Want to know how to retire on a $500,000 nest egg? There are many ways to help grow your account to this amount and beyond to set you up for retirement. Some ways include money management methods while others involve investing part of your nest egg into accounts that can help you generate passive income during your retirement years. This helps you secure a steady stream of income, taking the stress out of meticulously planning every cent so you can get back to just enjoying your retirement years.
Set Up a Retirement Budget
Budgeting is just as important during your retirement as it is beforehand. If anything, it’s more important as you have an established income every month. Some things to consider when establishing your budget include:
- Recurring expenses like mortgage payments, taxes, car payments, and rent.
- Health care, dental care, and vision insurance premiums.
- Living expenses like groceries, gas, and utility payments.
Establishing a budget before hitting retirement can help you adjust your lifestyle if needed. This can also help you direct your focus on getting those expenses down by doing things such as paying off a car loan, refinancing your mortgage, or researching different health care options to help keep your recurring expenses low.
Understand the 4% Rule
Many finance professionals recommend implementing the 4% rule as you enter retirement. So, what is it? It simply means that once you’re retired, you can expect to withdraw 4% or less of your retirement assets each year. Implementing this rule means adjusting for inflation each year to have enough money for your living expenses.
Using this rule in relation to your retirement assets will, in theory, allow you to have enough funds to cover your living expenses for the next 30 years. This number can vary based on additional income you may have during retirement, such as Social Security or disability payments. For example, say you have a $500,000 nest egg. For your first year of retirement, 4% of that nest egg is $20,000. This means you may have $20,000 to allocate toward your living expenses for that year.
Invest in Dividend Stocks
Dividend stocks can help you grow your nest egg passively. When companies consistently distribute profits to their shareholders year after year, these become known as dividend stocks. Companies that offer these types of stocks are usually larger companies that have a strong foothold in their respective industry and have had that foothold for numerous years. There are two types of dividend stocks, which include:
- Dividend growth stocks: These stocks have a larger growth potential in future years.
- High dividend stocks: This type of stock may or may not have a large growth potential in the future because they’re paying a high dividend rate to shareholders currently.
There are many benefits to investing in dividend stocks. Their relatively lower risk, reinvestment potential, and stability in volatile markets all make them great for generating passive income in your retirement years.
Buy Real Estate
Real estate offers another way to generate passive income during your retirement years and can help your nest egg stretch further. Investing in properties when housing prices are low can let you reap the rewards when market values are high. Whether you opt to become a landlord or want to invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs), you can generate a hefty passive income by investing in the right properties.
Purchase a Fixed Annuity
With investments, there is always a risk they will be affected by market volatility. Purchasing a fixed annuity, also known as a multi-year guaranteed annuity (MYGA), offers a guaranteed return for your retirement nest egg. This type of annuity is similar in nature to a Certificate of Deposit (CD) but is backed by an insurance company versus a banking institution. So what is the benefit of purchasing a fixed annuity versus a CD? Here are some benefits of going this route to grow your retirement savings:
- Ability to invest for longer terms.
- Taxes are deferred until money is withdrawn versus being taxed annually.
- Portions of the account balance can be withdrawn annually.
- Assets transfer directly to beneficiaries without having to go through a probate period.
Effectively planning for your retirement and knowing how to manage your $500,000 nest egg can help you have a reliable income every year so you can get the most out of your retirement. Investing wisely, creating a comprehensive budget, and purchasing a fixed annuity are all ways you can take your savings to the next level, giving you the financial freedom to relax and enjoy your work-free years.