inflation – Retirement Risk Advisors

inflation and interest rates on your retirement overview

11May

Retirement Planning: The Impact of Inflation and Interest Rates

BlogMay 11, 2023

Retirement planning is so much more than putting your money into a 401(k). With so few people spending the time they need on sitting down and planning their retirement, each day brings a new challenge or concern to the table. We are facing unprecedented times when it comes to traditional retirement plans. Retirements are being robbed because of financial risks that cause retirees to run out of money before they run out of retirement. And one of the biggest challenges is planning for inflation and interest rates. Inflation refers to the increase in prices of goods and services over time, while interest rates are the cost of borrowing money or the return on lending money. These two factors are closely related, and they can have a significant impact on retirement planning.

Inflation and Retirement Planning

Inflation is a key factor that can affect retirement planning. As prices of goods and services rise over time, the value of money decreases. This means that the amount of money you save today may not be enough to cover your expenses in the future. For example, if you save $100,000 today and expect to retire in 30 years, assuming an inflation rate of 2%, the purchasing power of that $100,000 would be equivalent to approximately $54,000 in today’s dollars.

To account for inflation, it is important to adjust your retirement savings goals to ensure that you will have enough money to cover your expenses in the future. This means that you may need to save more money than you initially planned. One strategy to combat inflation is to invest in assets that tend to increase in value over time, such as stocks or real estate.

Interest Rates and Retirement Planning

Interest rates are another important factor to consider when planning for retirement. Higher interest rates generally mean that your savings will grow faster, while lower interest rates can make it more difficult to reach your retirement savings goals. For example, if you invest $10,000 today in a savings account with a 1% interest rate, in 30 years, your investment would grow to approximately $13,400. However, if the interest rate was 3%, your investment would grow to approximately $24,000.

In addition to savings accounts, interest rates can also impact other types of retirement investments, such as bonds or annuities. In a low interest rate environment, these investments may not provide enough return to keep up with inflation. Therefore, it is important to consider the current interest rate environment when selecting investments for your retirement portfolio.

The Relationship Between Inflation and Interest Rates

Inflation and interest rates are closely related, and changes in one can impact the other. As mentioned earlier, inflation tends to lead to higher interest rates. This is because lenders need to charge a higher interest rate to compensate for the loss of value of the money they are lending. Conversely, if inflation is low, interest rates may also be low, as lenders do not need to charge as much to compensate for inflation.

When planning for retirement, it is important to consider the relationship between inflation and interest rates. If you are investing in assets that are sensitive to interest rates, such as bonds, you may need to adjust your investment strategy if interest rates rise or fall. Additionally, you may need to adjust your retirement savings goals if inflation is higher than expected.

Fear of RUnning out of money in retirement

18Apr

When Rest & Relaxation in Retirement Becomes Fear of Running Out of Money

BlogApril 18, 2023

Retirement is supposed to be a time of rejuvenation and relaxation, but for many retirees, financial stress can quickly turn it into a time of worry and struggle. One of the biggest concerns for retirees is running out of money. Unfortunately, it is a major issue, and it can happen for a variety of reasons.
The following are some common reasons retirees run out of money in retirement:

Insufficient Savings: One of the primary reasons retirees run out of money in retirement is due to insufficient savings. Many people don’t start saving early enough, don’t save enough, or don’t have a good understanding of how much they will need in retirement. As a result, they may end up with a retirement fund that is too small to last their entire retirement period.
Increased Life Expectancy: People are living longer than ever before, which means retirement savings must last longer too. Unfortunately, many people do not plan for an extended retirement period, and their savings run out before they pass away. This can be particularly challenging if they require long-term care, which can be very expensive.
Inflation: Inflation is a fact of life, and it can significantly impact retirees’ ability to maintain their standard of living. Many retirees are on fixed incomes and may not be able to keep up with the rising costs of goods and services. This can lead to a situation where they need to dip into their retirement savings to cover their living expenses.
Health Care Costs: As we age, health care costs tend to increase. These costs can be particularly challenging for retirees, especially those without health insurance. According to some estimates, a couple retiring in 2020 will need about $295,000 to cover their health care costs during retirement.
Poor Investment Choices: Investing is an essential part of retirement planning. Unfortunately, some retirees make poor investment choices or do not understand how to manage their investments effectively. This can lead to a situation where their retirement savings do not perform as well as they had hoped, and they run out of money sooner than expected.
Debt: Debt can be a significant problem for retirees. Those who carry debt into retirement may find that they need to use their retirement savings to pay it off. This can quickly deplete their savings and leave them without a financial cushion.
Running out of money in retirement is a widespread problem that can happen for many reasons. However, with careful planning and thoughtful decisions, retirees can reduce or even eliminate this problem. While there are many strategies that folks can take, the most important step is to plan properly and consider the risks facing your retirement.

Withdrawal Rate Risk in retirement: methods and strategies that could impact your retirement

14Feb

How Your Withdrawal Rate Could Cause You to Run Out of Money Faster: Strategies to Know

BlogFebruary 14, 2023

Knowing how to withdraw your money from your retirement accounts doesn’t translate directly to sitting to one fixed method the entire time. Every CPA’s retirement is unique and what will work for one may not work for another. Some key factors that contribute to your withdrawal rate are:

Retirement Age
Predictable Income
Retirement Portfolio
Retirement Needs & Lifestyle
Other Risk Tolerance

Determine Your Investment Mix

Considering all the factors, the next step is to evaluate your investment portfolio. Do your investments support your long-term goals? Are they diversified enough to help reduce other risks you may face like inflation, longevity, or market downturn? The important thing to have in your retirement assets is the potential for growth while still withdrawing.

Strategy: 4% Rule

A fixed rate may be that perfect strategy for some retirees. Systematic withdrawals offer control for a specific period, but many people don’t consider these factors with the 4% rule:

Low interest rates make traditionally income-producing investments generate less income than expected
Inflation erodes the buying and spending power over time so you may need to withdraw larger amounts down the road
If the principal value of your investment is to decrease you will have less of your portfolio to withdraw from
Your income needs may become inconsistent due to increasing health care or medical costs. Thus, increasing the need for more money later in retirement

If you need a set amount withdrawn for a specific length of time, this method is perfect. Say you plan to work part-time for the first 5-10 years of retirement or are killing time until your Social Security benefits kick in.

Strategy: Buckets of Investment

Buckets help diversify your assets and provide different streams of income for you. One bucket may hold cash such as your emergency fund or another could hold fixed-income investments and protect principal. The last would hold the most growth for a longer period.

This strategy requires you work with an advisor to determine proper allocation and that your investments are protected and fit your long-term retirement goals.

Strategy: Interest-Only Income

Depending on your retirement accounts, you may be able to only pull from the interest earned without drawing on the principal balance. However, specific assets may unfortunately have penalties if you withdraw on interest only until a certain age.

This method does offer flexibility of switching from income stream to income stream yearly. This is another strategy that can be good for those transitioning from working full-time to part-time then to full retirement or those waiting for other income streams to kick in.

Important: Required Minimum Distributions

Federal tax rules deem you must begin taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from tax-deferred retirement accounts such as 403(b)s or 401(k)s by April 1^st after you turn the Stated Age. Same with your IRAs. Your Stated Age is as determined: age 71 if born 1950 or earlier; 73 if born 1951-1959; and 75 if born 1960 or later. Failure to take your RMD on time could result in a 25% penalty.

Other things to consider with RMDs:

The set amount you must take depends on your age, life expectancy, and year-end account balance
For multiple accounts, each RMD needs calculated separately but you can withdraw the total amount from just one account
Roth IRAs and other non-qualified employee-sponsors plans do not require RMDs
You cannot rollover RMDs into other tax-advantaged accounts
If you are still working at your Stated Age, you may be able to defer RMD withdrawal from your 401(k) or 403(b). However, the same does not apply to IRAs.

Having a withdrawal strategy in place for your retirement is important to ensure your funds last as long as you do and to also help reduce other risks you may encounter during retirement (market risk, tax risk, inflation risk). The last thing you want is to outlive your money and die broke.

07Dec

Keep Retirement Strategy in Mind This Holiday Season

BlogDecember 7, 2022

With the holidays rapidly approaching, a goal often set during these times is to diversify your retirement funds. With retirement investment there are two main focuses: investing/saving and distribution. During retirement you are at your most vulnerable financially because a regular paycheck is not coming in. It is the longest self-imposed period of unemployment most folks face. The following is fantastic advice for when you are trying to invest.

Your retirement planned around living and may seem expensive to support. Remember, roughly 55% of folk live beyond their life expectancy. So, it is important to plan for the long haul. A long-term investment sustains a better savings, but there are risks being found there. Short-term investments usually have higher yields. It is important to balance these.

Spending now can save more money for the long road. An example of this is withdrawing properly to avoid provisional income.

Be reasonable when it comes to expectations. Historical returns may not be what your portfolio does. Returns typically fall below the average. However, this can be balance with a diversification of accounts. Though we have historically low interest rates, this means bond returns will not impact retirement much. This will affect those who have retired most.

Heedless of where you are at in retirement planning, relying solely on plans that require higher returns is dangerous. If you expect to make more in the future, that means spending much more upfront. Stocks carry a higher risk than bonds, so they will yield higher return rates. Simply put: Spending more today and expecting higher returns in the future is risky business. The risks and consequences must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Strategy should always be a top priority. Diversifying your retirement portfolio is just a start. Considering all the risks you will face in retirement is the next stop. Putting all your funds in one bucket will expose you to much more risk—taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free. Integrate different approaches and accounts to combat inflation, tax rates, rate of return, and even long-term care.

elder woman smiling in semi retired life

18Oct

Does Semi-Retirement Expose You to More Risks?

BlogOctober 18, 2022

Retiring is tricky enough, and retirement planning is also not a walk in the park. Those who decide on a semi-retired life should be aware of a few things before moving forward.

Working for Your Current (and likely last) Employer:

Depending on the company, if you reduce your hours, you may still be eligible for your employer’s retirement plan and health benefits. For instance, if you are still able to contribute to your 401(k) with your employer match while working 30 hours weekly, you may want to consider this as an option. It is a great way to keep the retirement funds increasing, and it is a great potential way to increase your Social Security benefits since you work history will continue and you are still paying into it from each paycheck.

Income Tax

Semi-retirees often find themselves in a higher tax bracket due to retirement income withdrawals, required minimum distributions, Social Security, and the part-time job income that is flowing in. Reducing your work hours and the withdrawals from your retirement accounts is the best way to combat this higher tax bracket. Depending on where you are financially, a Roth conversion may also be an option.

Social Security Risk

CPAs who work before full retirement age and receive Social Security benefits are subject to have their benefits reduced monthly. The exemption limit was $18,960 in 2021 and for 2022 is $19,560. Making more than the limit means your benefits are reduced by $1 for every $2 made over the limit. And once you reach the full retirement age the SSA has calculated, your benefits are reduced by $1 for every $3 over $51,960 in 2022. Please note these limits are predicted to increase for 2023, but announcements for this information are not released until the start of the 4^th quarter.

Healthcare Decisions

Once you are 65 you are eligible for Medicare. However, if you are still working, even part-time and qualify for your employer’s healthcare plan, you will have both plans and will need to work out coordination of benefits. Outside of Medicare Part A, there are premiums. For Part B enrollees pay $170.10 monthly in 2022 with a deductible of $233. Deciding to delay Medicare Part B may result in a penalty. You may even opt into a MediGap or Medicare Advantage Plan based on your needs. Considering your options carefully before you enroll into Medicare and are semi-retired is crucial. The earlier you investigate Medicare options the better off you will be.

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and retirement planning

15Aug

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and Its Impact on Your Retirement

BlogAugust 15, 2022

As a watered-down version of the Build Back Better Act of 2021, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is set to be signed by President this week. The bill is designed to reduce the deficit and lower inflation while investing in domestic energy production and lower prescription drug costs. On top of the deficit reduction projected to be more than $290 billion, this bill allows Medicare to negotiate lower drug costs and extends the Affordable Care Act program through 2025. The goal: lower consumer costs and help the nation reduce emissions long-term.

Once signed into law, how will my retirement be impacted?

Your retirement will be impact someway somehow.

The deficit reduction is intended to fight inflation by cutting the taxes Americans are paying. With the capability to reduce inflation, your retirement income will have more spending power, and we will eventually hopefully enter a period of deflation. However, there is a slim chance we will see a dent in inflation this year with this bill.

Since Medicare will be able to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies the savings will impact retirees directly. In addition, a $2000 out-of-pocket cap for Medicare enrollees buying prescriptions comes along with preventative vaccines being free.

Moreover, since the ACA program is being extended, the Covid-19 subsidies helping make insurance more affordable for some Americans. Good news: this is most applicable to those who had to retire early and aren’t eligible for Medicare just yet.

With the focus of the Inflation Reduction Act being partially on cleaner energy investments, business and consumers can participate in clean energy investment incentives, too. Businesses themselves can receive a tax credit for clean energy manufacturing, and another tax credit for wind and solar energy production. Consumers get to enjoy the tax credit incentives for greener options for investing in renewable energy and further tax credits for buying electric cars, new and used.

18Apr

How Inflation Silently Robs Your Retirement

BlogApril 18, 2022

Even with careful retirement planning, one risk that is often not planned for well-enough is inflation. Inflation alone can hit retirement assets the hardest. The budget retirees begin with will change easily within the first 5-10 years—even 20 years down the road. It is most likely that inflation, assuming a rate of 3-4%, will cause daily living expenses to double within 20 years. Retirees should plan for this because, according to life expectancy statistics, folks live 20-24 more years.

That said, the following things should be taken into consideration when planning the silent killer of retirement:

With aging comes more health concerns and more medical bills. Given that inflation will increase day-to-day life, it is predicted that health care costs and services will increase, too.
Social Security benefits will increase for retirees. In 2020, benefits went up by 1.6% which was an additional $24 paid out; accounted when considering cost-of-living adjustments. However, the extra money from SS is offset by huge cost increases across the board. For example, medical services and cost go up; as does Medicare costs. SS should only be considered a baseline for retirement funds.
As mentioned, living expenses are predicted to double within 20 years due to inflation. With inflation, spending power for retirement assets could drastically be reduced if not accounted for properly.

Tacking this silent killer and its concerns takes careful planning and risk managing.

With life expectancy, family medical history and personal medical concerns need to be discussed. Family history of heart disease and cancer will affect your life expectancy. This in turn will determine how long your funds will need to last. If your family members are known to pass away early on or live well into their 90s, this will also factor into how long your funds will need to last. Longer life expectancy means a longer time inflation will affect cost and standard of living.

Reviewing medical history in advance will also allow for the retirement budget to account for any major medical expenses that could arise. For example, a history of knee injuries could mean a knee replacement in your early 70s. Your occupational hazards could cause late-life conditions. If you spent your working years in a steel mill, you have a higher risk for COPD. Planning for these major medical expenses in advance will allow for inflation to be accounted for, for the money to be there if necessary. In retirement, folks spend $250,000-300,000 in medical costs alone.

To account for inflation a realistic budget plan should be set. This includes daily expenses, monthly bills, and additional spending such as travel and hobbies. Factoring into this budget, would be those said medical costs, too. Once a budget and cost-of-living expenses are decided, it is important to review how high inflation rates and the historically low interest rates affect other return rates and income during retirement.

Have a strategy addressing inflation in place. Begin with small withdrawal rates and increase as cost-of-living and inflation go up. During retirement, the small withdrawal rates will be a huge part of your income. Larger withdrawal rates will make deplete retirement funds much sooner—potentially running out of money before running out of retirement. If possible, during working years, saving more will go a longer way. Investing your future retirement younger will also help offset inflation. Consider different income sources: Annuities, long-term care policies, life insurance policies.

Creating an income strategy and working with a Retirement Risk Advisor is key to a safe and secure retirement. Discussing options that can reduce inflation and provide the best management for retirement will save you money and time and give you peace of mind.

21Jan

2022 and You: Cause and Effect

Podcast BlogJanuary 21, 2022

In 2021, inflation reached a 40- year high from gas, lumber, the housing market, and even groceries. It was reported in October that the U.S. experienced an increase by 6% for the consumer price index. By November, a 7% increase was noted—the largest increase in such a short time since late 1982. Unfortunately, Americans, on average, brought more money home in their paychecks, but were not able to reap the benefits due to the inflation.

What does this mean for inflation in 2022? Economists have a gloomy outlook. With the unexpected, but impending price increases, it is important to allocate more in the budget for groceries and gas. To offset inflation, add more money to your emergency funds as you can. This will keep your retirement funds more secure.

Required minimum distributions, RMDs, had major changes in 2021 (and in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic started). As withdrawals for qualified retirement accounts—401(k)s, traditional IRAs, or 403(b)s—RMDS experienced a recent change that affects the age for when you can withdraw. Now it is 72 for those born after July 1^st, 1949, and 70 ½ if born before then.

In 2020, RMDs were suspended under the CARES Act. This was in response to the 30% market drop that March. The hopes were to let the retirement money stay in the market and recover, but the 2020 change was short lived. RMDs resumed in 2021.

2022 Lookout:

Based on inflation rates, the IRS does make changes to tax brackets. Due to the 2021 inflation increase, the tax thresholds will drastically change. This means more money can be earned before an individual or couple is bumped into the next tax bracket. Using tax-planning tactics during your working years and having a retirement plan in place allows for this potential risk to be easily managed during retirement.

Another major change happening this 2022 year is 401(k) contributions. The IRS is changing the max contribution for taxpayers. The increase is $1000 to $20,500. If you are age 50+, you get an additional $6500 as catchup. Unfortunately, traditional and Roth IRAs contributions are staying the same as 2021. However, high-income earners may be able to contribute to a Roth IRA. Income phase-out ranges were increased by the IRS to allow this. Ranging from $129,000 to $144,000 for single taxpayers and $204,000 to $214,000 for married and jointly filing.

**For more information on how is in store for 2022, please listen to Retirement Risk Show episode “The Know-How of Retirement Planning in 2022.” For all the challenges and changes 2022 will and may bring, register for our “Evolving Retirement Law: The Challenges, The Changes, and Your Choices” webinar.