A One-Year Checklist to Retirement

   One of the biggest lessons of the recent economy is that many people who thought they were financially ready for retirement . . . weren’t.

   The amount of money, investments and government support you’ll need to retire comfortably is as individual as you are.  Some people plan to work in retirement.  Others have health issues or other financial responsibilities – kids’ college bills, financial support for a senior relative – to juggle with the everyday living expenses they’ll face in retirement.

   However, one thing is true for every potential retiree.  It makes sense to get customized advice from qualified financial, tax and estate planning professionals at least one year before a retirement date is set.  Here are some preparatory steps to take before you seek that advice and finally set a retirement date.

   Figure out where the money is:  The days of single-employer careers have been over for decades.  And nearly 30 years into the world of widespread IRAs, 401(k) and other self-directed retirement plans, many potential retirees can’t reliably state where all their retirement resources are.  Start pulling together all available paperwork tracking personal, government and employer-based retirement assets and get them into order.  It’s OK if you don’t know immediately whether you have enough to retire – experts c ...

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