Many people are finding themselves out of work right now, and some may be getting close to retirement. If you suffer a job loss near retirement, there are steps you can take to make sure your finances are safe.
1. Assess and Adjust Your Budget.
Do you know what you are spending money on every month? One of the first steps you should take after a job loss is assessing your budget. Sit down and make a list of all of your expenses. Determine what is essential, like your mortgage, car payments and health care. Are there places where you can cut back? You could get rid of cable or any streaming services. This may be difficult, but a smaller income means you need to have fewer expenses.
If you are close to retiring and hit with a job loss, depending on what your budget shows you, you may have to delay your retirement. This is a tough situation, and it’s an important time to meet with a financial adviser to see what may be the best plan for you.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
2. Evaluate Your Savings.
This is an excellent time to look at what you have saved. If you were a budgeter before you lost your job, you should have a substantial emergency fund saved. Look at all of your accounts, and calculate how long they will last. If you are out of work for six months, will your savings last you?
Between employee retirement accounts and any personal retirement accounts you may have, you need to understand how much you have set aside.
If possible, roll your current 401(k) accounts into an IRA. There are many low-cost investment options. You can roll your 401(k) into a traditional IRA without paying any income taxes. Or you can roll your contributions into a Roth IRA and pay income taxes now, so you can take money out tax-free in retirement. This will also help your money continue to grow tax-free. By rolling your accounts into a traditional or Roth IRA, you are putting this chunk of your money in one place, making it much easier to keep track of.
3. Assess Your Social Security Options.
Are you eligible for your Social Security benefits? The earliest you can take Social Security benefits is 62 years old. For people born in 1960 or later, the full retirement age when you can collect 100% of your benefits, is 67. Claiming your Social Security benefits at 62 will lock you in at a lower amount because you need these benefits to last longer. If you wait until after 67 to claim them, they will grow 8% each year you wait until age 70.
Usually, I would recommend waiting until the full retirement age to claim Social Security, but if you need the income, this can be a good option for you.
4. Have a Plan in Place.
Whether it’s losing a job or encountering another type of financial crisis, we have to be ready to face it. Having a plan in place for that possibility is the best way to protect your finances and keep your retirement on track.
Also, remember that most of the time a job loss is temporary. While it’s very stressful now, it’s likely you’ll eventually return to having a regular income. Working with a financial adviser will help you put together the right plan for you.
-
If You'd Put $1,000 Into Home Depot Stock 20 Years Ago, Here's What You'd Have TodayHome Depot stock has been a buy-and-hold banger for truly long-term investors.
-
I Need to Free Up $1,000 in My Monthly Budget, and I've Already Given Up Starbucks and Dining Out. What Else Can I Do?Here are some creative ways to save up to $1,000 a month, even if you feel like you've already made all of the obvious cuts.
-
Eight Steps to Help Get You Through the Open Enrollment Jungle at WorkWondering how to survive open enrollment this year? Arm yourself with these tools to cut through the process and get the best workplace benefits for you.
-
Seven Moves for High-Net-Worth People to Make Before End of 2025, From a Financial PlannerIt's time to focus on how they can potentially reduce their taxes, align their finances with family goals and build their financial confidence for the new year.
-
I'm a Financial Planner: These Are the Seven Tiers of Retirement Well-BeingLet's apply Maslow's hierarchy of needs to financial planning to create a guide for ranking financial priorities.
-
Why More Americans Are Redefining Retirement, Just Like I DidRetirement readiness requires more than just money. You have a lot of decisions to make about what kind of life you want to live and how to make it happen.
-
A Compelling Case for Why Property Investing Reigns Supreme, From a Real Estate Investing ProInvestment data show real estate's superior risk-adjusted returns and unprecedented tax advantages through strategies like 1031 exchanges and opportunity zones.
-
Are You Retired? Here's How to Drop the Guilt and Spend Your Nest EggTransitioning from a lifetime of diligent saving to enjoying your wealth in retirement tends to be riddled with guilt, but it doesn't have to be that way.
-
Government Shutdown Freezes National Flood Insurance Program: What Homeowners and Buyers Need to KnowFEMA's National Flood Insurance Program is unavailable for new customers, increased coverage or renewals during the government shutdown.
-
Separating the Pros From the Pretenders: This Is How to Tell if You Have a Great AdviserDo you leave meetings with your financial adviser feeling as though you've been bulldozed into decisions or you're unsure of what you're paying for?
