We all want to be comfortable in retirement and so it’s important to plan for the future, and the earlier we do this the better is something that you will all have heard many times. But no matter what stage you’re at in your career it’s a good idea to check how you are saving for retirement and to consider if the way you are doing it is the best way to maximize efficiency.
Pension
Although the pension for many is the default option for retirement saving, it’s common to not fully understand what it is. A pension is just another form of saving money that’s linked to a series of investments to maximize returns over the long-term. As it’s an investment though it’s important to know that money invested in it can under-perform and even decrease in value if it is not properly managed. So it is a good idea to keep an eye on how it is doing and, if necessary, change providers.
Savings
Although a pension is a savings vehicle, you should probably still have some of your assets nested in a regular savings account. There are many reasons for this but in essence, it is good to have some of your money available at shorter notice as getting money out of a pension or other investment can take time and often costs in penalties are involved.
Property
Investing in property is rarely a bad idea, as it’s known that over the long-term the value is always going to rise. It’s easy comparing buy to let rates to see how much it would cost to buy a house or apartment to lease out and this can show you how much you can charge in rent and if this is realistic to make a profit. Even if you’re not making an immediate profit you will still be left with a valuable asset that brings in money regularly.
Investments
Buying stocks and shares is a classic way of investing money and is a venture that is as risky as you like by investing in high-risk start-up entrepreneurial ventures that could be the next big thing. But investing can also be a relatively safe bet, if you take out government bonds, for example, the returns are not nearly as spectacular as the new-start businesses that take off but have a good and long history of providing a reliable return.
Businesses
We mentioned investing in start-up ventures that are innovative and exciting. But what about starting your own company and building it up? This is a thing you have all the control as any other investment relies on the actions of others and you can end up with nothing in return through no fault of your own. Not only will a business provide your income over the years it can become a saleable asset that further boosts your retirement pot when the time comes. If you do take this approach be sure to not solely rely on the business to provide all your retirement funding, look at the other options above as well.
