How to Handle Retirement Investments Smartly

Mr Kumar had been a very successful advertising executive. He earned well, took care of his family and had a comfortable life. But after his retirement he realised he hadn't accounted for the inflation while saving in his retirement plans. His retirement funds soon depleted and he and his elderly wife were literally left without any money. They were then forced to move in with their son, something they never intended to do.

To avoid being in a situation similar to Mr Kumar's, you must handle your retirement investments smartly. Take a look at this article to know what your options are.

Making a budget

Before you look at the retirement plan investments, it is very important for you to make a budget for your retirement. Take all the factors such as your lifestyle expenses, your monthly financial liabilities (paying rent, paying for the education costs of a minor child, etc), and your medical expenses into account. And don't forget to take the inflation into consideration too. Calculating the figures will give you a rough idea about the kind of investments you need to make for your retirement.

Retirement plans

There is a special kind of life insurance that helps you handle your retirement investments smartly. The retirement plans are tailor made for your retirement days. These plans help you invest over a period of time while you still work and then pay you out when your regular income stops. Let us take a detailed look at the retirement plans.

Understanding a retirement plan

Retirement plans have two variants-immediate annuity plans and deferred annuity plans. The deferred annuity plans allow you to invest for a long time. You can take a deferred annuity plan in your 30s or 40s and start investing. The money that accumulates gets locked in a retirement fund. The plan matures when you retire. You then have the option of getting the entire maturity benefit in one go or you can have it broken up in instalments. The latter would provide you with a steady income after your monthly salary stops.

The immediate annuity plans allow you to lock in a large sum of money (your retirement benefit, savings, etc) into a retirement fund. The plans will then make monthly payments to you and provide you with a continued income even after your retirement.

Both these types of retirement plans are very useful and you must start investing at the earliest. These are also life insurance plans that offer a death benefit to your nominee if you die within the policy period.

Conclusion

There is no alternative to saving for your retirement. After working and staying independent your entire working life, you surely would not like to depend on your relatives or children during your retirement days. So make some smart investments in retirement plans and ensure you have a secured financial future ahead of you. Explore the various retirement investment options. Buy a good retirement plan and make some other investments too. The right savings done today can smooth out your retired life considerably tomorrow.