Retirement In Sight for May, 2016

R E T I R E M E N T I N S I G H T
 

MONTHLY NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE RETIREES

MAY 2016

“Change your thoughts and you change your world.”
  

- Norman Vincent Peale

HEALTH TIP
Take it easy when you work out

More is not always better for baby boomers starting an exercise program. Your first step, before beginning such a regimen, should be a chat with your doctor. In terms of gym exercises, beginners should consider 8-12 repetitions a goal, no more. If that sounds too strenuous, then aim for 5-8 repetitions. If 5 sounds too much, just do as many as you can. You are not competing with anyone.

BRAIN TEASER
A Rather Hot Problem.
A would-be-bride was asked to give her future mother-in-law a gift of “fire wrapped in paper” to prove herself worthy of marriage into an important family. How did she do it?*

DID YOU KNOW?
Is there seaweed in that sundae?

There may be. Some ice cream brands use either agar or carrageenans as thickening agents. Both are derivatives of seaweed. To produce these pure gelatinous substances, seaweed is boiled and then frozen and thawed repeatedly.4

Dear Friends and Clients of Kaizen,

Here are some thoughts on getting the most out of retirement. You will notice that  may of these concepts are familiar to you from our conversations. However, if you know of someone who may need help planning for their pending retirement, we would be happy to help!

To your prosperity!

WHAT ARE THE HALLMARKS OF A HAPPY RETIREMENT?

There is no absolute answer to that question, but there are some factors that may make retirement more rewarding.

The more control you have over when and how you retire, the happier you may be. In surveying retirees for their data-grounded book The Retirement Maze, authors Rob Pascale, Louis H. Primavera and Rip Roach learned that 69% of people who left work when they wished, retired happy, as opposed to just 36% of those forced to retire. Having a retirement income plan can certainly reduce some uncertainty; though recent Ameriprise research shows just 52% of pre-retirees have developed one. So can talking to your spouse before retirement about where you want to live, how you want to spend your days, and how much “alone time” you need.

Twenty-five percent of employers (according to a Transamerica survey) now let employees phase into retirement by allowing them to work reduced hours, recognizing that working a little (or even a lot) can promote retirement satisfaction. Part-time work, an encore career, or volunteering can help you stay socially engaged. Keeping in touch with your kids or grandkids is definitely a plus, and the greatest asset may be good health; in an Age Wave and Merrill Lynch survey of 3,300 pre-retirees, health ranked first among the keys to retirement happiness.1

MANAGING YOUR CASH FLOW AFTER YOUR CAREER ENDS

Retiring with a budget and practicing a little tax management may lessen monthly financial pressures for you after you leave work. Keep in mind that most retirement accounts are qualified accounts, so distributions from them are commonly taxed as regular income. Distributions from non-qualified investment accounts are taxed at capital gains rates. The difference in tax treatment between the two types of accounts can be as great as 15-25%, something to keep in mind when managing retirement income withdrawals.

Some retirees do not budget; more should. Budgeting in retirement has two aims;  besides just tracking the basic inflows and outflows in your household, it can also reveal any questionable recurring expenses and opportunities for savings.2

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
In 2016’s first quarter, 13.6% of participants in the retirement plans administered by Fidelity Investments boosted their savings rates, while overall employee contributions rose 12.7%. Both numbers represent all-time highs.3

Laurie Klein may be reached at
(425) 321-5800 or liz@kaizenfa.com
https://kaizen2.advisorwebsite.com/