Retirement: Four Tips for Getting Your Finances in Order

Getting your finances in order before you retire is a great idea for anyone who is either planning their retirement, or who has suddenly found themselves in a position where they are being forced to retire. Financing for your later years doesn't have to be scary. If you are looking for a way to get your money in order before you stop working, try these four tips.

Rid Yourself of Debt

The best way to make sure that you don't outlive your money, is to cut your expenses down as much as possible. Make plans to use your retirement funds to pay off any existing debts that you have. If you don't have enough in savings to cover your debts and your income will not give enough coverage, you might want to consider filing for bankruptcy. According to a chapter 7 attorney in St Louis, getting rid of any debt is the best thing you can do to avoid bankruptcy.

Know the Facts

Figure out what your income will be. There are many people who do not know how much they can expect from their pension, their retirement fund, or Social Security. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to find this information. Several months before you retire, gather together any documentation you have about your retirement accounts, and contact each fund manager. Also start the application process for Social Security. This usually won't take long and can help you on your way to budgeting and planning for the future.

Future Planning

Decide what you want to do in your retirement. Believe it or not, very few people actually have a plan of how they will spend their retirement. Think about your day to day life, and how you want to spend it, not just a once-a-year trip you'll take. Look into volunteer opportunities, hobbies, and maybe even part-time work. This is the chance to try something new, or something you always wished you could do. Once you know what everyday life will entail, you can plan a more precise budget.

Make Cuts Where Possible

After figuring out what your income and expenses will be, it's time to make a spending plan. If you have more income than expenses each month, come up with a plan to save the money and/or carefully plan major purchases. Be sure to include every payment you might be making, and even unforeseen events like hospital visits or house repairs. If your expenses are greater than your income, however, it's probably time to make some hard decisions about where you can make cuts, or start looking for part-time work. Perhaps it is feasible for you to sell some assets or old valuables to make sure you have enough money.


With these simple tips, panning for financing your retirement won't be a daunting task. The key is organizing and making a plan that will be easy for you to follow. Retirement is a chance to enjoy the fruits of your labor, so start by preparing now to have the time of your life.