Best Ways to Start Planning for Retirement in Your 50s

Preparing for a retirement plan in your 50s is quite different from what you have done in your 30s or 40s. You have limited time to prepare and save for your retirement. However, you must calculate the savings thoroughly as you have to manage risks and rewards.

Although you are in your peak earning years, having no retirement plan will cause a significant problem post-retirement. You should prioritise your financial goals and save for the future. Read along to know the best ways to save for retirement in your 50s and where you can invest money for your future.

Retirement planning in the 50s is significant as you are near retirement age. You need a stable income post-retirement to manage your lifestyle and fulfil your goals. Through retirement planning, you can secure your family's future in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

It is vital as it allows you to maximise your income through different sources and gives you financial independence post-retirement. This gives you an idea of how to invest in your 50s, where to invest and how much return to expect from such investments. Furthermore, you can ensure you have funds to manage future medical costs through proper investment in insurance policies and savings.

When you are in your 50s, it is vital to save for your retirement. You must consider your future goals and save accordingly to meet these goals. The following points will help you save money for your retirement planning strategies in your 50s:

• Paying Off the Loan Amount: You should clear all loan payments before you retire, as paying off the loan amount with your retirement money will not be beneficial. It will reduce your savings and affect you during your retirement, and you will have to depend on others for your lifestyle.
• Reducing Expenses: When you are in your 50s, consider reducing expenses. You should reduce unnecessary expenses and save the extra money in your savings or retirement account. By doing this, you can build your wealth for the future or use the funds in any emergency after retirement.
• Modifying Insurance Cover: You might have health insurance or life insurance in your name. Since you are approaching older age, you are prone to health issues, and medical costs are increasing rapidly. In this case, you should not pay your medical bills with your post-retirement savings. Thereby, you can consider modifying your insurance policy with top-up plans.
• Taking Retirement Plan Seriously: You should have a retirement plan that can replace your income when you retire. In your 50s, you have maximum earning capacity and should contribute more to saving accounts for your retirement. You can do it by increasing the share in your Provident Fund account through a Voluntary Provident Fund scheme.

Investing in your 50s for retirement is very important as it will secure your future financial goals. If you have not started investing, consider it, as this gives you stable returns in the next 5 to 10 years to lead a quality life post-retirement. In the following ways mentioned below, you can invest for retirement while you are in your 50s:

Availing Insurance

Buying an insurance policy in your 50s is very important as it covers your medical bills and saves you from high hospital costs. Without insurance, you will have to pay the entire amount from your savings, thereby affecting your post-retirement plans. Furthermore, if you buy insurance in your 50s, you must pay a high premium. Still, it is highly recommended to have an insurance policy in your post-retirement portfolio. 

Investing in Pension Plans

If you are in your 50s, you do not have much time for your retirement. Hence, investing your funds in the best pension plans available that offer you higher returns in a limited duration is always preferred. However, if you invest in a pension plan in your 50s, you will have to pay higher premiums than in your 20s or 30s.

Investing in Financial Instruments

Investing in Provident Fund (PF) is one of the best ways to save for retirement in your 50s. However, you should not depend only on PF to meet your retirement goals. Investing in various financial instruments to have more funds post-retirement is ideal. Your retirement funds should include a mixture of both equities and mutual funds, as they give higher returns on investment.

When you are in your 50s, you should focus more on increasing your savings. This way, you can grow your investment for a pleasant retirement. The saving amount basically depends on how much you are currently spending. However, it is suggested that you should have five times of your annual income as savings.

You can downsize your spending by cutting unnecessary expenses and paying off the high-interest loan amount first. You can multiply your yearly savings and transfer the amount to your savings account. Further, you can also invest the money in various low-risk financial instruments that offer stable returns.

The following example explains how to start planning for retirement at 50:

• Current Age: 50 Years
• Desired Retirement Age: 65 Years
• Life Expectancy: 80 Years
• Monthly Income Required in Retirement Years: ₹25,000
• Expected Inflation Rate: 6%
• Expected Return On Investment (Pre-Retirement): 15%
• Expected Return On Investment (Post-Retirement): 6%
• Annual Income Required Immediately After Retirement: ₹7,18,967
• Additional Retirement Fund Which Needs to be Accumulated: ₹9,97,084
• Monthly Savings Required to Accumulate the Fund: ₹1,492

Disclaimer: The above information is derived by using a retirement planning calculator.

Retirement planning in the 50s might seem difficult initially, but with regular savings and proper investment options, you can frame a perfect retirement life. Furthermore, the best ways to save for retirement in your 50s require sheer dedication and discipline to get working. Therefore, you can follow the above mentioned ways to build a strategy to help you have a quality lifestyle upon retirement.