I don’t know what kind of life I was dealt. Young vibrant woman seeking a career with the FBI; but chose to settle down with my crush from high school, working in the non profit religious sector. Now 20 years later, a widow raising three teenage sons and looking at 15 years from retirement! Where did the time go? Along with my retirement?

Doesn’t sound like a lifestyle of the rich and famous! If you’re not rich and famous, (that is) hopefully you can save enough for retirement to live like one!

Lord, I am not complaining, but someone needs to hear this.

Financial advisors are experts to help you plan for a retirement income. They can use statistics, income trends, and inflation to come up with an ideal figure that you should be able to live off of when you retire and if you follow this plan, it can be accomplished.

Then life happens…

You may start off with a job you probably really didn’t want, but was super excited to make your own money and to spend that hard earned money the way you imagined it.

This job will probably be minimum wage or if you’re lucky above minimum wage and it may also include benefits.

If you’re expecting to attend college and obtain at least a bachelors degree, you could be looking at a better opportunity for a decent job with a competitive starting salary.

Once you find that dream job of yours and if you’re concerned about retirement; (in which at a young age you’re probably not) one benefit you want to look for is a retirement plan that will help you reach your goals. Not only through financial literacy, but with some type of matching contribution or if not a matching contribution, hopefully some small percentage of a joint effort from your employer. This is the main reason it’s considered a benefit! A small contribution is better than none! As they say, No Contribution is too Small!

Ask, Ask and Ask more questions. Do your research; start saving and investing today for a happy retirement.

Make sure you include your beneficiaries just in case you don’t live to see retirement; but based on your choices you will make, most likely you will!