both traditional and Roth), savings accounts in a bank, and the market value of your home.

Enter mortgage and other liens as a negative amount, then go on to add any other personal savings and investments you have, including the cash value of life insurance and any valuable collections you may have.

Don't add balances from your Social Security statements and from a traditional pension plan, if you have one – save that for Worksheet D.

Instructions for Worksheet B: Your Money 10 Years from Today

This worksheet takes the total from Worksheet A and projects it into the future – specifically, to the day you retire. How much money will you have?

By choosing a savings growth factor for a 3, 5, or 7 percent rate of return, you can take current retirement saving sources and project earnings on each of them during the next 10 years. You will be able to transfer the dollar amounts for your income sources directly from Column 3 of Worksheet A. Multiply that number by the savings growth factor you choose and enter the new number in Column 3.

Like Worksheet A, Social Security benefits and traditional pensions are not included since you won't receive these sources of income until retirement.

Instructions for Worksheet C: New Savings Between Now and Retirement

You may well have additional workplace and personal savings to add to your earnings between now and retirement. Worksheet C lets you calculate potential growth using a savings growth factor representing 3, 5, or 7 percent rates of return, depending on how much you believe each of the worksheet items will increase in value between now and the day you retire in 10 years.

To get 10-year totals, multiply the amount you believe you will add monthly to IRAs, 401(k)s and other savings instruments by the growth factor you select. The result: the value of your new savings in 10 years.

Instructions for Worksheet D: Monthly Income over a 30-Year Retirement

Worksheet D takes your earnings and savings over a lifetime and projects a monthly income – the amount you will have to live on – during a 30-year retirement period. Unlike previous worksheets, this one adds the amount of your Social Security benefit and any payout from a traditional pension plan.

If you have a fixed pension (rather than, or in addition to, a 401(k)-type plan), your pension plan administrator or union can give you the approximate amount of your pension and tell you whether you can receive it as a lump sum or as fixed monthly payments. If it is a lump sum, enter that amount in Column 1 of the worksheet; if you receive it as a fixed monthly benefit, fill in only Column 3.

For other assets, those you tracked down in Worksheets B and C, add the totals for each item from both worksheets and enter the total in Column 1 of this worksheet. Then select an income conversion factor representing a 3, 5, or 7 percent rate of return and enter it in Column 2. Multiply Column 1 by Column 2 and enter the result in Column 3. Remember, this is a guesstimate of your monthly income for the 30 years of retirement since things that impact your income will vary.

Instructions for Worksheet E: Monthly Expenses Today

Now that you know what your savings and investments are, the next step is to move on to today's expenses. Worksheet E helps you calculate what you spend today.

Some monthly expenses are easy to figure. Others, like a heating bill, may not remain the same from month to month and will require a calculation of your average monthly bill over a year's time. Still other bills may arrive only quarterly. While you may want to guesstimate some of these bills the first time you fill in the worksheets, you will probably want to add more accurate figures later.

If you are married, include your spouse's expenses; in addition, if anyone is financially dependent on you, add in those expenses, too.

Instructions for Worksheet F: Monthly Expenses in 10 Years

Inflation will increase your expenses, even in the 10 years between now and retirement. Worksheet F helps you calculate how much inflation might affect each of the items in the expenses you recorded in Worksheet E. In addition, it includes room for some new types of health-related expenses many retirees are likely to incur in retirement. This chart assumes an inflation rate of 3 percent for items other than health-related expenses and assumes a 10 percent inflation rate for health expenses.

Note: Many mortgage and some loan payments have already taken into account the rate of inflation. If you have a fixed mortgage or loan, you will not need to calculate this item.

Instructions for Worksheet G: Comparing Projected Income and Expenses

This worksheet compares your anticipated income and expenses over the 30 years of your retirement and will reflect any shortfall between the two.

Use the total monthly income calculated in Worksheet D and multiply it by a value adjustment factor you select from Clue 3. Select the rate of return with a 0 percent inflation rate. Then multiply this result by 360 months and enter that amount in Column 4 of Worksheet G. This is your total projected income.

Next, record the total monthly expenses calculated in Worksheet F. For expenses other than health, choose an inflation adjustment value factor from Clue 3. Use the 3 percent inflation rate (used in Worksheet F) or select another that you believe will reflect inflation over the 30 years of your retirement.

For health, use an inflation rate less than 10 percent (such as 8 percent used in the example after Worksheet G). Multiply this result by 360 months and enter it in Column 4. Now subtract the total value of projected expenses ("other than health" and "health") over 30 years of retirement in Column 4 from the corresponding total value of your projected income (also in Column 4). The result is the projected value of income less expenses.

Instructions for Worksheet H: Additional Savings Needed Before Retirement (In 10 Years)

Now you can figure the amount you need to start to save today to make up for any gap between projected income and expenses.

Multiply the gap in Worksheet G by an additional savings factor you select from the top of Worksheet H, based on the rate of return you believe your savings will earn.