Will Divorce Ruin your Retirement Plans?

Is your divorce going to postpone your retirement? Are you going to have to give up your dreams of relaxation or travel?

In College Station and Houston, stalled retirement plans are common in the list of divorce financial concerns. Your spouse is trying to get all the IRAs. Your spouse won’t share the pension. Even if you could get your spouse to listen to you and agree to share, half the nest egg might not be enough for your retirement.

You can use an retirement shortfall calculator to project when you will be able to retire. (You can also find these calculator links on my blog under Website Links.)

Tips for using the calculator:

• Before you start popping numbers in the boxes, first read the “Definitions”. They really do matter.
• Rates of return – choosing the number for this box is like using a crystal ball. I recommend that you fill in all the other boxes first and then work on this one. First put in 2% and see the result. Then put in 4% and see how the result changes. Take it up to 8%. It looks better there, doesn’t it? Actually getting your estimated rate of return in real life is a whole different matter.
• Federal tax rate – this is your “marginal” tax rate, the rate of tax on your highest taxed dollar. Calculate that with a Marginal Tax Rate Calculator.
• Number of years in retirement – assume you will live 10 years longer than the age of your longest living parent or grandparent or age 95.
• Expected inflation rate – use 3.0% or use the default of 3.1%.

 

Warning:  Many people avoid thinking about retirement. Don’t do that. We see lots of articles about inadequate retirement savings in many households. Divorce can make this situation worse. Reverse that trend by educating yourself now.