Making Sense of Retirement Planning

While you’re contemplating your future, it’s also important to focus on the present just a little bit. Retirement saving starts with understanding and evaluating your current financial picture. Something you can do is start a spending log to see just where your money is going. This may also help you envision living off that leaner income later on. If you have a frugal lifestyle now, it will be easier in retirement. But, if you’re spending every penny you earn, perhaps it’s time to see where you can scale back a bit.

As you figure out your retirement plan, a financial professional can help you solidify your goals and find the best way for you to save for your retirement dreams. Financial advisers will usually offer a free consultation and your local bank will have someone who can guide you and answer any questions you might have.

Olivia and David Desimone, a 50-something couple from Athens, GA, began planning for retirement in their 40s.

“We attended a free workshop by A.G. Edwards on investing and financial planning,” Olivia says. “A complimentary meeting with one of their brokers was included. He steered us toward a mutual fund that let us automatically invest every month.”

Olivia and David also did a lot of reading before deciding to get into individual stocks, and started subscribing to investment newsletters.

So whether you decide to remain right where you are, spend your retirement traveling or play golf every day, a qualified professional can help you figure out what your saving options are, and help you choose the best ones based on your retirement plan.