The One-Page Retirement Plan

When most people think of a retirement plan, they think of an extensive and detailed spreadsheet that includes every single dime and circumstance that will be involved in life after retirement. People with a lot of assets get overwhelmed thinking about the many loose ends to tie up. People without a lot of assets get overwhelmed by the fear of running out of money. 

No matter how you picture retirement, there is no denying that the planning can be exhausting. 

But it doesn’t have to be. 

The truth is, with the right advisor, your retirement plan, every single important part of it, can fit onto one single page.

What is the One-Page Retirement Plan?

The one-page retirement plan is a unique and thorough plan that outlines all of the essential parts to a retirement plan in a tangible way that can be looked over time and time again. While a fifty-page plan in a binder may seem like a more thorough approach to this, the truth is, many fail to ever go back and revisit or revise their fifty-page plan because of the extensive nature of it. 

Our one-page retirement plan not only captures the essential essence of these longer plans, but it organizes it in a way that allows clients to return to the plan, understand the plan, and revise the plan as their lifestyle changes. It is a single recipe to follow ingredient by ingredient, step-by-step,  in order to achieve your desired retirement goals. We work to not only find the right direction for your unique situation, but to outline this direction in a clear and concise formula- so clear and concise that it can fit on, you got it, one page. 

The parts of a One-Page Retirement Plan

So what might this look like for you? We separate the one page plan into multiple different sections to ensure that we create the right plan and direction for you and your unique situation.

Values

The first part of your plan focuses on the values. We take time to understand what matters to you most, to ensure that you have the things of value to you when you enter into retirement. If you have a strong grasp on your values and priorities, the financial decisions become a lot clearer to make. Some people value security- they want a hefty savings for the “just-in-case” moments. Some want just enough to live on. Some value experiences, they want to use their retirement to travel, while others value their own home, and want to ensure that they can afford retirement in their own home, or in a home that feels most comfortable to them. No matter your unique values, taking the time to identify them when establishing a retirement plan is essential. 

Goals

What do you hope to accomplish in retirement? Do you want to leave your career and never work another day in your life? Do you want to continue investing or working in a hobby that you particularly enjoy? Do you want to buy an RV and travel across the country? These are the plans and details discussed in the tangible goals section. You will take time to identify your goals for retirement, and how to get to a financial place where these are achievable. 

The Most Important Next Steps

Once you identify your goals and values, it is time to identify the tangible next steps to get there. This may look different for everyone depending on age, investments, 401k’s, family situations, and other factors. In this part, we will typically outline the next three or four things you need to do to ensure that you can reach those goals and values set forth. In most cases, you should focus on the things that you can control for these step. That might include the amount of income that you put away for a 401k or outline a retirement withdrawal strategy. 

After outlining these goals, you will need to implement them. This might mean that you get a little bit more conservative with your current budget to ensure that the target amount you need put away is placed where you need it every month.

Finally, you will need to focus on the ongoing planning, to make sure all of those items are set in place to continue meeting your goals through the years. This might include finalizing an estate plan or aiming to pay off your mortgage or downsize by a certain date. These goals will continue to keep you on track toward what you value most about your own retirement.

If you are looking to create your retirement plan, or you are looking to make your current plan much more tangible by forming it into a one-page plan, contact Streamline Financial today. Our team of financial experts will work with you to help you form the one-page retirement plan that works best for your unique goals, values, and financials