The District Chronicles

Issue date: 9/6/09 Section: Business

A simple plan makes comfort in retirement a cinch; so if you haven't started one, now is the time.

(ARA) - If you are one of America's 78.2 million baby boomers, you are likely considering what ideal retirement will look like, and the steps required to achieve it. With the current economic downturn, many boomers are finding it necessary to revisit their initial retirement goals.

According to the Social Security Administration, today's retirees count on corporate pensions and Social Security for 56 percent of their retirement income. With a few minor adjustments, some careful planning and a positive attitude, the other 44 percent is attainable.

"It's never too late to start planning for retirement and it's crucial that life insurance is considered as the foundation of your plan," said Vikki Pryor, president and CEO at SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc. "Determine your needs by deciding how much money surviving family or loved ones will need to maintain their standard of living if you are no longer around to protect them. Women need to pay particular attention to their retirement planning options." To learn more about the educational tools and insurance products designed with baby boomers in mind visit www.sbliusa.com.

Consider the following ABC's of retirement planning:

Assess your financial plan and budget.

1. Begin to assess your basic retirement income sources such as a 401(k) plan, IRA, and life insurance plans.

2. Determine how much you need to retire by creating a budget that will enable you to pay your monthly expenses such as food, heat, rent and transportation. Consider expenses that may increase such as health insurance and prescription medicines. At the same time, consider those that may decrease, such as work-related and educational spending.

3. It's important to have an adequate healthcare plan both before and after retirement. After age 65 you are eligible for Medicare coverage. But what if you want to retire before then? Your employer may offer a plan for retiring employees, or you may have to look into private coverage, so be sure to consider this.

4. Take into account variable expenses such as tax liabilities on your home, illness or the care of elderly parents. Other, often underestimated, variables include gifts, clothing, recreational expenses, and increases in costs of living. For valuable retirement planning resources and projected trends in costs of living visit www.usa.gov.

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