Our daily roundup of retirement news your clients may be thinking about.
The Olympics offers valuable lessons for people who are engaged in retirement planning, according to this article on Money. Clients are likely to secure a successful retirement if they prepare adequately, yet also learn how to recover when their retirement planning is disrupted. Clients should realize that reaching the finish line of their career means the start of a new chapter of life, and they should have a plan for their transition to retirement.
Retirement investors who are considering buying an annuity should know that the financial product differs from a retirement savings or brokerage account, as annuity holders are not allowed to withdraw their funds at any time, according to this article on Motley Fool. With annuities, clients are guaranteed to have income for life, and the payments start immediately after retirement or at a specified time in the future, depending on the terms of the contract. Investors can choose between deferred and immediate annuities, and they can expect tax-deferred growth on their money. When investing in annuities, clients should consider the drawbacks of these products, the amount of the yearly contribution, and the tax implications, including penalties, if they decide to make early withdrawals.
A study by the Boston College Center for Retirement Research has found that job prospects for retirees have improved, although these opportunities are likely to pay less than pre-retirement wages, according to this article on CBS Moneywatch. “Now, more and more workers don’t have to give up,” says one of the researchers. “That means you should delay taking Social Security for as long as you can, because you’ll never get a better annuity than Social Security!”
Clients should ensure that they make the right decisions to maximize the benefits from their retirement accounts, according to this article on CBS Moneywatch. They should determine whether it is more advantageous to receive a lump sum distribution or monthly payments from these retirement accounts. Those who choose the monthly payout option should decide how much they intend to receive and how long the payments will last. Another critical decision relates to what age they will start collecting their Social Security benefits. Seniors are better off delaying these benefits as long as they can to increase the benefit payouts.
Amid a low-interest-rate environment, annuities offer a solid guaranteed income for people in their post-career life, according to this article on The Street. "Annuities can be a bit intimidating because of their complex nature," the article states. "However, annuities can provide a huge amount of steady income, certainly better than government bonds and Treasury bills."
