It’s tough to save for retirement in your twenties, but it’s not impossible. In fact, it’s easier today than it has ever been in the past. Most younger people are not earning a ton of money, but they are still able to save for retirement by investing, creating an IRA, and saving what little you can. Here are some recommendations for you to create a roadmap to a better life.
Individual Retirement Account
You should open your IRA immediately, even if you can only put 50 dollars in a month. Depending on which company you decide to go with, there may be some contribution limits, but you should be able to find an account that fits your unique situation. If you can only put away $100 dollars or less a month, you’re still saving. IRA accounts allow for you to make more money over time and you’ll never get your early twenties back. An IRA has many benefits, but starting one as soon as possible has the biggest benefit of all. If your employer offers a Roth 401(k) plan then you should immediately open an account with them. Employer contributions can increase your retirement savings by 40% over a lifetime.
Savings Account
You can open a savings account online today and always have something to fall back on. With your savings account, you’ll want to put at least $50 dollars a month into it, unless you can stand to put in more. A savings account will improve your credit score and allow for you to make more money in the future so it’s a good idea to get one started as soon as possible. You can’t always ask your friends and family to lend you money, so a rainy day fund ensures that you’ll be able to stand on your own two feet.
Investing
There is always the tried and true investing in real estate, but also there are apps out there that allow you to squirrel loose change away every time you make a purchase with your debit card. The money will then go into a portfolio that is diversified and continues with an upward trend. While it may seem like a risky idea to go with a startup, these platform based investing tools have been able to sustain themselves while competing with institutions that have been around for a hundred years. You can’t help but love an underdog! Your portfolio should, ideally, be 70% stocks and 30% bonds. This is a time honored distribution which, on average, sees a 9.1% return every year since.
This is not meant to be a complete guide to retiring in your 50s, but you should be able to start putting away enough money to live on when you’re old and brittle. It’s not the sexiest thing in the world, saving for retirement, but it is one of the smartest things you can do. If you ever need to liquidate your assets or pull money out of your accounts in a pinch, you’ll be able to. Forget about getting loans and just be self-sufficient.
