How Much Millennials Need to Save for Retirement

Retirement can be the last course of life to be in the mind of millennials. But, life is getting tough by the time as the technology is taking over. Millennials now need to save 40% of their income as compared to 15% of the past saving plans. Right now, millennials are the ones in the toughest position and it can get tougher by the time of retirement.

However, let us do some math here to understand how much savings millennials need for the retirement plan and how they can make it happen.

Importance of Retirement Plan for Millennials?

The employment program is reshaping into automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning along with a lot of other technological advancements. So, you need to invest more in on-demand skills and mental resilience including overall health. Because you need to be fit and mentally healthy to survive the wave of technological advancements.

millennials savings plan

More importantly, you need a retirement plan for you to live a happy and joyful life in the last years. Besides of retirement plan, you can also consider life insurance for seniors, visit SeniorsLifeInsuranceFinder.com.

Experts About the Retirement

In 2016, the 17th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey of Workers gave their perspective on the retirement for baby boomers, millennials, and Generation X. According to it, 72 percent of people contributing to 401(k) plans were born in 1979 and 2000 is around 72 percent and investing around 7% of their annual pay. And the other 30% invest more than 10%.

The same report shares the way boomers and Generation X had early withdrawals of their investments stating the major issues or debt pay-offs. So, millennials need to learn from the other generations and plan better.

So, you must be asking a question; how to plan your retirement budget?

How to Plan a Budget to Retire by the Age of 70 or Above?

Just assume that you have $23,000 in your IRA and you are planning to retire in the next 30 years. Moreover, you happen to manage to set aside $100 a month over the next three decades, you will end up with about $288,000 in total.

It is only if your investments in that IRA deliver an average annual 7% return for the remainder of your savings window. There may be other complications, but you can get through them while you’re planning retirement.

The question here is that if you are aiming to have this much amount at your retirement, how can you save it in this ongoing era of low wages and economic downfall?

1. Invest Early and Often

The main thing you need to do is to invest early and make it often. If you cannot 40% of your income, at least invest in the skills and health plans. Because by the time you retire, your skills and health can be core essentials to help you keep going.

2. Save Your Bonuses for the Retirement

Another plan is to start adding your bonuses to the savings account. So, next, when you are celebrating receiving a bonus, make it count by adding it into your savings account. In case you are not getting any raises or bonuses, you can still add some of the amounts from your income to save for a better lifestyle at the time of retirement.

3. Woman or Have a Family? Save Even More

Women generally dismiss the retirement plan. But they are more on the edge without a retirement plan. So, if you are a woman with or without a family, save even more.

Despite all the women equality protests, women are still facing low wage issues. So, if you are working around the clock and still end up with lower savings, you may need a better plan for your retirement. Therefore, start saving more by cutting more percentage from your income.

4. Have a Side Job

If you are dreaming about the comfortable retirement time and you don’t have enough income to cut 40% out of it, you can have a side job. Plan this job only for retirement and include the income in your retirement plan. It is just a way of planning for the long-term.

5. Pick Any of the Expense and Save It

We can increase our expenses and cut them off for our good. So, if you cut off some of the expenses, do it and include them in the retirement money. Yes, life is about living in a present, but the last years of your life shouldn’t be broke because you were busy living the life of the present.

Plan it accordingly and save for the days when you might want better health care and even a better lifestyle.

6. Invest in Different Plans

Invest in the 401(k) plan or choose IRA plans to smoothly plan your budget. Usually, all plans offer a tax advantage, but 401(k) and IRA are the hottest options in the market. For example, 401(k) contributions are made with pre-tax dollars, which reduces your taxable income. Roth IRAs, in contrast, are funded with after-tax dollars but withdrawals are tax-free.

So, find the institution offering these plans and start investing right now. All you need is to learn from the mistakes of boomers and other generations.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, you need to prepare yourself for retirement. Do your math or listen to the financial experts to understand and manage your money accordingly. Millennials are hungry for the information and putting up important fights too.

So, they need to be mentally aware of their retirement plans too. Also, the job of the future is changing and you will need a safety plan to be healthy and fine.

author avatar
Salman Zafar
Salman Zafar is the CEO of BioEnergy Consult, and an international consultant, advisor and trainer with expertise in waste management, biomass energy, waste-to-energy, environment protection and resource conservation. His geographical areas of focus include Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Salman has successfully accomplished a wide range of projects in the areas of biogas technology, biomass energy, waste-to-energy, recycling and waste management. Salman has participated in numerous national and international conferences all over the world. He is a prolific environmental journalist, and has authored more than 300 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. In addition, he is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management and environmental sustainability through his blogs and portals. Salman can be reached at salman@bioenergyconsult.com or salman@cleantechloops.com.

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