Keeping Your Retirement on Track

Has life thrown you a curveball and knocked your retirement expectations off track? With the help of a financial professional, you may be able to find alternatives to most financial setbacks and get back on track. Here are some post-retirement challenges and their potential solutions.

Home Repairs

You need a new roof or heating system and you don’t have the money budgeted for it. Now you have to withdraw more from your retirement funds than anticipated. While establishing an emergency fund equal to a few months of expenses won’t help you this time around, it may help you the next time you incur a large, unexpected expense.

Vacation Envy

If you budget to the penny because you lack disposable income, it can be next to impossible to find the money to take a vacation. You might consider going away by car instead of air or vacationing with family and friends when they make the offer. But if you really can’t find the money for a vacation, or for an emergency fund for that matter, consider getting a part-time or temporary job.

Health Insurance

Meanwhile, prepare where you can. When a costly illness is your biggest financial risk, it pays to have the right health insurance. Work with an insurance professional to make sure you not only have basic Medicare, but other insurance you need to help defray health care costs, resulting in lower out-of-pocket expenses.

Taxes

During this tax season, consider how an increase in your tax rate could affect your retirement income. One way to deal with this risk is to convert some 401(k) plan or traditional IRA money into a Roth IRA.* You may pay income tax on the converted amount, but Roth distributions are then tax-free.

There’s More

Other risks to your retirement security include withdrawing too much or too little — with the latter resulting in penalties for not taking required minimum distributions — investing too aggressively or conservatively, and outliving your retirement income. Your financial professional can suggest investments to help alleviate these concerns.

* Converting from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA is a taxable event. A Roth IRA offers tax free withdrawals on taxable contributions. To qualify for the tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings, a Roth IRA must be in place for at least five tax years, and the distribution must take place after age 59 1/2 or due to death, disability, or a first time home purchase (up to a $10,000 lifetime maximum). Depending on state law, Roth IRA distributions may be subject to state taxes.