Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The Magnitude of Sufficient Retirement Planning

By Patricia Flowers

It has never been more important to think about the right type of financial planning. Economically, there is no doubt that we are in a recession. Experts predict that we will soon bounce back from it - but they have been claiming that for a year. Who knows when it will really happen? And is it really worth it to adopt a "wait and see" attitude when it comes to your future? Absolutely not. Every little bit of money counts right now. You need to learn how important it is to have a good financial plan.

You need to start with personal finance. The best way to start saving money is with yourself. The best way to do that is quite simple. However it is surprisingly hard for a lot of people to actually do. Of course, we are talking about creating a budget. This means sitting down and taking stock of what you spend versus what you make.

You have to begin with the essentials. What do your bills amount to every month? Credit card bills, utilities, what you spend on gas, what you spend on groceries, and all of your other essentials - you need to tally up all of these amounts. Then, you need to figure out how much money you bring in each month. Set aside money for each thing. You will be surprised at how much you ultimately save.

Of course, your personal finances go well beyond this. You also need to think about retirement planning. This is a somewhat sticky situation. People are losing money out of their retirement funds these days, in increasingly worrisome amounts. What can you do to stop that?

First of all, realize that you cannot necessarily rely solely on your 401K. This is undoubtedly important of course. But sometimes, it can let you down with no warning whatsoever. You should always set up and pay into your 401K whenever it is possible. However, if it is not sufficient or if your job does not offer one, you need to take matters into your own hands.

For instance, what about opening up an IRA? This is an abbreviation for an Individual Retirement Account. It allows you to open up a retirement fund yourself. You get to choose how much money goes into it. This allows you a little leverage and control. Plus, you can be pretty sure that nothing is going to happen to it.

It is absolutely vital that you plan for your future. You simply cannot leave it up to chance. Nor is it necessary for you to do so. Take matters into your own hands, be in control. It will make your life much better in the long run. - 15790

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