Tackle These 3 Issues Before You Retire Early

 
Are you considering early retirement? If so, you’re not alone. For many Americans, early retirement is the ultimate financial dream. Making the dream a reality requires focus and disciplined saving.
 
Unfortunately, many workers may not be able to retire at all, let alone retire early. A recent analysis of the Federal Reserve’s 2013 Survey of Consumer Finances found that the average American couple has only $5,000 saved for retirement.1
 
However, if you’ve saved a significant amount of assets, it’s possible that early retirement could be in the stars for you. There are a few challenges you’ll need to address before you leave the working world though. Below are three such items. If you haven’t planned for these issues, you may want to do so before you consider retiring early.

How will you pay for health care?
 
Think Medicare will pay all your health care expenses? Think again. You’ll likely have significant out-of-pocket costs above and beyond Medicare coverage. According to Fidelity, the average 65-year-old retired couple can expect to spend $280,000 in retirement on things like deductibles, premiums, copays and more.2 That figure doesn’t include any potential long-term care costs.
 
Do you have a plan to pay for medical expenses? If you retire early, you may have to pay out of pocket or buy a private policy before you’re eligible for Medicare. Consider maxing your contributions to your health savings account (HSA) and possibly looking into a long-term care insurance policy.

How will you manage your spending in retirement?
 
A budget can be your most powerful financial tool in retirement. It helps you see where you spend your money, how much you can afford to spend and what changes you may need to make to stay within your income.
 
Developing a budget is only the first step, though. You also may want to take your retirement budget for a test drive. That’s especially true if you hope to live on a tighter spending level after you retire. Try living on that spending level for three or even six months to see if it’s feasible. If so, retirement may be a possibility.

How will you spend your free time?
 
Believe it or not, boredom is a serious challenge for many retirees. They struggle to transition to a free and clear schedule. Without work, they may not know how to fill their time or they may feel that they lack purpose.

Some retirees fill the void with costly activities like travel, shopping, and new hobbies. The result is that they spend too much money in the early years of retirement and leave themselves in a challenging position in the later years.
 
If you don’t know how you will spend your retirement, you may not be ready to stop working. Develop a plan not only for your money in retirement, but also for your time. Think about what your ideal day would look like or what activities may be meaningful for you. Consider ways to enjoy yourself without busting your budget.
 
Wondering if you’re ready to retire early? Contact us at Beacon Retirement Planning Group. We can help you analyze your needs and objectives and determine whether early retirement is right for you. Let’s connect soon and start the conversation.
 
1http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-typical-american-couple-has-only-5000-saved-for-retirement-2016-04-28
2https://www.fidelity.com/about-fidelity/employer-services/a-couple-retiring-in-2018-would-need-estimated-280000
 
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