01.28.25 Ask An Advisor With Wes Moss - Is It Ever Too Late To Save for Retirement? and Big Social Security Change for Millions
Jan 28, 2025
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Wes Moss, a fee-only fiduciary financial advisor, shares valuable insights on retirement savings and Social Security changes. He assures listeners that it’s never too late to start saving for retirement, offering strategies that ease financial anxiety. The conversation highlights impending Social Security adjustments affecting public sector employees and discusses how legislative shifts could enhance benefits for many. Wes also answers listener questions, emphasizing the role of fiduciary advisors in securing financial futures.
It is never too late to start saving for retirement, as disciplined contributions can lead to significant financial growth over time.
Recent changes to social security benefits have eliminated penalties for public sector workers, potentially increasing monthly benefits for millions.
Deep dives
Starting Retirement Savings Late
It is never too late to begin saving for retirement, even for those who feel they have missed their opportunity. Many individuals, particularly in their late 40s or early 50s, may find themselves without significant savings due to raising children or managing expenses. For example, a couple in their late 40s known as Larry and Lisa, who started with minimal savings, significantly increased their retirement funds by consistently maxing out their 401(k) contributions, managing to accumulate around $2 million for retirement in about 15 years. This underscores the message that disciplined saving and investing, even later in life, can lead to substantial financial growth over time.
The Importance of Investment Strategy
Simply saving money is not enough; it needs to be strategically invested to grow enough for retirement. The podcast highlights the critical nature of using retirement vehicles like 401(k)s, and catching up on contributions after age 50 can significantly impact the total amount saved. Even modest monthly contributions can compound and grow into significant sums over time, potentially exceeding millions if invested wisely. This reinvestment strategy emphasizes that starting to save earlier, even in smaller amounts, can have greater long-term benefits than waiting until one has a large amount to invest.
Changes in Social Security Benefits
Recent legislative changes have positively impacted social security benefits for public sector workers, particularly those previously affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). These adjustments eliminated penalties that reduced social security benefits for individuals with pensions from public jobs, providing potential increases in their monthly benefits. For instance, individuals like Carol, who would have received drastically reduced social security payments, can now see substantial increases retroactively for the past year. This change represents a significant improvement for around three million individuals, enabling better financial security in retirement.
Navigating Retirement Planning for Couples
Couples often face challenges in aligning their financial goals, especially when one partner is a spender and the other is more conservative with saving. The discussion emphasizes the need for effective communication and possibly involving a financial advisor to mediate discussions around retirement planning. One suggestion includes utilizing tools to visualize future savings needs and consequences of current spending habits, fostering a sense of urgency and collaboration. Strategies such as these can help couples find common ground in their approach to saving and planning for the future.
Is it ever too late to start saving for retirement? Fee-only fiduciary financial advisor Wes Moss has an answer, backed by years of research. Also, a major Social Security change in 2025 is set to positively impact nearly three million people. Wes explains everything you need to know, including who will see an increase in their checks.
Plus, Christa shares your #AskWes questions and Wes gives his take. All this and more on the January 28, 2025, Ask an Advisor episode of the Clark Howard podcast. Submit your questions at clark.com/ask.
We hope you enjoy our weekly Ask An Advisor episodes, in which Christa and Wes discuss investing and retirement savings in depth. Let us know what you think in the comments!