It seems as if there has been increasing coverage in the media recently regarding early retirement. The prospect of having an extended retirement is incredibly appealing for many Americans.—However, with pensions becoming increasingly less common in the workplace, workers are required to be more autonomous in how they plan for their retirement; for many, the need to bolster self-directed savings makes the prospect of an early retirement seem more like a pipedream than a possibility. Though everyone has varying financial situations and future expectations, here are a few things to keep in mind when working towards your own early retirement.

Create a current household budget
Before you solidify a plan of action for retiring early, you need to take inventory of your current expenses and general spending habits. If your spending habits inhibit you from saving a sizable portion of your earnings in pre-retirement, it will be incredibly difficult to retire early. If possible, try to find ways to cut discretionary expenses and evaluate your saving habits. By developing a budget, you will put yourself in an advantageous situation. In fact, maintaining a household budget will put you in the minority of American adults; according to a Gallup poll, only one in three Americans maintain a detailed household budget.

Forecast future needs
In addition to considering how inflation will affect your budget in the future, it will be wise to also consider that certain costs, such as healthcare, will increase significantly in retirement. When calculating your needs in retirement, be sure to include rising costs and unforeseen expenses. Failure to account for increasing needs could potentially leave you short of cash at a time when you may not be physically fit enough to work the hours required to cover the shortfalls.

Stay disciplined
Cutting out your favorite guilty pleasures in order to save for the future can be difficult, especially when those around you might be going on lavish vacations and buying luxury cars. By saving your money in the meantime and remaining focused on your goal, you will significantly improve the likelihood of being able to retire early.

Consider investing
Though everyone has a different financial situation and tolerance for risk with their money, investing in the stock market has historically produced higher returns over a long timeline than keeping money in a bank. Given low interest rates on most bank accounts, a savings account may not grow your money significantly enough, especially if your retirement plan is predicated on seeing significant growth on your savings. Though investing in the stock market inherently carries risk of potential losses, investing long-term has historically proven beneficial to investors.

Work with your financial professional
In addition to personally taking measures to ensure an early retirement, remember that your trusted financial professional is dedicated to working with you to help achieve your goal. Reach out to your Guidestream Financial, Inc. professional to help you work towards achieving your dream.

Remember that past performance may not indicate future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, strategy, or product referenced directly or indirectly in this newsletter will be profitable, equal any corresponding historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. You should not assume that any information contained in this newsletter serves as the receipt of personalized investment advice. If a reader has questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed to their individual situation, they are encouraged to consult with a professional adviser.

This article was written by Advicent Solutions, an entity unrelated to Guidestream Financial, Inc.. The information contained in this article is not intended to be tax, investment, or legal advice, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any tax penalties. Guidestream Financial, Inc. does not provide tax or legal advice. You are encouraged to consult with your tax advisor or attorney regarding specific tax issues. © 2014-2017 Advicent Solutions. All rights reserved.