Will employees’ savings withstand inflation: Retirement Scan

Our daily roundup of retirement news your clients may be thinking about.

Will clients’ retirement savings withstand rising inflation rates?
Clients should account for inflation when planning for retirement by having realistic estimates of long-term inflation when computing the savings they need for their golden years, according to this article on Huffington Post. They should also create income streams that have built-in protection against inflation, such as Social Security and long-term insurance. Inflation should also be considered when investing for retirement and developing a withdrawal strategy. Having contingency funds can help retirees mitigate inflation and other risks, while delaying Social Security benefits and working longer can shorten the retirement period and decrease exposure to inflation.

What's on workers' retirement bucket list? Work
Fifty percent of workers polled by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies said they intend to work at least part time in retirement, with only 25% saying they want to stop working after they retire, according to this article from CNBC. However, people cannot be certain that they will be able to work in their golden years, as layoffs or health problems may force them to retire earlier than planned, according to a certified financial planner. "There's a little misnomer that we all get to pick when we retire. Most people don't. Therefore, they need to plan for the unexpected."

Six mistakes expats make with IRAs — and how to avoid them

SocialSecurityBldg-AdobeImages.jpeg

Many U.S. expats commit costly mistakes with their IRAs, The Wall Street Journal reports. For example, they contribute to their IRAs without un-excluded earned income or make contributions for a non-resident alien spouse while filing their taxes as head of household. Many Americans living overseas are also unaware that a Roth account has income limits on contributions or that a traditional IRA does not impose such limits if they are not contributing to a qualified retirement plan. Some expats also make deductible contributions without considering double taxation, while those who have inherited an IRA fail to take required minimum distributions from the account.

Why clients need to double-check Social Security advice
Clients should not just accept the advice they get about their Social Security retirement benefits, even if the guidance is provided by the agency, according an article published by Money. The Social Security Administration has faced staff and funding cuts recently, prompting the agency to publish more information online. However, the data may not be the information that clients need to address their concerns.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
Retirement planning 401(k) DC plans IRAs Roth IRAs Social Security CFPs Social Security Administration
MORE FROM EMPLOYEE BENEFIT NEWS