“Until now, I have been a waiter at the table”: I am 32 years old and I have just started a new job in a factory. I have a 401 (k) and an emergency fund. What can I do to retire at 55?
Dear Quentin,
I am a 32 year old man who has just started my real career. So far, I have served at the table, earning just enough money to pay the bills. Recently I started a new job in a factory making more money than I’ve ever seen (yay!).
Currently, I have additional funds. I have already opened an emergency account and have started putting money into a 401 (k) offered by my employer which will eventually match after a year of bondage.
My question is simply, what are the next steps so that I can still retire around 55 and get the most out of my extra income? I think I am on the right track, but I quickly get lost as I am in a whole new era of savings.
Truly,
A late flowering
Dear late Bloomer,
Congratulations on the new job. It is so important to have a job that you enjoy and hopefully to work with people that you appreciate. Since millions of people spend eight hours a day (or more) at work, this makes life so much easier, as you will find out, and can help avoid burnout and stress throughout your working life. . It will also help you stay happy and healthy, and in a better frame of mind to save and make financial decisions that serve you well. I take my hat off to your positivity.
You are at a good age to start taking your career and retirement seriously. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Retiring at age 55 is a big demand for most people, but not impossible if you live frugally, start saving now, and know that the best investments in the stock market are long-term investments. Another factor to take into account: in most cases, you cannot access your 401 (k), at least without incurring hefty penalties, until you are 59 ½.
Read: Forget about retirement – focus on financial independence
There is the Rule of 55 where you can access your 401 (k) without penalty at age 55, but you will have to meet some narrow criteria, such as severing yourself from the job that offers 401 (k). Another thing to consider – and this is important – you should be creditworthy enough to help you get through many decades of retirement.
Another consideration: you still have to pay tax on your 401 (k) distributions because you contributed to this fund with pre-tax dollars. That, as my dear grandmother used to say, could make the currant pop out of your bun.
“You are at a good age to start taking your career and retirement seriously. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.“
As Alessandra Malito, retired MarketWatch journalist points out: “The person must have left their employer no earlier than the year of their 55th birthday, in other words, they cannot resign at 54 and attempt to retire. assets the following year. They can also only opt out of the plan related to their most recent job, not an old 401 (k) plan. If these assets were to be transferred to an individual retirement account, they could not be withdrawn from that IRA until age 59 and a half without penalty.
Read: The millions you save for retirement aren’t worth much if you’re not healthy enough to enjoy them
Most people will rely on Social Security benefits for at least part of their retirement. “You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62,” according to the IRS. “However, you are entitled to full benefits when you reach full retirement age. If you delay payment of your benefits from the age of full retirement to age 70, your benefit amount will increase. Leaving the workforce for early retirement will affect the potential benefits you will receive when the time comes to claim.
Keep working, keep saving, maximize your 401 (k), put some money aside for a down payment on a house if possible and – most importantly – stay in your lane and don’t get distracted by what other people do. of your age group have and don’t have. There are too many prescriptive reports from financial institutions putting enormous pressure on young people, creating panic or paralysis, or both. Keep an eye on the long game and remember that 65 is still young.
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The Monetary regrets that he cannot answer the questions individually.
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