When it comes to retirement, understanding the potential cost of living is important for effective financial planning. Without a clear idea of these costs, you can run the risk of outliving your savings or compromising your lifestyle. Here’s what you need to know to calculate your retirement cost of living. A financial advisor can help you determine what you need to put in your budget for retirement.
Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Average Retirement Spending
Several risks could elevate your spending and undercut your impact your financial stability during retirement. Here are seven common risks that your will need to look out for:
- Healthcare costs: One of the most significant risks in retirement is increased healthcare expenses. Unexpected health issues or chronic conditions can lead to higher medical bills, prescription costs and long-term care expenses.
- Inflation: Inflation can erode the purchasing power of your retirement savings over time. Even at a moderate rate, inflation can increase the cost of goods and services, making it more expensive to maintain the same lifestyle. If retirement income doesn’t keep pace with inflation, you may find it challenging to cover their expenses.
- Longevity risk: Living longer than anticipated can strain retirement finances. If individuals underestimate their life expectancy, they may exhaust their savings or income sources before the end of their lives, leading to financial hardship in later years.
- Market volatility: Investments in retirement accounts are subject to market fluctuations. A significant downturn in financial markets can reduce the value of retirement portfolios, impacting income from investments like stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Retirees relying on these investments for income may face challenges if the market performs poorly.
- Sequence of returns risk: The order of investment returns during retirement can significantly impact a retiree’s portfolio. If the market experiences poor returns early in retirement, it can deplete savings more rapidly as retirees need to withdraw funds for living expenses, leaving fewer assets to benefit from potential market rebounds later.
- Unplanned expenses: Unexpected expenses, such as major home repairs, family emergencies, or other unforeseen events, can significantly elevate retirement spending. Having a contingency fund or emergency savings can help mitigate the impact of these expenses.
- Changes in lifestyle or needs: Shifts in personal circumstances or desires, such as taking up new hobbies, traveling more, supporting family members, or relocating, can increase spending unexpectedly during retirement.
- Taxation changes: Changes in tax laws or regulations can affect retirement income and withdrawals, potentially impacting the amount available for spending during retirement.
Managing these risks involves careful planning, diversification of income sources, having adequate insurance coverage, regularly reviewing and adjusting retirement plans, and maintaining a flexible approach to adapt to changing circumstances.
Costs to Include in Your Retirement Budget
Developing a budget is an essential step in financial planning for retirement. Therefore, you should consider different types of expenses to ensure a comprehensive financial plan. Here’s a list of common expenses to review when creating a retirement budget:
- Basic living expenses: These can include housing costs (mortgage/rent, property taxes, maintenance); utilities (electricity, water, gas, trash, internet, phone); groceries and household supplies; transportation (car payments, insurance, fuel, maintenance); and insurance premiums (healthcare, life, long-term care).
- Healthcare expenses: These typically include health insurance premiums, deductibles and copays; prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications; dental care and vision expenses; and medical equipment or aids.
- Entertainment and leisure: These generally include travel expenses (vacations, trips); hobbies, entertainment and dining out; club memberships, subscriptions and cultural events
- Miscellaneous expenses: These can include clothing and personal care items; gifts and charitable donations; and pet care expenses.
- Debt payments: These typically include credit card payments, car loans or other outstanding debts.
- Taxes: These can include income taxes on retirement account withdrawals and property taxes.
- Long-term planning: These include savings for unforeseen expenses (emergency fund); long-term care insurance or planning for potential care needs; and estate planning and legal expenses.
- Home-related expenses: These can include home renovations or repairs, as well as homeowners association fees.
- Transportation costs: These can include vehicle maintenance, repairs and replacements; as well as public transportation costs.
- Technology and communication: These can range from the upkeep of computers, phones and other tech devices; to internet and phone service bills.
- Family support: These can include supporting your children or other family members, financing you grandchildren’s education and other expenses.
- Personal care: These can range from gym memberships or fitness classes to health and wellness expenses.
Your Retirement Income Replacement Ratio
The retirement income replacement ratio helps individuals estimate the percentage of their pre-retirement income needed to maintain a similar standard of living during retirement. Here are eight common steps to calculate your ratio:
- Determine your current income: Identify your current annual pre-tax income. This includes salaries, wages, bonuses and any other sources of income. Make sure to exclude deductions like taxes and contributions to retirement plans.
- Estimate your retirement expenses: Calculate your expected annual retirement expenses. This should include all the costs you anticipate during retirement, such as housing, healthcare, leisure, travel and other essentials, adjusting for changes in spending patterns.
- Calculate your retirement income: Determine your expected annual retirement income sources. This might include Social Security benefits, pension payments, income from retirement accounts (401(k)s and IRAs) and annuities or other sources of income.
- Adjust for taxes: Consider the impact of taxes on retirement income. Some retirement income sources may be taxable, so adjust your income figures accordingly to account for taxes.
- Calculate your replacement ratio: To calculate your income replacement ratio, you can divide your anticipated annual retirement income by your last full year’s income, and then multiply the result by 100 to get the percentage. For example, if your last full year’s income was $100,000 and you expect your annual retirement income to be $70,000, your income replacement ratio would be 70%.
- Interpret your ratio: A replacement ratio of 70% to 80% is a common guideline to aim for in retirement planning, but individual circumstances can vary. Higher ratios may be necessary if you anticipate increased healthcare costs, travel, or other expenses.
- Consider your individual factors: Keep in mind that everyone’s situation is unique. Factors like debts, savings, lifestyle choices, desired retirement age and anticipated changes in expenses can significantly influence your replacement ratio.
- Review and adjust regularly: As you approach retirement and throughout your retired years, reassess your retirement income and expenses periodically. Adjustments might be necessary due to changing circumstances, market conditions, or unexpected expenses.
Bottom Line
You should aim for an understanding of and planning for retirement costs to maintain your lifestyle and avoid outliving your savings. It would help if you considered all potential costs, from healthcare and housing to daily living expenses, the effects of inflation and concepts like the income replacement ratio. While financial planning for retirement may seem intimidating, remember that you’re not alone in this process. Working with a financial advisor can provide personalized advice based on your specific needs and circumstances.
Remember that the actual expenses can vary significantly based on individual circumstances, lifestyle choices, geographical location, health conditions, and family situations. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your retirement budget as circumstances change is essential for maintaining financial stability throughout your retirement years. Working with a financial advisor can help tailor your retirement budget to your specific needs and goals.
Tips for Retirement Planning
- A financial advisor can be instrumental in helping you be prepared for your long-term financial planning. They can help you create the right retirement plan and help you manage your finances to get there. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
- A retirement calculator is a great tool you can use to keep you on track. It can help you estimate whether you’re saving enough for the retirement you’re aiming for and then you can adjust as needed instead of waiting until it’s too late.