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• Introduction 3
• Your Retirement Lifestyle 3
• Your Current Financial Situation 4
• The Ination Factor 7
• Changes in Spending Patterns
After Retirement 8
• Planning for Future Ination 8
• Planning for Large Future
Irregular Expenses
8
• How Much Are You Worth?
11
• Estimating Retirement Income 11
• Where to Go for Information 18
• Balancing Income with Expenses 18
• Increasing Income 18
• Reducing Expenses 22
• Medicare and Other Health Insurance 22
• Housing Expenses 23
• Looking Ahead 23
• References 25
• Credits 25
Financial Planning for Retirement
Workbook
Revised and updated by Janet C. Bechman, Purdue Extension specialist, and
Barbara R. Rowe, Utah State University Cooperative Extension specialist,
based on North Central Regional Extension publication 264 by Irene Hathaway,
Michigan State University
Worksheets
Worksheet 1 – Your Retirement Lifestyle 5
Worksheet 2 – Estimated Annual Cost
of Living 6
Worksheet 3 – Estimated Changes in Spending
After Retirement 9
Worksheet 4 – Estimated
Annual Cost of
Living 10 Years
After Retirement 12
Worksheet 5 – Large Future Irregular
Expenses 13
Worksheet 6 – How Much Are You Worth?
14
Worksheet 7 – Estimated Annual Income
After Retirement
19
Worksheet 8 – Estimated Annual Income
10 Years
After Retirement 20
Worksheet 9 – Monthly Cost of Living
Worksheet 24
Tables
Table 1. The Ination Factor 7
Table 2. Expectation of Life by Age
and Sex 10
Table 3. Age to Receive Full Social
Security Benets
15
Table 4. Benet Increases for
Delayed Retirement 16
Table of Contents
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Financial Planning for Retirement Workbook • CFS-685-W
Introduction
Are you looking forward to the day you retire?
To having more time to travel, spend with family
and friends, enjoy new hobbies, or increase your
volunteer work? Or does the thought of retirement
make you slightly uneasy; unsure if you will have
enough money to stop working, but not knowing how
much you need to save? Being able to retire when
you want and living comfortably is a dream for many
Americans, and the goal of this workbook is to help
you reach it.
The biggest question is, when the time comes
to stop working, will you have enough income to
continue the lifestyle you had before retirement? That
depends on the lifestyle you want to maintain and
the types of income you will have. Social Security
payments alone will not be enough for most of us. In
2009 the maximum Social Security monthly benet
payable to a worker retiring at age 66 was $2,323,
while the average monthly benefit was $1,153
(www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/factsheets/colafacts2009.htm).
As you plan, keep in mind that the average
American life expectancy is 74.7 years for men and
80.0 years for women.
1
The “average” person who
retires at age 65 looks forward to another 16 to 20
years of life. Many of us will have even more years. It
is never too early to begin planning how you want to
spend those years.
When you think ahead to retirement, here are some
questions to answer:
1. What lifestyle will you want during retirement?
2. What is your current nancial situation?
3. How will your nancial situation change at
retirement?
4. How can you control your nancial future to be
able to retire with the resources needed to achieve
your desired lifestyle?
See how your retirement picture might look by
following the steps in this workbook, lling in the
worksheets, and doing the calculations. No one can
predict the future exactly. However, projecting from
what you know now will give you an estimate of what
to expect in the future.
1
Source: National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 54, No. 14,
April 19, 2006 Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/
nvsr/nvsr54/nvsr54_14.pdf
Your Retirement Lifestyle
As you think about your retirement days, how will
you want to live? What type of lifestyle do you hope
for? Will you have enough money to support that
lifestyle? What will be important to you and what
won’t be? How will your life and expenses change
after retirement? Here are some items to consider:
• Your home —Where will you live? Changing your
housing or moving to a different part of the state
or country, or to another country, can increase or
decrease your expenses. Even if you plan to “stay
put” in the same house, some of your costs will still
change. For example, your heating and light bills
may increase if you spend more hours at home. Or
they may decrease if you spend more time traveling
away from home. As your home ages, it will need
more repairs and maintenance.
• Transportation — What does it cost you now?
How much of your transportation costs (gas, car
maintenance, bus or train fares) are for travel to
and from work? Will you keep your own car, rely
on public transportation exclusively, or use some
combination of the two?
• Food — Will you eat out more often in retirement,
or entertain friends and family more often? How
much do you pay a year for lunches or other meals
eaten at work?
• Clothing and personal care — How much of your
present clothing costs are for special clothing for
your job? How much is for more expensive clothing
than you will need after retirement?
• Health and medical expenses — Will you buy
insurance to supplement Medicare gaps, or will you
be paying for all your health care insurance until
you are age 65? Will you buy exercise equiment,
or join a health club, or cancel a health club
membership?
• Entertainment — Will you spend more or less on
movies, books, theater, clubs, shopping?
• Hobbies — Will you spend more money on
hobbies, such as woodworking and gardening?
• Recreation — Will you spend more money on
leisure activities, such as golng and shing?
• Travel — Will you increase your travel during
retirement?
After you retire, you may spend more in certain
categories such as health care and health insurance.
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You also may spend more on travel, entertainment,
and leisure activities, because you have more time to
enjoy them.
Use Worksheet 1, “Your Retirement Lifestyle”
(page 5), to describe the lifestyle you desire during
retirement. As you dream about your retirement
days, will you be able to afford the lifestyle you nd
desirable?
Your Current Financial Situation
As you plan for your retirement years, it is helpful
to look at what you are spending now to live. Use
Worksheet 2, “Estimated Annual Cost of Living”
(page 6), to record what you spend annually in each
category. If you only have monthly expense gures,
turn to the “Monthly Costs of Living,” Worksheet
9 (page 24). Record your monthly expenses and
multiply by 12 to get the annual gures to put on
Worksheet 2.
Note: The sample “Estimated Annual Cost of
Living” worksheet on this page is meant to serve as
a guide as you ll in your Worksheet 2. It is based on
this scenario:
a) Mr. and Mrs. Jones would like to retire at age 62,
11 years from now.
b) They guess that the ination rate will rise slowly
and will average about 5 percent a year.
c) 11 years at 5 percent = 1.71 ination factor (from
table on page 7).
d) Their estimated current annual expenses of
$32,277, multplied by the ination factor of 1.71,
shows they will need $55,194 in their rst year of
retirement to maintain their current lifestyle.
Example: Estimated Annual Cost of Living
Totals You
Spend Now
Ination
Factor
Future Budget at
Time of Retirement in
11 years
Housing
$9,956 1.71 $17,025
Household operation and maintenance
$2,230 1.71 $3,813
Automobile and transportation $6,016 1.71 $10,287
Food $4,518 1.71 $7,726
Clothing $1,782 1.71 $3,047
Personal $1,521 1.71 $2,601
Medical and health $1,665 1.71 $2,847
Recreation, education $1,659 1.71 $2,837
Contributions $738 1.71 $1,262
Taxes and insurance $1,112 1.71 $1,902
Savings, investments $780 1.71 $1,333
Irregular expenses
(ex. gifts, license plates, holiday spending,
etc.)
$300
1.71
$513
ANNUAL TOTAL $32,277 1.71 $55,194
Adapted from Planning a Retirement Budget, a CEH Topic, Hogarth, Cornell University, 1984.
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Financial Planning for Retirement Workbook • CFS-685-W
Worksheet 1 – Your Retirement Lifestyle
What will your lifestyle be like during retirement? Beside each item listed below, describe what you
really want in retirement.
1. Your home:
2. Transportation:
3. Food:
4. Clothing and personal care:
5. Health and health care:
6. Entertainment:
7. Hobbies:
8. Recreation:
9. Travel:
From Retirement Planning, DP-CFR-051, Maddux, University of Georgia CES, 5/96.
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Worksheet 2 – Estimated Annual Cost of Living
Fill in the rst column with what you are now spending annually to live. Then gure the
Ination Factor by following the steps listed above the Ination Factor table on page 7. Fill
in the ination factor in the second column. (You may do this only for the total, or for each
category of costs.) Multiply column 1 by column 2 to get an idea of the income you will need
during your rst year of retirement.
Totals You
Spend Now
Ination
Factor
Future Budget at
Time of Retirement
in ____ years
Housing $ $
Household operation and maintenance
$ $
Automobile and transportation
$ $
Food
$ $
Clothing
$ $
Personal
$ $
Medical and health $ $
Recreation, education
$ $
Contributions
$ $
Taxes and Insurance
$ $
Savings, investments
$ $
Irregular expenses
(ex. gifts, license plates, holiday spending,
etc.)
$
$
ANNUAL TOTAL $ $
Adapted from Planning a Retirement Budget, a CEH Topic, Hogarth, Cornell University, 1984.
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Financial Planning for Retirement Workbook • CFS-685-W
The Ination Factor
Ination is a widespread and sustained increase
in the general price level of goods and services.
Economists say that when prices go up 3 percent
or more a year, the country is in a state of ination.
While just about everyone gets hurt by ination,
people who live on xed incomes may feel the
crunch more than others because prices rise but their
income doesn’t. Increases in ination rates have been
extremely modest in recent years – between 2 percent
and 4 percent. But even a 2 percent increase every
year will have a cumulative effect, and prices will be
higher in the future than they are now. That’s why it
makes sense to build ination into your retirement
plans.
On Worksheet 2, “Estimated Annual Cost of
Living,” you lled in the rst column with the cost
you calculated for each of the expense categories
listed. To ll in the second column, use Table 1, “The
Ination Factor” (on this page).
(1) Choose the number of years until your
retirement starts from the “Years to Retirement”
column on the left of Table 1.
(2) Then select an estimated annual ination rate
from the row across the top. Ination cannot be
predicted from year to year. In 1980, it was 12.4
percent. In 2001, it was 1.6 percent. In 2007, it was
4.1 percent. You have to make an educated guess.
(3) Read across and down to nd the appropriate
ination factor corresponding to your predicted rate of
ination. For example, 10 years at 6 percent ination
gives a factor of 1.79.
(4) Multiply your estimated annual cost of living
expenses from the rst column of Worksheet 2 by the
ination factor to get an idea of the amount of income
you will need for your rst year of retirement, if you
want to maintain your current lifestyle. (Example:
$14,000 x 1.79 = $25,060.)
Table 1. The Ination Factor
Years to
Retirement
Annual Ination Rate
2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7% 8% 9% 10% 11%
1 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11
2 1.04 1.06 1.08 1.10 1.12 1.15 1.17 1.19 1.21 1.23
3 1.06 1.09 1.13 1.16 1.19 1.23 1.26 1.30 1.33 1.37
4 1.08 1.13 1.17 1.22 1.26 1.31 1.36 1.41 1.46 1.52
5 1.10 1.16 1.22 1.28 1.34 1.40 1.47 1.54 1.61 1.69
6 1.13 1.19 1.27 1.34 1.42 1.50 1.59 1.68 1.77 1.87
7 1.15 1.23 1.32 1.41 1.50 1.61 1.71 1.83 1.95 2.08
8 1.17 1.27 1.37 1.48 1.59 1.72 1.85 1.99 2.14 2.30
9 1.20 1.31 1.42 1.55 1.69 1.84 2.00 2.17 2.36 2.56
10 1.22 1.34 1.48 1.63 1.79 1.97 2.16 2.37 2.59 2.84
11 1.24 1.38 1.54 1.71 1.90 2.11 2.33 2.58 2.85 3.15
12 1.27 1.43 1.60 1.80 2.01 2.25 2.52 2.81 3.14 3.50
13 1.29 1.47 1.67 1.89 2.13 2.41 2.72 3.07 3.45 3.88
14 1.32 1.51 1.73 1.98 2.26 2.58 2.94 3.34 3.80 4.31
15 1.35 1.56 1.80 2.08 2.40 2.76 3.17 3.64 4.18 4.78
16 1.37 1.61 1.87 2.18 2.54 2.95 3.43 3.97 4.60 5.31
17 1.40 1.65 1.95 2.29 2.69 3.16 3.70 4.33 5.05 5.90
18 1.43 1.70 2.03 2.41 2.85 3.38 4.00 4.72 5.56 6.54
19 1.46 1.75 2.11 2.53 3.03 3.62 4.32 5.14 6.12 7.26
20 1.49 1.81 2.19 2.65 3.21 3.87 4.66 5.60 6.73 8.06
From Financial Planning for Retirement, NCR-264, Field and Hathaway, Michigan State University CES, 5/87.
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Changes in Spending Patterns
After Retirement
After you retire, you may spend less on certain
categories, such as taxes (income taxes are usually
lower, and you may not pay Social Security
taxes, although some retirees do) and savings and
investments (you probably won’t contribute to a
pension fund, although you still will need a savings
plan).
Income tax
How much did you pay last year? Compare that
amount with the taxes for your estimated retirement
income. Use the table in last year’s 1040 form. About
one third of people who get Social Security have to
pay taxes on their benets. This provision affects only
people with substantial income in addition to their
Social Security benets. Pension or annuity payments
from an employer’s retirement plan may be subject to
income taxes.
Social Security taxes
If you continue to work after you begin drawing
your Social Security benets, you will have to pay
Social Security and Medicare taxes on your earnings.
In 2009, the combined tax rate was 7.65 percent for
an employee and 15.3 percent for a self-employed
person. You do not have to pay Social Security or
Medicare taxes on your Social Security income.
Check your paycheck stub for the amount you paid
into Social Security last year. Compare it with the
expected amount of your post-retirement income.
That will tell you whether you will need to pay Social
Security taxes after retirement and how much they
will be.
Saving and investing in retirement
Check your paycheck stub for contributions to
a pension plan. How much are you investing for
retirement in other ways, including mutual funds,
stock market accounts, and IRAs?
For each expense category, gure the difference
between what you’re spending now and what you
expect to spend after retirement. Enter those amounts
onto Worksheet 3, “Estimated Changes in Spending
After Retirement” (page 9). If your retirement expense
will be lower, put the difference in the “less” column.
If the expense will be higher, put the difference in the
“more” column. Then compare the totals.
Planning for Future Ination
On Worksheet 2, “Estimated Annual Cost of
Living,” you calculated the effects of ination on your
living expenses until you retire. But ination will
continue, at some rate, after you retire. A man retiring
today at age 65 can expect to live 16.8 more years; a
woman, 19.7 more years (See Table 2, “Expectations
of Life by Age and Sex” (page 10). How will your
expenses be affected by ination then?
To see how ination will affect your budget into the
future, turn to Worksheet 2 (page 6). Copy the totals
from the right-hand column, “Your Future Budget at
T
ime of Retirement in ____ Years” into Column 1
on Worksheet 4, “Estimated Annual Cost of Living
10 Years After Retirement” (page 12). Then go back
to Table 1, “The Ination Factor” (page 7). Choose
an ination rate and nd the factor for 10 years.
Multiply that factor by the gures in column one on
Worksheet 4. Record your answers on column three
of Worksheet 4.
How much will ination increase your living costs?
Even a moderate rate of ination will push up those
costs over time. This shows that it will be necessary
to plan for retirement income that will keep pace with
ination as much as possible. The example on page 11
assumes an annual average ination rate of 5 percent.
Planning for Large Future
Irregular Expenses
Some expenses do not occur every month, or
even every year. These are the ones you are most
likely to not plan for (a new roof, an appliance that
dies, another car). These expenses are most likely to
interfere with your retirement budget.
Use Worksheet 5, “Large Future Irregular
Expenses” (page 13), to help you plan ahead for some
of these large expenses. This worksheet will help you
answer some basic questions as you plan ahead for
your large expenses. Think about when you expect
the expense to occur and the estimated cost. Do some
years have more expenses than others? Can you shift
some of those costs to other years? Or, can you set
aside savings in less expensive years to pay for them?
Can good maintenance and/or repairs lengthen the life
of some items so they won’t have to be replaced so
soon? Can you live with certain items after they are
no longer in tip-top shape? Are there some items you
won’t replace as they wear out? What can you replace
before you retire when you may have more money
to pay for them? (Note: The average life expectancy
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Financial Planning for Retirement Workbook • CFS-685-W
Expense
Now Spend
About How
Much?
Expect to
Spend After
Retirement
Less After
Retirement
More After
Retirement
Work related:
Transportation
Clothing
Dues
Meals
Other
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
Social Security taxes
(taken out of check)
$
$
$
$
Income taxes $ $ $ $
Pension plan contributions
$
$
$
$
Contributions to other
retirement accounts
(IRA, etc.)
$
$
$
$
Savings, investments
for retirement
$
$
$
$
Travel $ $ $ $
Entertainment, leisure
activities
$
$
$
$
Health insurance $ $ $ $
Other health care costs $ $ $ $
TOTALS
$
Less
$
More
Adapted from Financial Planning for Retirement, NCR-265, Field and Hathaway, Michigan State University CES, 5/87.
Worksheet 3 – Estimated Changes in Spending After Retirement
Use this worksheet to calculate possible changes in your expenses. For each expense category, gure
the difference between what you are spending now and what you expect to spend after retirement. If
the retirement expense will be lower, put the difference in the “less” column; if it will be higher, put the
difference in the “more” column. Add the gures in both columns and compare the totals. Which total is
larger? What does that suggest about your future spending? Will you need to make some changes in what
you expect to spend?
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Table 2: Expectation of life by age and sex
All Races
Age Total Male Female
0 77.4 74.7 80.0
1 77.0 74.3 79.5
5 73.1 70.4 75.6
10 68.1 65.5 70.6
15 63.2 60.5 65.7
20 58.4 55.8 60.8
25 53.6 51.2 56.0
30 48.9 46.5 51.1
35 44.1 41.8 46.3
40 39.5 37.2 41.5
45 34.9 32.8 36.9
50 30.5 28.5 32.3
55 26.2 24.3 27.9
60 22.2 20.4 23.7
65 18.4 16.8 19.7
70 14.8 13.4 15.9
75 11.7 10.5 12.5
80 8.9 7.9 9.5
85 6.6 5.9 7.0
90 4.8 4.3 5.0
95 3.5 3.1 3.5
100 2.5 2.2 2.5
Source: National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 54, No. 14, April 19, 2006, Report revised March
28, 2007.
Retrieved Aug. 5, 2009
www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr54/nvsr54_14.pdf
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estimates listed on Worksheet 5 are just a guide. Your
items may last longer or may need to be replaced
sooner.)
How Much Are You Worth?
As you develop your nancial plans for retirement,
you need to know the resources you already have.
A net worth statement gives you that information.
On Worksheet 6, “How Much Are You Worth?”
(page 14), list your current assets and liabilities. Your
assets include everything you own that is of any value
(like cash on hand, your checking and savings account
balances, the current market value of bonds, stocks,
and other investments). Your liabilities include the
outstanding balance due on the debts you owe (such
as your home mortgage or car loan, and other unpaid
bills). Subtracting your liabilities from your assets will
show your net worth.
You may be able to get a fairly accurate estimate
of your home’s value from a real estate rm, or you
can pay a professional appraiser to do this. Other
appraisers can estimate the value of antiques, jewelry,
or other unique valuables (such appraisals should also
be recorded for insurance purposes).
Every year, perhaps at the rst of each year, review
your net worth statement and update your gures for
any changes in your nancial situation over the year.
Estimating Retirement Income
Where will your retirement income come from?
The primary sources of income for most retirees are
Social Security, public and private pensions, personal
savings and investments, and earnings. In 2006, Social
Security provided 37 percent, earnings 28 percent,
public and private pensions 18 percent, and income
from assets, 15 percent of the income of people 65 or
older.
1
1
Source: Income of the population 55 or older in 2006,
SSA. Retrieved from www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/
income_pop55/2006/index.html August 2009.
Sources of Retirement Income
1. Social Security
Social Security provides a base level of income for
most retired people, although it was never designed
to replace all lost earnings. Knowing the amount you
will receive from Social Security will help you plan
your total retirement package. Your eligibility for
Example: Estimated Annual Cost of Living 10 Years After Retirement
Your Budget at
Retirement
Ination
Factor
Your Budget
10 Years After
Retirement
Housing
$17,025 1.63 $27,751
Household operation and maintenance
$3,813 1.63 $6,215
Automobile and transportation
$10,287 1.63 $16,768
Food
$7,726 1.63 $12,593
Clothing
$3,047 1.63 $4,967
Personal
$2,601 1.63 $4,240
Medical and health
$2,847 1.63 $4,641
Recreation, education
$2,837 1.63 $4,624
Contributions
$1,262 1.63 $2,057
Taxes and insurance $1,902 1.63 $3,100
Savings, investments
$1,333 1.63 $2,173
Irregular expenses
(ex. gifts, license plates, holiday
spending, etc.)
$513
1.63
$836
ANNUAL TOTAL $55,194 1.63 $89,966
From Financial Planning for Retirement, NCR-264, Field and Hathaway, Michigan State University CES 5/87.
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Worksheet 4 – Estimated Annual Cost of Living
10 Years After Retirement
Your Budget at
Retirement
Ination
Factor
Your Budget
10 Years After
Retirement
Housing
$ $
Household operation and maintenance
$ $
Automobile and transportation
$ $
Food
$ $
Clothing
$ $
Personal
$ $
Medical and health
$ $
Recreation, education
$ $
Contributions $ $
Taxes and insurance
$ $
Savings, investments $ $
Irregular expenses
(ex. gifts, license plates, holiday
spending, etc.)
$
$
ANNUAL TOTAL $ $
From Financial Planning for Retirement, NCR-264, Field and Hathaway, Michigan State University CES 5/87.
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Financial Planning for Retirement Workbook • CFS-685-W
Worksheet 5 – Large Future Irregular Expenses
Year
Bought
Average
Expected
Years of
Life
Year to
Replace
Present
Replacement
Price
*Estimated
Price in
Replacement
Year
Vehicles:
Car
Other vehicles
______
______
?
?
_______
_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
Appliances:
Range
Refrigerator
Dishwasher
Washer
Dryer
Freezer
Furnace
Water heater
Other
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
12-13
15
11
11
13-14
20
25-30
12
_____
_____
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
House:
Roof (varies with type)
Fencing
Other
______
______
______
______
______
15-30
20-30
_____
_____
_____
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
Furnishings:
Carpet
Drapes, window treatments
Flooring, hard surface
Furniture
Other
______
______
______
______
______
______
8-15
10
15
will vary
_____
_____
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
$_______
* Calculate by counting the number of years until the replacement year. Then, choose an ination factor from the chart on
page 7 and multiply by the “present replacement price.”
Adapted from Financial Planning for Retirement, NCR-264, Field and Hathaway, Michigan State University CES, 5/87.
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Worksheet 6 – How Much Are You Worth?
Name _____________________________ Date ____________________________
Assets Liabilities
Cash and cash equivalents:
Past due bills for services, rent, etc.
$
Cash on hand $ Credit cards/charge accounts:
Checking account(s) $
$
Savings account(s) $
$
Certicate of deposit (CD) $
$
Savings bonds $
$
Treasury securities $
$
Money market funds/Money
market deposit accounts
$
$
Investment assets: Consumer installment debt:
Stocks $ Automobile $
Bonds $ Other $
Mutual funds $ Real estate debt: $
Real estate: $ Home $
Home $ Other $
Other $ Taxes $
Cash value of life insurance/
annuities
$
Pledges: charities, churches, etc. $
Partnership and business interest $ Other:
Retirement assets: $
IRA/Keogh account $ $
Employee retirement fund $ $
Other $ $
Consumption assets:
Home furnishings/appliances $ Total liabilities $
Sports and hobby equipment $
Antiques, art, collections $
Jewelry, furs, etc. $
Automobiles/vehicles $
Other:
$ TOTAL ASSETS $
$ LESS TOTAL LIABILITIES $
$
Total assets $ NET WORTH $
From Family Financial Planning: Preparing and Using Financial Statements, Morrow, Oregon State University CES, 1992
15
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Financial Planning for Retirement Workbook • CFS-685-W
Social Security is generally based on your lifetime
earnings record (or your spouse’s earnings record) and
your age.
To receive a Social Security retirement check,
you (or your spouse) must have received credit for
a certain amount of earnings under Social Security.
Generally, you must have worked 40 quarters, or
10 years. Special rules apply to the employees of
nonprot organizations, state and local government
employees, and all federal employees hired before
January 1984.
You can begin receiving benets as early as age
62 if you (or your spouse) have covered earnings for
enough years. However, if you elect to take early
retirement, the benet amount you receive will be less
than your full retirement benet. This is a permanent
reduction in the amount of the monthly check you will
get; your benet check will not increase when you
reach full retirement age.
The decision about when to start drawing benets
isn’t the same for everybody, and which option will
provide you with the most benets over your lifetime
depends on how long you live. People can get a rough
estimate of their personal break-even point by using
the Quick Calculator on the Social Security Web site
at www.ssa.gov/
According to the Social Security Administration
Web site: “For most people the total amount of
lifetime benets you receive is about the same if you
begin receiving your retirement benets as early as 62
at a permanently reduced rate, at your full retirement
age without reduction, or as late as age 70 with special
delayed retirement credits added on.”
Sometimes, poor health forces people to retire early.
If you are unable to continue working because of poor
health, consider applying for Social Security disability
benets. The amount of the disability benet is the
same as a full, unreduced retirement benet.
If you were born before 1938, you were eligible
for your full Social Security benets at the age of 65.
However, beginning in the year 2000, the age at which
full benets are paid began to increase in gradual steps
from age 65 to age 67 (see Table 3 below).
You may choose to keep working even beyond your
full retirement age. If you do, you can increase your
future Social Security benets in two ways. Each
additional year you work adds another year of earnings
to your Social Security record. Higher lifetime earnings
may mean higher benets when you retire.
Also, your benet will increase automatically by a
certain percentage from the time you reach your full
retirement age until you start receiving your benets
or until you reach age 70. The percentage varies
depending on your year of birth. For example, if you
were born in 1943 or later, Social Security will add 8
percent per year to your benet for each year that you
delay signing up for Social Security beyond your full
retirement age. (See Table 4, p. 16)
Even if you delay retirement, be sure to sign up for
Medicare at age 65. In some cases, medical insurance
costs more if you delay applying for it.
Table 3. Age to Receive Full Social Security Benets
Year of Birth
Full Retirement
Age
Age 62
Reduction
in Months
Monthly %
Reduction
Total %
Reduction
1937 or earlier 65 36 .555 20.00
1938 65 and 2 months 38 .548 20.83
1939 65 and 4 months 40 .541 21.67
1940 65 and 6 months 42 .535 22.50
1941 65 and 8 months 44 .530 23.33
1942 65 and 10 months 46 .525 24.17
1943-1954 66 48 .520 25.00
1955 66 and 2 months 50 .516 25.84
1956 66 and 4 months 52 .512 26.66
1957 66 and 6 months 54 .509 27.50
1958 66 and 8 months 56 .505 28.33
1959 66 and 10 months 58 .502 29.17
1960 and later 67 60 .500 30.00
Source: www.ssa.gov/retiredchartred.htm
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As a spouse, you can receive benets based on your
working spouse’s benet. Generally, this is one half
of his or her benet at full retirement age. But the
amount of your benet will be reduced if you claim it
before full retirement age. If you are eligible for Social
Security benefits under your own work record, you have
the option of choosing that benet instead.
If you are divorced (even if you have remarried),
you can be eligible for benets on your ex-spouse’s
record if you were married for at least 10 years and
are age 62 or older. You must be unmarried at the
time you apply and not eligible for an equal or higher
benet amount on your own or someone else’s Social
Security record.
To estimate how much your benet might be, ask
your local Social Security ofce or send for a copy
of the free booklet How Your Retirement Benet is
Figured (ask for the booklet that corresponds to your
birth year). This information is also available on the
Internet at www.ssa.gov/pubs/#retirement. Ask your
Social Security ofce for help if you don’t understand
any part of the information.
You should also check the record of your earnings
kept by Social Security to be sure it is accurate. Every
year the Social Security Administration sends “Your
Social Security Statement,” Form SSA-7005-5M-
S1(1-2002), which shows your earnings record and
your potential benets. Compare the statement of
earnings printout sent back to you with the earnings
reported on your W-2 forms for the same years. If you
nd any errors, either in your employer’s reporting or
in the Social Security records, report them at once to
the Social Security Administration and be sure they
are corrected so your benet will be correct when you
retire.
Apply for benets at least three months before you
plan to retire. Take with you your Social Security card
(or a record of your number); your birth certicate;
your marriage certicate (if signing up on a spouse’s
record); your divorce papers if you were married for
10 years or more; and your W-2 forms for the past
two years or tax returns if you are self-employed. Call
ahead and ask your Social Security ofce if you need
to bring other documents. Look under United States
Government in your phone book for your local Social
Security ofce number. It’s a good idea to ask for the
least busy times to come in, so that you will not have
to wait long when you do go.
Laws governing eligibility, as well as how benets
are calculated, have been changed several times in the
past and will undoubtedly be changed again, so you
need to keep track of changes and how they affect
you.
2. Retirement Plans and Other Benets
Retirement plans are important benets provided
by private and public employers, unions, and the
military. If you have rights to a retirement benet,
you are fortunate. Many people work in jobs where
no pensions are provided or they have not worked
long enough in any one job to earn vested rights to a
pension. (“Vesting” refers to the date when you are
entitled to the money you and your employer have
contributed to your account, even if you leave the job
before you retire. If your pension rights are not vested,
you will get back only your own contributions.) Many
women over age 65 do not have survivor’s rights to
their husbands’ pensions, either because their husband
has not chosen a survivor annuity from his employer’s
pension plan, or because divorce or early death of the
husband gave no rights to his widow.
If you do have rights to a pension, what kind is
it? Dened-benet plans use a specic formula to
determine how much you will get, usually based
on your years of service and salary level. Dened-
contribution plans are ones where you and/or your
employer contribute a specic amount to your
account, but the amount of your pension is determined
by the investment performance of the total dollars
contributed.
If you have a retirement plan, you will need to ask
several questions to fully understand your benets.
Some of these questions are:
•How will your pension be calculated?
•How much will your pension be?
•How does your pension plan dene “a year of
service”?
Table 4. Benet Increases
for Delayed Retirement
Year of Birth Yearly Percentage
Increase
1933-1934 5.5%
1935-1936 6.0%
1937-1938 6.5%
1939-1940 7.0%
1941-1942 7.5%
1943 or later 8.0%
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, Washington, D.C.: Retirement Benets.
Retrieved August 2006 from
www.ssa.gov/retire2/delayret.htm
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Financial Planning for Retirement Workbook • CFS-685-W
•Will your pension be integrated with Social
Security? This means a certain percentage of your
Social Security benet will be subtracted from your
pension, thus reducing your pension income.
•What pension payment options will you have?
•Will your pension be a xed number of dollars?
•Will your pension be indexed to ination?
•Are options offered for lump sum payments that
you then invest, or for regular monthly or annual
checks?
•What are the rules for guring the income tax you
will have on your pension income?
•Does your pension plan provide for early retirement
benets if you quit work before age 65?
•Does you pension plan provide disability benets
for fully vested participants?
•At your death, what type of benet will your
beneciary receive — your contributions plus
interest, monthly benet checks, or a lump sum?
•Does your beneciary collect all or part of your
accumulated benets if you die before retirement?
•If you die after you retire, does your beneciary
continue to receive benets? If so, how much and
for how long?
For details about your pension rights and pension
plan, talk to someone in your employer’s benets or
human resources ofce. If you worked at other jobs
long enough to earn a vested pension, inquire there,
too, about what pension income you can expect.
Spouses should talk over this information before
making irrevocable decisions. The 1974 Employee
Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) requires
pension plans to contain an option that pays a
surviving spouse at least half the pension of the
retired married worker; but this usually reduces the
basic worker’s pension in what is called a “joint-
and-survivor annuity.” To protect dependent, non-
employed spouses, ERISA requires the signature of
both the worker and the dependent spouse before
waiving survivor’s pension rights.
When you retire, will you be eligible to continue
other employee benets? Can you continue your
health and life insurance coverage? Can you continue
other job benets, such as employee discounts, prot
sharing and stock purchase plans, union membership,
or dental and vision insurance? Military veterans have
rights to certain benets that they can inquire about
through the Veterans Administration ofce. Find out
exactly what you have rights to and can count on for
income or savings in retirement.
3. Savings and Investments
There are tax-deferred nancial products that you
can invest in to save for retirement. These include
Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs or Roth IRAs),
403(b) plans (if you work for certain nonprots such
as schools, hospitals or churches); 401(k) plans,
deferred compensation, thrift or personal savings
plans, simplied employee pension plans (SEPs), or a
Keogh Plan if you are self-employed.
Will you use all the earnings from these investments
for annual income? Or will you continue to put at
least part of these earnings back into investments and
savings accounts to further build up your capital?
Consider changes you might make in your current
savings/investment plan to yield more income for
retirement, if needed. Can you save more out of
current income? Can you shift your funds to higher
yielding or better growth investments? Consider
safety of the principal, liquidity and exibility, and
the investment’s ability to keep ahead of ination; and
don’t “put all your eggs in one basket.”
4. Earnings
If you haven’t reached your full retirement age
when you apply for benets, and you are still working,
you will lose $1 in benets for every $2 in income
you earn over $14,160 (in 2009) until you reach full
retirement age. The amount goes up every year. Check
with your Social Security ofce for the amount you
are allowed to earn without a penalty in the years after
2009. Once you reach your full retirement age, there
is no limit on the amount of money you may earn
and still receive your full Social Security retirement
benet.
Consider additional expenses you might have if you
go back to work, such as the costs of special clothing,
transportation to and from the job, meals out, union
fees or dues, and income and Social Security taxes.
Balance your net income against the psychological
benets of working before deciding whether or not to
work and how much to work after you retire.
5. Assets That Could Be Liquidated
Do you have assets that you could turn into extra
income if you needed it? Could you sell an asset
and invest the proceeds to yield regular interest or
dividend income?
Home equity is the most important asset for many
elderly people. Seventy-ve percent of households
18
Financial Planning for Retirement Workbook • CFS-685-W
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headed by elderly persons are owner-occupied, and
of these, 80 percent own their homes free and clear.
Many homeowners could benet from converting
some or all of their home equity into income. There
are reverse mortgages, sale/leaseback arrangements,
and other methods for tapping into home equity while
continuing to live in the home. Look at your net worth
statement. Assets such as coin or stamp collections,
china, silver, and crystal could be converted into
cash that can then be invested to create additional
retirement income.
Total Income
On Worksheet 7, “Estimated Annual Income After
Retirement” (page 19), enter all the sources of income
you can count on, and add up the amounts. This will
give you an estimate of your total gross income.
You may have to pay income tax on at least part of
that income, and Social Security taxes as well. In
the bottom section of Worksheet 7, enter your best
estimate of the amounts of income and Social Security
taxes you might owe under present tax law. Subtract
these estimates from your gross income to get an
estimate of the net annual income you can expect in
retirement. Major changes in the tax law were made in
1997 and 2001. Expect future changes in tax law that
will change your tax liability estimates.
Where to Go for Information
Social Security: Get information and an estimate
of your future Social Security income from your
local Social Security ofce. If you have access to the
Internet, the address is www.ssa.gov/
Pension: Get information from your employer’s
benets or human resources ofce. If you earned
vested rights to a pension from an earlier job, check
with that benet ofce, also.
Savings and investments: There are a number of
nancially oriented newspapers, magazines, books,
and Internet sites that will give you information. You
also can consult your nancial advisor or nancial
institution.
Earnings: Check what income you might earn in a
job after you retire.
Assets: Talk to an appropriate appraiser and/or
nancial advisor on what income might be obtained
from liquidating assets and reinvesting the proceeds.
Balancing Income with Expenses
Compare the total net income you estimated you
would have when you retire (see Worksheet 7,
“Estimated Annual Income After Retirement”) with
the total expenses you estimated you would have the
year you retire (column one on Worksheet 4). Will you
have enough income to cover all your expenses? You
may be fortunate to have more than enough income to
take that big trip or tackle that desired special project.
Or, your income may not even cover your basic
estimated expenses. If that is the case, start planning
now how to either increase your retirement income or
cut your expenses, or both.
And take ination into account! Look at the third
column on
Worksheet 4, your estimated expenses
10 years into retirement, and the rate of ination
you selected. Will your income at that time be
enough to cover your expenses? Use W
orksheet 8,
“Estimated Annual Income 10 Years After Retire-
ment” (page 20) to identify your expected sources of
income then, and consider how each source might be
affected by ination. How much will your income
grow with ination? Your Social Security payments
are currently indexed to ination. But is your pension?
Will your savings/investment plans provide income
that keeps up with ination, grows faster, or falls
behind?
Increasing Income
The farther away retirement is, the more opportunity
you have to increase your retirement income. But
you need to start now. Your Social Security pension
formulas are xed. But your employer may provide
options for you to make additional contributions to
your pension plan. Or your job may allow you to
purchase a Supplement Retirement Annuity (SRA)
with before-tax dollars, or make contributions to a
401(k) plan.
Do you already have a traditional Individual
Retirement Account (IRA) or Roth IRA? Have you
contributed the maximum allowable amount each
year? Is it earning and growing fast enough? Should
you transfer it to another nancial institution, or open
this year’s IRA somewhere else? Is a Roth IRA, which
allows you to accumulate all earnings tax-free, more
compatible with your savings goals?
It has always been a good idea to save for retirement
by utilizing tax-advantaged investment vehicles such
as the traditional IRA or Roth IRA, or an employer-
sponsored plan such as a 401(k) or 403(b). It is hard
to match the benets that come with tax-deferred
investing, multiplied over time by compounding
interest.
19
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Financial Planning for Retirement Workbook • CFS-685-W
Worksheet 7 – Estimated Annual Income After Retirement
Enter all the sources of income you can count on and add up the amounts. Add up the estimates of
income taxes you may have to pay and subtract them from your gross income to get an estimate of
the net annual income you can expect in retirement.
Yearly Income
1. Social Security:
Man’s at age____ ____________________________
Woman’s at age ____ ____________________________
2. Pensions and Employer Benets:
Company ____________________________
State or federal government ____________________________
Veteran’s ____________________________
Union or other ____________________________
Prot sharing ____________________________
Deferred pay ____________________________
Other ____________________________
3. Savings and Investments:
IRA/Roth IRA ____________________________
Keogh or SEP ____________________________
Savings account (interest) ____________________________
Money market (interest) ____________________________
Treasury securities (interest) ____________________________
Mutual funds (dividends, capital gains) ____________________________
Stocks (dividends) ____________________________
Bonds (dividends) ____________________________
Real estate ____________________________
Farm/business rent or installment payments ____________________________
Home equity conversion ____________________________
Annuities ____________________________
Other ____________________________
4. Earnings:
Salary, wages ____________________________
Commissions, royalties, fees ____________________________
Partnership income ____________________________
5. Income from Assets That Could Be Liquidated
Real estate ____________________________
Mutual funds ____________________________
Stocks ____________________________
Bonds ____________________________
Antiques, collectibles ____________________________
Farm/business ____________________________
Anticipated gifts or inheritance ____________________________
ESTIMATED TOTAL GROSS INCOME ____________________________
6. Possible Deductions from Income
Federal income tax ____________________________
State/county tax ____________________________
Social Security tax ____________________________
ESTIMATED TOTAL DEDUCTIONS ____________________________
(Subtract total tax deductions from total gross income to estimate your total net income.)
TOTAL ESTIMATED NET INCOME ____________________________
Adapted from Financial Planning for Retirement, NCR-264, Field and Hathaway, Michigan State University CES, 5/87.
20
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Worksheet 8 – Estimated Annual Income 10 Years After Retirement
Look 10 years into retirement and see how your estimated income will keep up with ination. In the rst
column, copy your gures from Worksheet 7, “Estimated Annual Income After Retirement.” Then, for each
source of income, estimate how it will grow over the next 10 years. Some sources, like a pension or xed
annuity, will not change. For those sources that could change, use the same ination rate from the table on
page 7 that was used for completing Worksheet 4. Compare your estimated income 10 years after retirement
with your estimated expenses 10 years after retirement.
Ination Rate = ______% (same as on Worksheet 4)
Yearly Income at
Retirement
Ination
Factor
Yearly Income
10 Years After
Retirement
1. Social Security:
Man’s at age ______ _____________ ________ _______________
Woman’s at age ______ _____________ ________ _______________
2. Pensions and Employer Benets:
Company _____________ ________ _______________
State or federal government _____________ ________ _______________
Veteran’s _____________ ________ _______________
Union or other _____________ ________ _______________
Prot sharing _____________ ________ _______________
Deferred pay _____________ ________ _______________
Other _____________ ________ _______________
3. Savings and Investments:
IRA/Roth IRA _____________ ________ _______________
Keogh or SEP _____________ ________ _______________
Savings account (interest) _____________ ________ _______________
Money market (interest) _____________ ________ _______________
Treasury securities (interest) _____________ ________ _______________
Mutual funds (dividends, capital gains)
Stocks (dividends) _____________ ________ _______________
Bonds (dividends) _____________ ________ _______________
Real estate _____________ ________ _______________
Farm/business rent or installment payments _____________ ________ _______________
Home equity conversion _____________ ________ _______________
Annuities _____________ ________ _______________
Other _____________ ________ _______________
4. Earnings:
Salary, wages _____________ ________ _______________
Commissions, royalties, fees _____________ ________ _______________
Partnership income _____________ ________ _______________
Continued on next page
21
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Financial Planning for Retirement Workbook • CFS-685-W
The 2001 tax act dramatically increased the
contribution limits for Americans investing for
retirement. The law gradually raises the maximum
annual IRA contribution limits for both traditional
and Roth IRAs. The 2001 tax act also dramatically
increased the “catch-up” amounts that older workers
can contribute to their IRAs. In 2009, the contribution
limit is $5,000 for each individual and $1,000
additional if you are over 50. After 2009, contribution
limits will be adjusted for ination.
IRAs are not the only retirement savings vehicles
to benet from increased contribution limits
Contributions to a 401(k) plan are limited to $16,500
in 2009. The tax act also allows individuals age
50 and over to make additional “catch up” annual
contributions of $5,500 to 401(k) plans and 403(b)
and 457(b) plans in 2009.
The IRS has also instituted a uniform distribution
table for IRA withdrawals (traditional and Roth).
5. Income from Assets That Could Be Liquidated
Real estate _____________ ________ _______________
Mutual funds _____________ ________ _______________
Stocks _____________ ________ _______________
Bonds _____________ ________ _______________
Antiques, collectibles _____________ ________ _______________
Farm/business _____________ ________ _______________
Anticipated gifts or inheritance _____________ ________ _______________
ESTIMATED TOTAL GROSS INCOME
_____________ ________ _______________
6. Possible Deductions from Income
Federal income tax _____________ ________ _______________
State/county tax _____________ ________ _______________
Social Security tax _____________ ________ _______________
ESTIMATED TOTAL DEDUCTIONS _____________ ________ _______________
(Subtract total tax deductions from total gross income to estimate your total net income.)
TOTAL ESTIMATED NET INCOME _____________ ________ _______________
Compare estimated income 10 years after retirement $ _______________
to estimated expenses 10 years after retirement (Worksheet 4) (calculated
at ination rate ______% with ination factor of ______). $ _______________
Will you have a positive balance of $ ________ extra income?
OR
A negative balance of $ ________ less income than expenses?
Adapted from Financial Planning for Retirement, NCR-264, Field and Hathaway, Michigan State University CES, 5/87.
Worksheet 8 – continued from previous page
This table is used unless the beneciary of your IRA
is your spouse who is more than 10 years younger
than you. In that case, you would use the actual joint
life expectancy of you and your spouse based on a
different life expectancy table.
Recent changes in the laws governing retirement
plans provide opportunities to more efciently save
and manage your retirement funds. You may want to
check with your nancial advisers to see how these
changes affect you.
Are your other savings/investments doing as well
as they might? Could you earn more by making a
change? Check with the people who are handling your
savings and investments to see if there are any better
alternatives. Are you setting aside enough for saving/
investment now to assure a comfortable retirement?
That may mean cutting down on current spending
so you can invest the difference toward a happier
retirement.
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employer or union. Your premium for Part B is $96.40
per month in 2009.
Medicare was never intended to cover everything.
It does not pay anything toward certain items, such as
routine dental care, long-term care, such as custodial
care in a nursing home, routine eye care and most
eyeglasses and hearing aids. See a complete list of
noncovered items in the Medicare and You workbook
available from your local Social Security ofce.
You pay a deductible before Medicare coverage
takes over; and you must co-pay a certain part of
charges above that deductible. The amounts have been
adjusted frequently, so be sure to check with your
Social Security ofce to be sure you have the most
recent gures.
Even after you are enrolled in Medicare, it will be
important to buy a supplementary health insurance
policy, sometimes called “Medigap” insurance.
These policies pay some or all of your Medicare co-
payments and deductibles, and include benets for
services that Medicare doesn’t cover at all. Since
1992, insurers in most states are limited to selling 10
standardized Medigap policies (labeled “A” through
“J”), which provide varying levels of benets.
However, the price of premiums for the same policy
can vary widely depending on the insurer. Shop
carefully, comparing rates from at least three insurers.
“H,” “I,” and “J” plans all include coverage for
prescription drugs, so you would need to drop the
drug benet from your policy before enrolling in
Medicare Plan D (see below). For assistance in
comparing Medigap policies, call your local Agency
on Aging or your state insurance department to nd
the nearest senior health insurance counseling service.
In 2006, Medicare started providing insurance
for prescription drugs (Part D) for everyone with
Medicare. Prescription drug coverage is available
from insurance companies and other private
companies approved by Medicare. Plans vary in costs
and drugs covered. Generally, plans charge a monthly
premium, have a yearly deductible, copayments or
coinsurance, and a coverage gap. If you don’t join a
Medicare drug plan when you are rst eligible and
you don’t have other creditable prescription drug
coverage as dened by Medicare, you will pay a late
enrollment penalty if you choose to enroll later. You
may switch Part D providers every year. A list of the
plans that are eligible to provide coverage in your
state is available at www.medicare.gov.
If you’re hoping to start a new job in retirement for
more income, what ideas do you have for this now?
What can you do now to prepare for this new job, or
nd it? If you’ve built up net worth in such assets as
real estate or antiques that you hope to sell later, start
thinking how you could most protably turn them into
income.
Reducing Expenses
You may feel you’ve estimated your retirement
budget realistically, but if you don’t have enough
income, you’ll have to cut down. What could you
do now to prune future expenses? While you’re still
working, could you pay for needed maintenance on
your house to get it into better shape? Build up a
bigger fund to cover replacement of home appliances,
your car, or other big items? Examine insurance to be
sure you are buying only what you will need? What
skills can you learn that will enable you to do some
of your own home or car repairs or other jobs around
the house? Check Cooperative Extension Service
bulletins and other sources for ways to cut the costs of
food, energy, etc.
If you’re carrying a large debt load now, reduce it
before retirement. Credit is a handy tool, but it can
cost money that you may not be able to afford once
you retire.
Medicare and Other Health
Insurance
Medicare is a federal health insurance program for
people 65 and older (and some disabled persons).
Medicare has three parts: Part A is hospital insurance,
which someone eligible for benets can get without
charge at age 65; Part B helps cover your doctor’s
services and outpatient care, which eligible persons
can get at age 65, but there is a monthly premium for
it; and Part D, which is the prescription drug coverage.
Health care costs may be a big budget item for
some older persons, so know when you are eligible
for Medicare and the coverage it gives you. Get basic
booklets on Medicare including Medicare and You
from your local Social Security ofce or call toll-
free 1-800-633-4227. Check the Medicare Web site
for information (www.medicare.gov). Ask questions
about anything you don’t understand.
Apply for Medicare at least three months before you
turn 65 to be sure you get enrolled in time. Apply even
if you plan to keep working after age 65. If you wait
before applying, your premiums for Part B generally
will be higher unless you are covered by your
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Financial Planning for Retirement Workbook • CFS-685-W
If you retire early, you cannot get Medicare benets
before you reach 65 unless you are disabled. Before
you plan retirement, see if your employer’s group
health insurance coverage can be continued to cover
you and your spouse until age 65, even if you have
to pay for coverage. An important issue if you retire
before 65 is to determine if you can afford to pay for
your portion of group coverage or for private coverage
health insurance. If you are not allowed to continue
your group coverage, see if it can be converted to a
private policy that you can carry until you are covered
by Medicare. Otherwise, you will need to shop around
for private health insurance.
Never drop your private or employer’s group health
care insurance until you know you have Medicare
coverage in place.
Housing Expenses
If you own your house, your net worth statement
may show that the house is the most valuable asset
you have. Over the years, your house has likely
appreciated in value, you have made improvements,
and your equity has increased as you paid off the
mortgage.
Do you want to stay in the same house after you
retire? Move to another home in your community
(possibly one smaller, easier and cheaper to maintain)?
Or do you plan to move to another community? If you
want to move, investigate carefully the pros and cons
of all options. Be sure to consider the nancial aspects
as well as personal preferences. If you plan to stay in
your same house, review Worksheet 5, “Large Future
Irregular Expenses,” and plan for large replacement
and repair expenses that may come up in retirement.
Also look at ways you can make your house and yard
easier to maintain, and your house more efcient to
heat and cool.
Looking Ahead
If you nd that you have xed assets that don’t
change with ination, or that you don’t have enough
savings and other assets that could yield income, now
is the time to make changes in your retirement plans.
It’s never too soon to start planning and saving for
retirement, because time will work for you. It’s never
too late to make some changes, but the longer you
wait, the fewer options you may have. Can you delay
retirement? Can you increase income now for a higher
pension and/or more savings? Can you spend less
now and save more? Can you change your savings
and investments to more productive ones that would
yield more income after retirement? Can you prepare
for new work after retirement? Begin planning now
how you want to live in retirement and how to provide
enough income and other resources to do it!
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Worksheet 9 – Monthly Cost of Living Worksheet
Shelter Medical and Health
Rent or mortgage payments
Real estate taxes
Home insurance
$__________
$__________
$__________
Medications
Physician, dentist, hospital
Eyeglasses, hearing aids
Health insurance
$_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
Household Operation and
Maintenance
Recreation, Education, and
Other
Home repair, yard care
Water
Telephone, TV dish/cable
Waste disposal
Cleaning and laundry supplies
Electric
Gas, fuel oil
Furniture, xtures
Garden, yard equipment, supplies
Other
$__________
$__________
$__________
$__________
$__________
$__________
$__________
$__________
$__________
$__________
Books, newspapers, magazines
Club memberships, dues
Movies, sports events, concerts
Sport and hobby equipment,
supplies
Vacations, celebrations,
weekend trips
Adult continuing education
Pets: care, food, license
Other
$_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
Food, Beverages Contributions
Food at home
Food away from home
Entertaining expenses
$__________
$__________
$__________
Church
Charities
Gifts
$_________
$_________
$_________
Automobile and Transportation Taxes and Insurance
Car payment
Repairs
Gasoline and oil
License, registration
Insurance
Other transportation
$__________
$__________
$__________
$__________
$__________
$__________
U.S. taxes
State taxes
Local taxes
Life insurance
Property insurance (not
homeowners)
$_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
Clothing Savings, Investments
New clothing
Laundry not done at home
Dry cleaning
Shoe repair
$__________
$__________
$__________
$__________
Banks, savings and loan, credit
union
Company pension, prot-sharing
plan
Stocks, bonds, real estate
Retirement: Keogh, IRA
$_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
Personal Irregular Expenses
Cosmetics and toiletries
Barber and beauty shops
Smoking supplies, alcohol
Stationery, postage
$__________
$__________
$__________
$__________
$_________
$_________
$_________
$_________
TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES
$_________
Adapted from Ready, Set, Retire: Financial Planning, PM-1167a. Danes, Dippold, Schuchardt, Iowa State University CES, 11/85 (based on
information from the original Financial Planning for Retirement, NCR-264 by Anne Field and Irene Hathaway.
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Financial Planning for Retirement Workbook • CFS-685-W
References
Danes, S., Retirement Income Sources and Projecting
Retirement Expenses, Minnesota Extension Service,
1990.
Ellis, J., Guide to a Secure Retirement, Time Inc.
Magazine Group, 1994.
Field, A., and Hathaway, I. Financial Planning for
Retirement, North Central Regional Extension
Publication No. 264, May 1987.
Hogarth, J., Planning a Retirement Budget and
Planning for Retirement Income. Department
of Consumer Economics and Housing, Cornell
University, July 1984 and May 1985.
Lawroski, M.A., Your Income Sources After
Retirement, University of Idaho Cooperative
Extension System, April 1994.
Maddux, E.M., Retirement Planning, The University
of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service, May
1996.
Medicare and You:2009. Retrieved from www.
medicare.gov, 8/5/09
Retirement Benets. SSA Publication 05-10035,
October 2008. Retrieved from www.ssa.gov/
pubs/10035.html#part1, 8/5/09.
Morrow, A.M., Family Financial Planning: Preparing
and Using Financial Statements, Oregon State
University Extension Service, September 1992.
Retirement Planning: Saving for Your Golden Years.
FDIC Consumer News, Public Information Center,
801 17th Street, NW, Room 100, Washington, DC
20434.
Robinson, J., Werner, P., and Godbey, G. “Freeing
Up the Golden Years,” American Demographics,
October 1997.
Roha, R.R., “Medigap: One Size Doesn’t Fit All,”
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine, January
1998.
Tengel, P.M., Retirement Planning: Managing
Expenditures, University of Maryland Cooperative
Extension Service, 1991-92.
Waddell, F., $aving for Retirement and Financial
Emergencies, Alabama Cooperative Extension
System, April 1996.
What You Should Know About Social Security
in Retirement. Social Security Administration,
September 1997.
For more information, there are many books and
other materials covering various aspects of retirement
planning, including nancial planning. One good
source of useful books and booklets is the American
Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Anyone age
50 or over can join this organization; non-members
may buy their materials, but members get discounted
prices. The national headquarters is at 601 E Street,
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20049. The URL for their
home page is www.aarp.org.
Credits
Financial Planning for Retirement was developed by:
Irene Hathaway, Michigan State University, and
distributed as North Central Regional Extension
publication 264.
It was revised and updated by Barbara R. Rowe and
Janet C. Bechman, Cooperative Extension specialists
at Utah State University and Purdue University.
Special thanks go to reviewers Alice M. Morrow,
Oregon State University, Esther M. Maddux,
University of Georgia, Margaret P. Titus, Purdue
University, and Chris Halter of Worley, Halter
Ferguson, Inc., Indianapolis, Ind.
Purdue Agriculture
REVISED 8/09
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