{"id":10171,"date":"2015-11-20T09:10:51","date_gmt":"2015-11-20T17:10:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marketriders.com\/investing\/?p=10171"},"modified":"2016-12-21T07:27:40","modified_gmt":"2016-12-21T15:27:40","slug":"retirement-rules-of-thumb-good-better-best","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketriders.com\/investing\/retirement-rules-of-thumb-good-better-best\/","title":{"rendered":"Retirement Rules Of Thumb: Good, Better, Best"},"content":{"rendered":"

Figuring out a retirement plan is no walk in the park. The variables are many and the future is unwritten. And it’s stressful.<\/p>\n

Here’s the thing. That stress that is bothering you is not from thinking about retirement, it’s from actively not thinking<\/em> about retirement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You’ve probably met people who have their retirement plan worked out. Money never comes up. They seem at ease with any outcome in life, even big setbacks, because they know they have controlled for the controllable.<\/p>\n

\"retirement<\/p>\n

Yes, your health may change for the worse. Yes, financial calamities can hit the markets, the economy, everything. Those are the uncontrollables. It’s why we own insurance.<\/p>\n

The controllable things are how much money you have saved<\/a> and how well it’s invested for your future self. Get a good head of steam going on that and money becomes a secondary topic in life, after family and career and your interests.<\/p>\n

Ready to get on the road to money serenity? Here are three retirement rules of thumb, good, better and best. They all work. Only the exactitude rises.<\/p>\n

Good: Use a multiple of your income<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is a great starting point. Essentially, Fidelity Investments tells you to take your current income and multiple it by a number. Decade by decade, that multiple\u00a0is the size your\u00a0portfolio\u00a0must become to\u00a0sustain your lifestyle<\/a> into retirement.<\/p>\n

It works like this. If you make $75,000 a year:<\/p>\n