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Once the kids have finished college and (mostly) have their first career jobs, suddenly you and your partner may have more time to do things you’ve been wanting to do for years. It’s that dreamed of moment in your life when you are free of most childrearing responsibilities.1 Yet, it is also the time when parents are getting older, may have significant health issues, and may require more assistance with daily living. That wasn’t in the glossy brochures or on the retirement websites I’ve been looking at! And, eventually, you may need to figure out what needs to be done when a parent or loved one dies.

Older Americans are living longer than previous generations, reducing how much they can leave behind despite accumulated wealth and home equity. The average life expectancy in 2023 was 82.2 years for American women and 77.0 years for men.

You see, habits, both good and bad, over time, can have impact. Spending $15 a day on coffee, lunch, etc. each workday or putting $15 each workday day in savings can do two very different things (Interestingly, they both cost the same). If one spends $15 a day five days a week that equates to about $3,900 a year. If I told you to save $3,900 a year that might seem daunting but when we do those small steps, it's the compound effect in action. What could you do with an extra $3,900 a year? (Or even better, an extra $3,900 a year growing over the next 10 years.)1

Today things are very different for young people. They are taking their time to finish college and settle into their first “real” job. Gap years, world travel and other diversions are just normal for many now. Marriage and having children is happening much later in life, too. These all seem to be delays in accepting the responsibilities of adulthood. For any parent of twenty-something’s today, this can be a very frustrating time.

First, if you inherit an IRA (or Roth IRA) from a spouse there are special rules. Only a spouse is allowed to take an inherited IRA and roll it into their own IRA. Their RMD date can be the same as if it was their account initially.

If you are self-employed or a business owner, you have several retirement plan options to consider, including an Individual (or Solo) 401(k) plan. This flexible plan can allow you to contribute both as an employee and employer, which can increase your potential retirement savings.