Jul 26, 2023
Five Strategies To Boost Your Retirement Savings
Lori Gann Morris, CIMA®, AIF®, CeFT®, Co-Founder / Managing Partner
Whether your retirement date is fast approaching or you still have a few years to go, it’s important to take steps to boost your nest egg so you’re better prepared to meet your goals. Consider the following five strategies for maximizing your savings potential.
1. Maximize tax-advantaged contributions
Get the most out of your savings by maximizing tax-deferred contributions to your IRAs and 401(k) plans. In 2023, you and your employer can contribute up to a total of $66,000 to your traditional 401(k).1 If you don’t have a 401(k) or want to save more, you can contribute $6,500 to an IRA.
2. Take advantage of catch-up contributions
If you are over age 50, you can exceed the standard annual contribution limits of your IRA and 401(k) accounts. This allows investors close to retirement to supercharge their savings, putting away more tax-deferred funds for the future. In 2023, you can use catch-up contributions to put away an additional $1,000 in your IRA and an additional $7,500 in your 401(k).
3. Explore your HSA investment options
If you have a high-deductible insurance plan you can use an HSA to set aside pre-tax funds to spend tax-free on deductibles, co-pays, and other qualified medical expenses either now or in the future. If you’re single, you can deposit up to $3,850 each year into your HSA, and up to $7,750 for family coverage for your spouse and/or children.
HSA account holders can invest the funds in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or ETFs, but only a small fraction take advantage of this option. According to a study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, only 9% of HSA account holders currently invest their funds—everyone else is keeping their HSAs in cash.
Investing allows your HSA funds to potentially grow over time. That can provide extra funds for health care costs now, and, after age 65, you can make taxable withdrawals from your HSA for any reason without penalty. Explore your HSA investment options with your financial advisor to maximize the potential of your HSA funds after you’re no longer working.
4. Consider a Roth conversion
You may be able to roll over funds from your traditional 401(k) account to a Roth IRA to provide a bucket of tax-free income you can draw from when you retire. Contributions to 401(k)s are made pre-tax, so when you roll the funds over to a Roth, you’ll have to pay taxes on them. From there, they can grow tax-free, and you won’t pay taxes on them when you make withdrawals.
This maneuver can be tricky. In part, that’s because Roth IRA contributions are limited by how much you make. You can only contribute the maximum if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is less than $138,000 ($218,000 if you’re married filing jointly). Beyond this income threshold, your contribution limit is decreased until it phases out entirely at $153,000 for single filers, or $228,000 for joint filers.
5. Assess your annuity options
If you still have retirement money to invest after you’ve maximized your 401(k) and IRA options, an annuity may be suitable. An annuity is an insurance product that you can purchase with a lump sum of cash or a series of payments. Depending on the specific annuity, you may be able to access market upside while also guaranteeing a level of income in retirement.
You have a range of options for maximizing your savings and retirement income. We realize everyone’s situation is unique, so if you have any questions or concerns about your situation, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Let’s make sure your money will serve you well in retirement.
Disclosures
Securities offered through Calton & Associates, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through of Waterloo Capital LP d/b/a AMG Wealth Advisors, an SEC-registered investment advisor. Calton and Waterloo Capital, LP are separate unrelated entities. For more information about Waterloo, or to receive a copy of our disclosure Form ADV, Form CRS and Privacy Policy call 800.266.1723 or visit adviserinfo.sec.gov/Firm/133705.
Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any securities or to advise on the use or suitability of The AMG Managed Portfolio Series, or any of the underlying securities in isolation. Information specific to the underlying securities making up the portfolios can be found in the Funds’ prospectuses. Please carefully read the prospectus before making an investment decision.
This commentary offers generalized research, not personalized investment advice. It is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a complete description of our investment services or performance. Nothing in this article should be interpreted to state or imply that past results are an indication of future investment returns. All investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to consult with an investment & tax professional before implementing any investment strategy.
Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Investing in ETFs is subject to additional risks that do not apply to conventional mutual funds, including the risks that the market price of the shares may trade at a discount to its net asset value(“NAV), an active secondary market may not develop or be maintained, or trading may be halted by the exchange in which they trade, which may impact a fund’s ability to sell its shares. Shares of any ETF are bought and sold at Market Price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the fund. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. Market returns are based on the midpoint of the bid/ask spread at 4:00pm Eastern Time (when NAV is normally determined for most ETFs), and do not represent the returns you would receive if you traded shares at other times. Diversification is not a guarantee of performance and may not protect against loss of investment principal.