Clients should consider postponing their retirement, especially if they work for the federal government, as federal workers can earn up to $10,000 more in annual retirement income if they retire at the full retirement age of 66, according to Kiplinger. For example, a federal employee with an average income of $50,000 per year who retires at 66 years old would earn $57,247 annually from Social Security and their retirement income, compared with a total of $47,400 in income if they retire at age 62. Female federal employees should also have a well-planned retirement strategy, as historically, women have earned less during their careers and on average live longer than men.
Clients can retire comfortably on an investment as low as $500,000 by creating a stock portfolio that pays out steady dividends every month, according to this article on Forbes. The attractiveness of monthly dividends stems from their convenience compared to quarterly-paying stocks, especially as bills need to be paid monthly, and the fact that investors who don't need the income immediately from their portfolio can reinvest the money more quickly. Investors may want to look into real estate investment trusts because they commonly pay out monthly and have larger dividend yields.
An expert shares how early retirees can still purchase a home despite not having a steady income stream. This article in MarketWatch gives early retirees, as well as others on the verge of retirement, an idea of how checking out asset-based mortgages could help them buy a new home. Other possible options to get a mortgage would be a Security-Backed Line of Credit and a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage for Purchase. What is important in seeking out a mortgage loan if a person is already retired is that one's assets will help but retirees will still need to shop around for the best interest they can find.
Pre-retirees can look at countries outside the U.S. to find the best retirement havens in the world, according to CNBC. Malaysia, which had been a British colony, has a very good bang for buck in terms of quality of life for the golden years. Other countries include Mexico, Vietnam, Colombia, Peru, Nicaragua and Cambodia.
Retirees looking to donate and get financial incentives can look at community foundations and a donor-advised fund, according to Kiplinger. Community foundations work locally so they can direct funds to matters that are urgently needed. Those who have donor-advised funds can take a charitable tax deduction of a maximum of 50% of their adjusted gross income for cash gifts and a maximum of 30% for property gifts. Donors should also see if they are eligible for state tax credit because some states have such incentives on top of a federal tax deduction.
