Key Dates for Planning Retirement

Key Dates for Planning Retirement

Just as there are many types of retirement benefits, there are many dates to keep in mind when creating a retirement plan. Some concern when you can make larger contributions to retirement accounts and others have to do with withdrawals. Knowing the dates for each matters to your retirement planning, according to the recent article title “10 Important Ages for Retirement Planning” from U.S. News & World Report.

When should you max out retirement savings contributions? The sooner you start saving for retirement, the more likely you’ll retire with robust tax-deferred accounts. Tax breaks and employer matches add up, as do compounding interest returns. The 401(k) contribution limit in 2021 is $19,500. Wage earners can deposit up to $6,000 in a traditional IRA or Roth IRA. If you’re in your peak earning years, traditional IRAs and 401(k)s may be better, since your tax bracket is likely higher to be higher than when you started out.

Catch-up contributions begin at age 50. Once you’ve turned 50, you can make catch up contributions to 401(k)s—up to $6,500—and up to $7,000 in traditional IRAs. That’s for 2021. If you’re able to take advantage of these contributions, you can put away additional money and qualify for even bigger tax deductions.

401(k) withdrawals could start at 55. If you left your job in the same year you hit the double nickel, you can take 401(k) withdrawals penalty-free from the account associated with your most recent job. The “Rule of 55” lets you avoid a 10% early penalty, but you’ll still have to pay income taxes on any withdrawals from a 401(k) account. However, if you roll a 401(k) account balance into an IRA, you’ll need to wait until age 59½ to take IRA withdrawals without any penalties.

When does the IRA retirement age begin? The magic number is 59½. However, traditional IRA distributions are not required until age 72. All traditional IRA withdrawals are also taxable.

Social Security eligibility begins at age 62. The earlier you start collecting Social Security, the smaller your monthly benefit. Your full retirement age depends upon your date of birth, when the benefit amount will be higher than at age 62. If you work after signing up for Social Security, your benefits could be temporarily withheld if your salary is higher than the annual earnings limit. If you retire before your full retirement age and earn more than $18,960 per year, for every $2 above this amount, your benefits will be reduced by $1. Benefits will be recalculated once you reach full retirement age.

Medicare eligibility begins at age 65. Enrollment in Medicare may take place during a seven-month period that begins three months before the month you turn 65. Signing up on time matters, because Medicare Part B premiums increase by 10% for every 12-month period you were eligible for benefits but failed to enroll. Are you delaying enrollment because you or your spouse is still covered by a group health plan at work? Make sure to sign up within eight months of leaving your job or health plan and avoid the penalty.

Social Security Full Retirement Age is 66 for most Baby Boomers. 67 is the full retirement age for workers born in 1960 or later. Millennials and younger generations qualify after age 67.

If you can wait until 70, you’ll max out on Social Security. Social Security benefits increase by 8% for each year you wait to start payments between Full Retirement Age and age 70. After age 70, the number remains the same.

RMDs begin for 401(k) and IRA retirement accounts at age 72. These mistakes here are expensive! Your first distribution must be taken by April 1 of the year you turn 72. After that, annual withdrawals from 401(k)s and traditional IRAs must be taken by December 31 of each year. Missing a required distribution and you’ll get hit with a nasty 50% of the amount that you should have withdrawn.

Reference: U.S. News & World Report (July 28, 2021) “10 Important Ages for Retirement Planning”

Facts and Figures for Older Workers and Retirees in 2020

Facts and Figures for Older Workers and Retirees in 2020

A new year always brings change, and this year is no exception. From Market Watch, the article “Numbers that older workers and retirees need to know in 2020” provides key information for this new year.

Retirement Plan Changes. Limits for how much can be saved in 401(k), 403(b), Thrift Savings Plan, and most 457 plans have increased by $500 to $19,500 for 2020. If you are 50 and older, the “catch-up” contribution has also increased by $500, so you can now save an additional $6,500 in those accounts.

For those with SIMPLE retirement plans, which are usually from small businesses with 100 or fewer employees, you can increase savings by $500 to $13,500.

What hasn’t changed—if you have an individual traditional IRA, you can save $6,000, with a catch-up contribution of $1,000.

Social Security Changes. The Social Security Administration reports that the average monthly benefit in 2019 was $1,356.05. This will rise by 1.6% in 2020, which will mean an increase of $21.69 per month. Last year, some 63.8 million Americans took Social Security benefits. It was the first year since the program began in 1935 that spending topped $1 trillion.

Another change to Social Security in 2020 is the longer period of time to reach full retirement age. For people born in 1958, this now increases to 66 years and eight months. If you were born in 1958, you’ll need to be that age to collect your full retirement benefit. The longer period is also going to increase in 2021 and 2022—making the full retirement age 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later.

That doesn’t mean people can’t get Social Security benefits earlier—you can elect to take benefits as early as age 62—but you’ll receive less. If you take benefits at age 62, they’ll be 75% of the monthly benefits because you will have added 48 months. At age 65, you’ll receive 93.3% of full benefits because of adding an additional 12 months. If you are taking spousal benefits, there are more numbers to consider.

Medicare Changes. The good news was the increase from Social Security. The bad news? Standard monthly Part B premiums will increase 6.7%, from $135.50 in 2019 to $144.60. That’s the minimum premium. Depending upon your premium, they could go as high as $491.60 per month. Medicare officials blame higher drug prices on the increase.

Health care costs are part of a rising tide of costs facing retirees and older workers. Considering how few Americans have enough money saved for retirement, this is going to become more of a national issue as boomers and millennials age. It should serve as a reminder for all—save as much as you can for retirement, starting now.

Reference: Market Watch (Dec. 28, 2019) “Numbers that older workers and retirees need to know in 2020”

What are the Major Changes to Social Security in 2020?

What are the Major Changes to Social Security in 2020?

Social Security supports millions of Americans, giving them vital benefits in retirement or if they are disabled. For many of those recipients, Social Security contributes most or all of their income.

Motley Fool’s recent article, “4 Must-Know Facts About Social Security for 2020,” says that to get as much as you can from Social Security, you need to understand how each year’s changes will impact you. With benefit checks, retirement age, maximum benefit calculations and Social Security payroll taxes, there’s quite a bit for people to monitor with Social Security in 2020. Let’s look at few big changes:

  1. Next year’s cost-of-living adjustment. Every year, Social Security gives those receiving benefits a cost-of-living increase in their monthly checks. The amount varies from year to year, based on inflation figures. The SSA recently announced that it would increase benefit checks by 1.6% at the start of 2020. This bump will impact seniors in different ways. The typical retired worker will see monthly benefits rise from $1,479 to $1,503. For couples receiving two benefit checks, the typical total will rise by $40 to $2,531 per month. If you’re receiving Social Security benefits based on a family member’s work history, you’ll also see increases. Widowed parents with two children will see $46 more per month ($2,934). Surviving spouses without eligible children will receive a $22 per month increase to $1,422, while the typical disabled worker will see checks go up $20 to $1,258 per month.
  2. Early retirees in 2020 will see a higher full retirement age. The SSA figures your benefits using a formula that anticipates that you’ll claim Social Security when you reach full retirement age. If you claim earlier, then you’ll receive less than if you had waited. However, for those turning 62 in 2020, full retirement age will be slightly higher than it was for those turning 62 in 2019. Those born in 1958 will have a full retirement age of 66 and eight months—two months older than it was for people who were born in 1957 and reached 62 in 2019. Thus, 2020’s 62-year-olds will take a 28.33% reduction in their monthly payment, compared to what they’d get at full retirement age. That’s a little more than the 27.5% reduction that applied to 2019’s 62-year-olds.
  3. High earners can anticipate a larger maximum Social Security benefit. If you retire in 2020 and qualify for the maximum benefit, you’ll see a bigger check than those who retired this year. If you work to full retirement age before collecting benefits, your maximum amount for Social Security benefits will be $3,011. That’s an increase of $150 from 2019.

However, not every increase will be that large, because receiving the maximum depends significantly on exactly when you elect to retire and take benefits. For those claiming Social Security at 62, the maximum monthly benefit will go up $56 to $2,265. Those retiring at 65 will see a $100 increase to $2,857 per month. However, for those retiring at age 70, the increase will be minimal, increasing only $20 to $3,790 per month. Even if you end up short of the absolute maximum, those earning higher incomes can generally expect to see a boost to what they’ll receive.

  1. High-income workers can plan on paying more in Social Security taxes. Payroll taxes are the main source of revenue for Social Security, and the maximum Social Security payroll tax is going up. In 2020, $4,800 more in earnings will be subject to payroll tax, maxing out at $137,700. Between the 6.2% employee portion and the matching 6.2% employers have to pay, a total of 12.4% of your earnings will be taken by federal government.

Those earning in excess of $137,700, will have their withholding increase by $297.60. Self-employed workers will see their maximum taxes rise by $595.20. However, most workers won’t see any change at all, because typical Americans earn far less than $137,700, and the same 6.2% rate will continue to apply on total earnings below that amount.

Reference: Motley Fool (October 27, 2019) “4 Must-Know Facts About Social Security for 2020”