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In the process of financial planning for retirement, we work with a lot of different statistics and formulas to get you the information you need. We analyze your income, investments, savings and returns  to assess how much money you have right now, how much you will have, and how much you can have, based on risk factors and opportunities. We know the long list of line items and figures can be overwhelming. We work to present our clients with the most relevant data you need to make the best decisions moving forward.

The Numbers You Care About

In 2017, Dimensional Fund Advisors released the results of a survey, in which nearly 19,000 financial investors from over 400 advisory firms, were asked what mattered to them in their retirement planning. The results showed that while investors are certainly interested in the bigger picture, in how much they are earning and how much they have saved total, their greatest concern is how much they have to spend yearly. It also showed that their primary worry in retirement planning is not having enough money each year to spend on the lifestyle they envision.

Translating The Numbers  

The numbers that matter most to investors are the ones that support their goals. Our clients that are still working are deciding how much to contribute to their 401K, not to save for the sake of saving, but to invest into a future reality.  Our investors want to know what that reality will look like – and what they need to save or diversify now to build the day-to-day future they dream of. We’ve talked before about the importance of matching resources with your retirement dreams. That dream is going to look different for every individual.

What Your Future Looks Like

As you are looking ahead, whether you are already in retirement or it’s still on the horizon, you probably have some very clear visions that you want to make a reality. Maybe there are vacations you’ve longed for. Or maybe you see yourself spending more time with people you love or volunteering for certain organizations. You imagine your days, and months, and years playing out in strategic and intentional ways. But are your finances aligned to allow for that?

Breaking It All Down

At Tobias Financial Advisors, we work with our clients to understand their unique goals. We want to know exactly the kind of future you want to live, so we can work out how much money you’re going to need realistically to live that life. We recommend starting early to have these discussions and making strategic savings and investment plans to reach that goal. Even if you are new to your career, we can start talking about making the most of employer contributions to reach those long-term goals.

Staying On Track

Once you hit retirement age, and are living that life you’ve been planning, it’s important to stay on track. As we’ve discussed, even those with grand nest eggs, have to live within the budget they set for themselves. We can help you develop a budget based on a fixed income from employer pensions or social security, as well as investment returns. We also parse your total income to help you live comfortably within its limits. Meeting regularly with your advisor, you can assess your current spending and compare that with future needs. You can also discuss those lifestyle goals you’ve been working toward and assess how your spending or saving is supporting those. That accountability will ease those fears about not having enough in future days.

What matters most in your retirement is giving you the freedom and experiences you’ve been working for all these years. We will help you break all those numbers down to the ones you care about and put together an investment and savings plan, and help you stay on that plan, so your retirement is the one you’ve been dreaming of – and working toward.