When you look back at the nest egg you’ve accumulated over your working years, you are faced with a few tough questions. How much money should you spend in retirement? How much money should you set aside for your loved ones? Do you have a comprehensive estate and legacy plan built into your overall retirement strategy?
Even if you’ve always thought you were going to leave your family an inheritance, your financial situation changes, and it’s important to be sure you’re making the right decision for you. This decision is based on your personal financial situation, goals and health, and the needs of your family. From there, it’s all about proper planning with your trusted advisor to help better prepare your legacy for your loved ones when you pass.
What is the best path for you?
The first step to figuring out the path that is right for you is to start by looking at your bills. Budgeting for your monthly expenses and unforeseen expenses like medical bills or housing costs can help give you a better picture of what you’ll need for yourself. Once you know roughly what you will be spending each month, you must figure out how you will pay for everything by creating a financial plan. Having a comprehensive financial plan is important because you could get stuck playing retirement catch up.
What does leaving a legacy mean to you?
Next, you must understand what leaving a legacy means to you. Of course, you could leave a lump sum of cash to your children, but there are also other assets that need to be accounted for. When looking at your overall financial plan, don’t forget about estate and legacy planning in retirement. If you have a vacation home, you may decide to leave this to a loved one, so the family can still visit together. Some people also decide to leave a legacy by taking their family on vacations to spend time together before they pass. If you want to leave behind money, but are concerned that family members will not use it wisely, you can set specific guidelines in a trust. Also, if you have a loved one with special health needs, then you could set up funds that will help provide support in the future.
You can still pursue you retirement dreams!
Lastly, if you still aren’t sure how you want to spend your nest egg and leave a legacy for your loved ones, remember, you can still provide for your children or grandchildren while also pursuing your retirement dreams. All it takes is a strong financial plan to do so. At Decker Retirement Planning, we’ll sit down with you to create a plan that covers your needs and goals while also looking at the legacy you wish to leave behind.
