When you retire, how will you support yourself? In this article, figure out where you can obtain a source of income and what you should do if your funds are insufficient.
No matter how far away retirement may seem, it’s important to start planning for it now. For many people, their income sources are not enough to live their retirement dreams. This can be a very difficult and stressful phase. However, with careful planning and saving, you can make your retirement years the best years of your life.
After retirement, it is feasible to rely on sources of income other than your cash savings and CPF LIFE distributions. You can use your funds from the Supplemental Retirement Scheme (SRS), insurance, rental income, down-sizing of your house, interest or dividends from investments, or earnings from any part-time jobs.
Where will you obtain your retirement income?
Calculating how much money you have for retirement is a crucial element of retirement planning.
If you were to retire today, how much do you think you’d have from your:
- Savings
- Insurance and annuity payouts
- CPF and SRS
- Rental income
- Profits from downsizing your house
- Shares, unit trusts, and other forms of investment
- Dividends and other forms of passive income
- Inheritance
Can you pay off all of your debts and retire debt-free?
Have you started saving for other important things like your kids’ college fund?
Make sure you have insurance!
Do you have enough coverage from your insurance? As we age, so are the costs of maintaining our health. Although we are all protected by MediShield Life, you may want to look into supplemental insurance to better suit your individual requirements and preferences. Also consider how much those extra expenses would cut into your retirement fund.
Make sure you have insurance even during retirement when you need it most. When you retire, some plans may allow you to cease paying premiums while still enjoying the benefits of the coverage.
Methods to save for Retirement
Here are some ways you can save money for your golden years:
Stock money in a CPF account
You can start taking advantage of the risk-free and competitive interest rates offered by the CPF the moment you make your initial deposit into your Ordinary, Special, or Medisave Account (OA, SA, or MA).
Your funds will be transferred to a Retirement Account (RA) when you turn 55, where you can earn up to 5% interest* annually. In addition, you can receive an extra 1% interest on the first $30,000 of your total balance, up to $20,000 of which will come from your OA.
*On top of this, an additional 1% interest rate is paid on the first $60,000 of a member’s combined CPF holdings, with a maximum of $20,000 from the OA.
Supplementary Retirement Scheme
In addition to the CPF, retirement savings can be bolstered through the privately run Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS).
You are not obligated to take part in the scheme, but if you do, your payments will go toward various investment products. You can qualify for enticing tax reliefs:
- You can lower your taxable income by a dollar for every $1 contributed.
- Gains on investments may compound tax-free.
- If you withdraw your SRS funds at retirement, you will only owe tax on half of the amount.
Profit Rental Income
Renting out a room or the entire HDB apartment is a great way to supplement your income once you’ve met the Minimum Occupation Period and become a legal owner.
Here are some things you need to consider:
- You can sell HDB a portion of your apartment’s lease through its Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS). Your CPF Retirement Account will be funded with the proceeds, and you’ll receive a regular income from CPF LIFE. In retirement, you can remain in your apartment.
- Downsizing your apartment can allow you to earn additional income when you retire. When your children become adults and have families of their own, you may find it necessary to downsize your living quarters.
- Contributing to your CPF Retirement Account using your sale proceeds and joining CPF LIFE can make you eligible for the Silver Housing Bonus (SHB) and allow you to earn a cash bonus.
Investments
Investing can be a useful tool for building a nest egg for your golden years. However, it comes with risks. As you get closer to retirement, you may need to shift your portfolio’s allocation toward safer, more conservative options.
Prior to retirement
Long-term, medium-to-high risk products give larger returns, which might be useful if you’re in the early or middle stages of your career and looking to bolster your savings.
However, if you are nearing retirement age, you may have a shorter investing horizon. It’s during that time that you need to be more careful with your finances, to ensure you have enough money to enjoy your retirement.
So, what does this mean? This simply implies that you should:
- Reduce your exposure to risk by avoiding investments that could result in a loss of money.
- Invest in items that can be quickly sold for a profit.
- Think about items that reliably bring in money regularly.
During retirement
One way to ensure a steady stream of retirement income is to space out the timing of your withdrawals. The best way to manage your investments is to divide them into three time horizons: short, medium, and long.
It’s possible to set distinct time-bound investing targets. For instance:
- To meet your day-to-day needs in the here and now, Your first category can consist of liquid assets or conservative investments.
- The following categories may aim for higher targetsĀ to protect yourself from inflation.
Consider your unique situation, risk tolerance, and level of familiarity with the various financial products to determine if this strategy is right for you. Depending on your goals, you should determine if a product is conservative, liquid, or allows for some growth.
Employment
Even if you’ve reached retirement age, you might want to consider working part-time if the chance presents itself. You could look into temporary or part-time work, or you could transform a pastime into a career.
Living in your golden years
Although it may be challenging to live in your golden years on a tight budget, there are ways to make ends meet. Whether that be through insurance payouts, passive income, profits from down-sizing your home, investments, or rental income that can provide you with the financial security you need to enjoy your retirement. Make sure you take advantage of all these potential sources of income to ensure that you have comfortable golden years.