In a story from The Wall Street Journal , it is being discovered that many Americans are coming to retirement age only to find they are lacking the funds to actually retire. While the severity of each case of course varies according to each individual’s circumstances, many are finding that they have no retirement whatsoever. While this fact is forcing many senior Americans back into the labor force I am using it as a vivid reminder that I must stay the course and even step it up if I hope to retire when my time comes.
Reviewing My Retirement Plan
Knowing that I only have so much time before I reach the age that I wish to retire the first thing I have done after seeing this news is review the actions that I’ve already been taking. While I am relatively happy with my progress and usually check myself occasionally anyway, this type of harsh reality was all it took for me to take another instant look.
Staying the Course and Stepping it Up
After a quick review of what I am doing to prepare for retirement I have noticed some room for improvement. While I am staying the course for now, I have mapped out some procedures and actions that will allow me to soon step up my retirement savings efforts.
This will of course involve spending less which is not as easy to do as it is to say. My family already adheres to a strict budget but I know that great measure must be taken in order to reach my retirement goals.
Giving More
The very fact that there are so many Americans who worked hard their entire lives and have ended up with nothing is enough to make my heart weep. After discussing this with my wife we have decided to boost our efforts and find ways to give more to those who don’t have enough.
We already contribute our fair share of both funds and time for various charities, but this kind of thing just makes us want to do more. Though the “more” may not mean a lot of additional money being given, we will be willing to give a little more of our time and, if we have it, a little more of our money.
Retirement is Coming – Ready or Not
As I am fast approaching the age of 40 I know my retirement is closer than I’d like to admit. As I do not want to end up as a sad statistic with little to no retirement, I have and will continue to make the personal sacrifices necessary in order to ensure proper funding for my retirement.