Winter is a great time of year to review your retirement account. For one thing, it’s tax season. So you’re already thinking about money. Plus, life is generally less hectic in winter. Before the pace picks up, spend some quality time with your 401(k).
Grab your latest statement and check your balance. Are you saving enough? You can do a quick check by estimating how much income you think you’ll need for a year of retirement. Then, subtract amounts you anticipate receiving from other sources (Social Security, payments from a pension plan, etc.). That will give you a rough estimate of the savings you’ll need to cover one year of retirement. To project the total savings you’ll need, you’ll have to consider the number of years you expect retirement to last, inflation, and other factors. Another simple way to determine if you are saving enough is to use the “Track Retirement” tool on your dashboard when you log in to your account at www.julyservices.com.Â
If there’s been a major life change (birth, death, marriage, divorce, etc.) since your last checkup, you may need to change your asset allocation – the percentages of your portfolio that are invested in the different asset types. Your asset allocation should always fit your risk tolerance and investing time frame. Even if your targeted asset allocation is the same, investment performance can change your portfolio’s actual allocation over time. When that happens, you may be exposed to more or less risk than you intended. If the percentages in your account have drifted, it might be time to rebalance.
If you have more than one retirement account – a 401(k) from a past employer or one or more individual retirement accounts (IRAs) – think about consolidating. Managing your retirement assets might be simpler if they’re all in one account. If you wish to rollover balances to your 401(k) account with JULY, contact Participant Services at 1-888-333-5859, ext. 7417, or via email: psateam@julyservices.com to request a Rollover Contribution Packet.
