retirementdirectory

Using a Retirement Income Calculator

All of us do acknowledge the fact that time and tide do not wait for anybody. Therefore, planning for retirement is extremely essential. Retirement planning promises a secured future to a person as well as his family. The basic approach which should be utilized while planning for retirement is to assess your income after retiring i.e. your post-work income. This refers to the amount of money required for affording a comfortable lifestyle at the present income level after a person retires.

The income of an individual post-retirement is greatly influenced by the age at which at individual wishes to retire. Another factor affecting the income is the amount of money needed by the individual on a yearly basis. Generally, an individual would want that 75-95% of his/her pre-retirement income is available to him/her post-retirement every year. Since many individuals get used to living on a definite income, the consistency needs to be maintained after retirement also. In this manner, the person would not be forced to witness a sudden decrease in his/her standard of living. Other aspects that need to be taken into consideration are the increase in average life-expectancy and rate of inflation.

Consult a financial advisor and get a rough estimate of the approximate figure you would need post-retirement. Usually, people think that their savings are sufficient. However, the reality is that we do not have enough of anything we require. The sooner a person gets an estimate of his income post-retirement; the better would be his future.

A retirement income calculator enables in determining the amount of money needed post-retirement. Generally, the information that needs to be entered in the calculator is the following:
  • Present Yearly Income.
  • Percentage of Present Income required for future.
  • Other sources of income such as pension or social security.
  • Number of years of work life prior to retirement.

The factors influencing retirement income include:

  • Rate of inflation.
  • Average Cost of Living (country-specific)
  • Average rate of return
Based on the provided information, a person would be able to calculate the expected income. In case of a shortfall, a person would also be able to assess the amount of additional savings required.

However, all the calculators might not be same. A few calculators could also consider the life-expectancy or health of an individual. Nevertheless, majority of calculators handle the essential functions. Therefore, rather than considering all your expenses, simply focus on your essential expenses.