Saving is crucial to retirement:
You can still save aside from your pension contributions. You know that saving is a rewarding habit. If you are not saving, it’s time to get started. Start small if you have to and try to increase the amount you save each month. Make saving for retirement a priority.
You have to invest:
Inflation and the type of investments you make play important roles in how much you will have saved at retirement. Know how your savings or pension plan is invested. Find low risk instruments, such as federal government bonds at dissed invest in. You can invest your savings in real estate and make income at retirement from rents.
Get yourself health insurance:
Health is wealth and you must be healthy to enjoy your retirement. Find out if you can sign up for any health insurance that can cover for your health needs at retirement.
Improve yourself before you retire:
You may retire before getting tired. So, improve yourself to avoid becoming redundant at your retirement. Improve yourself academically and go into consultancy at retirement. You can also get a good business plan and actualise it at retirement.
Pay off debts
This one is proving to be a challenge for many. This can turn into a black hole as a downward spiral pattern emerges. Lay off the credit cards unless you pay them off monthly and realize you may not have the same lifestyle as you had before retirement.
Review your beneficiaries:
Look at who you have selected as beneficiaries for either savings or income plans, and make sure you are still happy with your selection. Keep in mind that for most pension plans, your spouse is automatically your beneficiary, unless if otherwise stated in the next of kin declaration.
Consolidate for convenience:
While you can have as many different investment vehicles in as many different financial institutions as you want, it can get pretty complicated. If you consolidate your investments with just one or two financial institutions, you can keep track of your finances and budgeting a lot simpler.
Consider a reverse mortgage:
This is an arrangement that allows you to tap into the equity you’ve built in your home. Instead of you making mortgage payments to a bank, the financial institution that holds your reverse mortgage makes payments to you. The amount you owe on the reverse mortgage grows over time as you receive more payments. When you die (or move out of the house), the house is sold and the proceeds are used to pay back the money you received, plus interest. What’s left will go to your heirs.
