Things to Consider When Planning a Retirement

How does it feel to live in a place like the old rural west, amid native California Junipers in a valley flanked by the rolling Sierra Pelona and San Gabriel mountains?

Dubbed as the “Beverly Hills” of the Antelope Valley, Acton may be an ideal place for vacation or retirement life - close to nature yet only 25 to 30 minutes away from the San Fernando Valley and approximately 50 to 60 minutes to Los Angeles.

If you wish to retire and settle in a place such as Acton, it may do good to consider a plan for your retirement.

Having a retirement plan to work for you will depend on good preparation and your goals. To start early on your plan, you have to invest and save for the future.

Saving for retirement includes the following:

1. a comprehensive retirement calculation

2. enough social security contributions (40 points)

3. other contributions to potentially reach your financial goal within your desired time frame

4. contributions to tax-advantaged retirement accounts, such as your employer-sponsored retirement plan and an internal revenue allotment (IRA)

5. asset allocation aligned with retirement goal, risk tolerance, and time horizon

6. a review your retirement portfolio each year and a rebalance your asset allocation, if necessary.

If you are nearing retirement, consider the following things:

• the payout options available to you (e.g., annuity or lump sum) with your employer-sponsored retirement account, and the pros and cons of each option






• your health insurance options, (i.e., Medicare and various Medigap supplemental plans or employer-sponsored health insurance), out-of-pocket medical expenses, and other related health care costs






• contact the Social Security office to make sure your benefit statement and relevant personal information are accurate






• decide whether to purchase a long-term care insurance or investigate which benefits are desirable






• adjustment of asset allocation to reflect your need to begin income from your portfolio soon






• an appropriate withdrawal rate of your assets to help ensure that your retirement money will last longer






• a strategy to reduce your tax burden once you begin taking your annual required minimum distribution (RMDs)






• appoint a health care proxy and durable power of attorney to take charge of your health and financial affairs if you are unable to do so






• a review of all your financial and legal documents to make sure beneficiaries are up-to-date






• developing an appropriate estate plan

One’s retirement plan is determined by his future needs. To identify possible needs, you must be able to pinpoint potential retirement expenses in relation to the sources of your income. Investing early for your retirement and knowing the value of your assets may help you prepare for a good retirement life.

To know how you can plan your retirement, you can visit the nearest social security office and ask them about the available options for you. Or you can visit the agency’s website to look at how you can avail of their retirement plans.

In other ways, consulting a social security lawyer can help you plan for the future and enjoy the uninterrupted, peaceful life of retirement.

Our Acton lawyers are proficient in dealing with Social Security issues specificallyretirement benefits. For expert representation, you may log on to our website and contact our legal staff