There is more to retirement planning than just the part where you save money for retirement. Indeed, there are other factors that will affect how your money will be spent — and how long it will have to last. This guest post addresses some of the other factors to consider in retirement planning.
Focus on Your Goals to Achieve Retirement Readiness

By Mark J. Smith, CFP®, CPA/PFS, CIMA®
 

At M.J. Smith and Associates, we have observed that many times people fail to properly plan for their financial retirement needs because they focus exclusively on money. But retirement goals aren’t just financial. …read more

I continue to faithfully glean the nuggets out of Paul Farrell’s MarketWatch article on beating the bear market. And remember: just because the stock market is up right now doesn’t mean the economy will let it stay that way. It’s always better to be prepared. The wisdom I’ve chosen for today deals with early retirement:
Yes, the rules of the retirement game have changed. Nobody “retires” in the traditional sense. Nothing’s safe. Not pensions, jobs, Social Security. You better plan on retiring earlier than expected; you may be retired prematurely, against your will. Increase your savings. Start that back-up second-career now …read more