Social Security was never designed as a public retirement plan. It doesn’t provide total income replacement for retirement. Those who expect it to do more than fill in the gaps, are often surprised by this, says Fox Business in the news segment “3 Social Security Realities You Need to Face.” Here are three solid facts that everyone needs to know about what Social Security can and cannot do for retirement income.
Social Security will not cover your cost of living in retirement. Many people actually neglect saving for retirement, thinking they can simply rely on Social Security for expenses when they retire. Social Security replaces less than half of the average earner’s pre-retirement income. Most seniors need about 80% of their pre-retirement income to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle.
Don’t believe it? The average Social Security check is $1,461 a month. That’s $17,532 a year. Could you live on that? Even by cutting back on all discretionary spending, that’s not likely to be anywhere near enough for most middle-class Americans. Even a small amount of money set aside during working years will add up over time. What is the best time to start saving, no matter how old you are? Now.
A Social Security reduction is entirely possible. If Social Security doesn’t have enough payroll taxes to draw from, it’s possible that everyone on Social Security will face across-the-board reduction in benefits in the coming years. There are trust funds available to bridge the gap but those funds are expected to run dry in 2035. Unless and until Congress acts, there might be as much as a 20% reduction in benefits for everyone.
Therefore, if Social Security replaces about 40% of your pre-retirement income and there’s a 20% reduction, you’ll need even more in your nest egg to pay for your retirement.
Claiming benefits earlier than expected happens often. Social Security benefits are based on the 35 highest earning years but the amount is calculated based on when benefits are first taken. File for benefits at full retirement age (FRA) and you’ll get the full monthly benefit based on your earnings history. If you ifle for benefits earlier, benefits are reduced for every month they are claimed before FRA.
Some people are impatient to get their benefits and file early, because they want to. However, many end up filing earlier because they have no choice, knowing that they are getting less every month.
Seniors often stop working in their early 60s and not always by choice. They may have health issues, be laid off or work in a field that is no longer viable. A new job or a part time job may not pay as much as their previous job.
There’s nothing wrong with factoring in Social Security benefits as part of your retirement cash flow. However, it shouldn’t be the only source of income. Setting aside $200 a month over a 30-year period will give you a $227,000 nest egg, if investments generate a 7% annual return. The ideal is to have a long savings period and to save consistently.
Reference: Fox Business (June 12, 2019) “3 Social Security Realities You Need to Face.”
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