Income From $2000000 In High Yielding Investments
Lets look at another example of income off a 2 million retirement account.If you increased the yield on your investments to 7% vs the common 3.5% from a typical income fund, here is the income a $2,000,000 investment portfolio would produce.
$2,000,000 * .07 = $14,000/12 = $11,667/Month
Remember, dont confuse income with growth, which comes from capital gains, or an increase in value from the underlying investment. The value of almost all income producing investments will go up and/or down. Income is more certain. Capital gains are a maybe, particularly over shorter investing time frames as is often the case with someone in their 50s.
Read my post Wealth Building Vs Income for more about this.
Stocks, bonds, REITs, MLPs and real estate rentals are all fairly common income investments. We like all of these income investments, but we learned there are two more income methods well worth exploring for someone with investment capital, as is the case were exploring here.
Want To Boost Your Score Here’s How
Here are some ways to boost your retirement readiness whether youre behind on your goals or are on track but maybe want to retire a little earlier.
“My score needs attention.”
An individual retirement account is one of the most popular ways to save for retirement given its large tax advantages. You can put in up to $6,000 a year. And if you’re 50 or older, you can contribute an additional $1,000 a year. » Learn more about IRAs
“On my way, but I could close the gap.”
The annual limit for 401 contributions is $19,500 . Its wise to at least contribute up to the point where youre getting all of the matching dollars your employer might offer. » See about increasing your 401 contributions
“I’m on track, but I want to do more.”
A good advisor can help you understand complex issues, diagnose potential problems and take steps to plan for the future. And theyre not as expensive as you might think. » Learn how to choose a financial advisor
Are They Going To Make It
Based on all these numbers, do the Petersons stand a chance? Can they retire with $2 million at Josephs desired age of 62? Lets take a look. According to our financial planning software, they have a 90% probability of success of achieving this goal.
What exactly does this 90% number represent? The financial planning software uses Monte Carlo simulation and runs 1,000 different scenarios taking a look at every single market that weve experienced, good and bad, and the takes a look at their income needs adjusted for inflation.
So based on all of this, they have a 90% chance of succeeding with their goal of not running out of retirement money which would be at Josephs age of 95. In case youre wondering, this is good news. Typically, we like to see clients in the 85% or above range, so anything in the 90s leaves us feeling pretty confident.
You May Like: Top 50 Places To Retire In The Us
Use The 4% Rule As A Guide In Retirement
The 4% rule is a well-known strategy. It suggests that retirees with a well-balanced portfolio can withdraw 4% of their initial retirement assets and increase this amount by inflation every year. It provides a steady income stream while also maintaining an account balance that keeps income flowing through retirement.
Heres a simple example: A couple with $1.5 million in retirement savings can withdraw $60,000 each year. This amount is added to their Social Security, pension and other income, providing plenty of money to life a comfortable life. Meanwhile, over the long term, the remaining amount can continue to grow from gains in stocks, bonds and other investments.
For those who think they should spend less, we encourage you to research this topic, because spending too little is also a lifestyle risk. We see some folks spending less than 2% of their assets per year in retirement, which we like to point out would probably take another Great Depression to result in them running out of money. Thus, determining the right withdrawal rate based on your circumstances can make for a very comfortable retirement.
Rule : 70% Of Working Income

This rule estimates that you will need between 70% and 100% of your pre-retirement income in retirement: 70% if you are typical and do not have a mortgage, and up to 100% if you are still paying a hefty mortgage plus other atypical expenses while retired.
The idea behind this rule is that your expenses are generally expected to be lower in retirement: no mortgage payments, no longer need to save for retirement, kids are financially dependent, etc. After computing this amount, you can then proceed to calculate how much you need by going back to Rule 1 or 2.
For example, assume you earn $100,000 per year before retiring. Using the 70% rule, you will need approximately $70,000 in annual income to maintain your lifestyle in retirement. Going back to Rule 2, it implies you need:
â $70,000 x 25 â $1.75 million in retirement.
I think the 70% rule is a fairly liberal estimate of retirement income needs . A survey conducted by Sunlife and released in 2016, shows that Canadian retirees were on average living on 62% of their pre-retirement income.
Recommended Reading: What’s A 403 B Retirement Plan
Can I Retire At 55 With 300k
On average a retired individual will spend £19,000 a year, whilst the average couple in retirement spends £25,000 a year. This means if you retire at 55 with £300k,an individual will run out of funds in approximately 15 years, and a couple in 12years.
So, on paper, it doesnt look like enough. But your motives and goals in retirement are likelycompletely different from the next person.
Only you know what you want to do in retirement. £300k might be perfectly adequate for your needs.
If youre hoping to retire early on £300k, you need to understand how your lifestyle can look, then you can figure out the costings.
To properly plan for retirement, you need to do more than just have a specific amount in mind. You need to focus on what you want that amount to do for you.
Great lifestyle financial planning is about moving money around your timeline, so its in the right place when you need it and helps you achievethe lifestyle you want. And remember its about factoring in all your assets, not just whats in your pension pot.
Retiring Early During The Pandemic
The rush to retire early and the rising popularity of Fire coincided with the decade-long bull run on the stock market since the financial crisis, which boosted Fire devotees investments.
In March 2020, that luck ran out when the spread of coronavirus caused global markets to drop by 20%.
This posed a problem for early retirees hoping to live off their investment income because their pot was smaller.
Early retirees Alan and Katie Donegan had the majority of their savings in index trackers. They saw the best part of £200,000 evaporate in two months as the markets crashed.
Read more: What became of the Fire savers who dreamt of retiring early?
Early retirees with an income from rental property would also have faced pressures due to the pandemic as tenants struggled to pay rent.
A market calamity such as Covid has highlighted the need for more than the basic three to six months worth of outgoings in reserve.
Sam Cowan, a financial planner at wealth manager charles stanley
You May Like: How To Find Your Retirement Accounts
Estimate How Much Super You’ll Have
You probably know how much super you have now, but do you know how much you’ll have when you retire?
Use the Moneysmart retirement planner to estimate:
- how much money you’ll have to spend each year once you retire
- how fees, investment options and contributions will affect your retirement income
You can also use the planner to test out different scenarios and work out how to grow your super.
Estimate how much super you’ll have when you retire.
Where Youll Want To Live
Dont just consider your geographic location. When youre ready to retire, youll need to think about whats around you. Will you live in a retirement community or a house boat in the middle of nowhere? Do you have family nearby? Will you need a car or can you survive by walking and biking? These things can all impact the dollar amount youll need to have stashed. A retirement community, for instance, can set you back almost $3,000 a month.
Also Check: Can I Change My Retirement Plan
The Earlier You Begin Saving The Better
It should go without saying that early retirement requires that you begin saving early as well. The sooner you begin, the less effort youll have to make.
Lets work an example to demonstrate how this plays out.
Lets say you decide youll need $1 million to retire at age 55. Your average income between now and retirement is $100,000 per year.
You can invest your money in a blended portfolio of stocks and bonds producing an average annual rate of return of 7%.
- Age 25: If you begin saving at age 25, you can reach your goal by saving 11% of your pay.
- Age 30: At 30, youll need to save 16%.
- Age 35: By the time you reach 35, youll have 20 years to save, and the rate will rise to 25%.
- Age 40: At 40, with 15 years to go, youll have to save 40%.
Without going into any calculations, its pretty safe to say that if youre over 40, and starting from zero, you probably wont be able to retire at 55. To even attempt it, youd have to be saving something close to 100% of your income.
Additional Capital Costs To Consider If You Take Early Retirement At 55
Even though you may have paid off your mortgage and worked out a monthly budget for your living expenses , have you factored in the larger capital costs you may face if you opt for early retirement at 55? Including:
-
Repairs and replacement of your car.
-
Repairs and replacement of your caravan or motorhome .
-
The cost of more frequent holidays.
-
Wedding gifts for the younger members of your family.
-
The cost of helping out other members of your family, such as with their education or getting started on the housing ladder.
-
Adapting your house for greater accessibility.
Also Check: City Of Los Angeles Retirement Benefits
Is 55 Too Early To Retire What You Need To Retire Early
Is 55 too early to retire? Here’s how to figure out if you can retire at 55.
Getty
Having the option to take an early retirement is a really nice thing to have. But is 55 too early to retire? If you want to retire early, you’ll need a solid plan, masterful control over your expenses, and savings outside of retirement accounts. Here’s how you’ll know if 55 is too early to retire.
How To Retire Early

If these examples dont work for your budgetor you can afford to save morethats okay. Remember, investing 15% of your household income for retirement is always a good rule of thumb. Just be sure youre out of debt with three to six months of expenses in your emergency fund first.
Of course, thats not the only step that will get you to your goal. Heres how to boost your savings so you can retire early.
- Take advantage of tax-advantaged retirement plans as soon as you start your career. That gives compound growth more time to work its magic so you can put less effort into building a big nest egg.
- Invest in good growth stock mutual funds. Mutual funds allow you to invest in stocks without the risk that comes with single-stock investing. A good fund consistently outperforms others in the same category, covers multiple business sectors, and has an experienced manager at the helm.
- Pay off your mortgage. Lets assume your mortgage takes up 25% of your budget. Knocking that sucker out slashes your household expenses by a quarter! Better yet, your home becomes a big asset you carry right into retirement.
Don’t Miss: Individual Retirement Account Taxed On Withdrawals
Figuring Out If 55 Is Too Early To Retire Requires Financial Planning
At any age, you’ll want to make sure you’ve fully thought through your retirement plan before retiring. Retiring early requires even more planning as the traditional sources of retirement income aren’t available and new challenges, like health insurance, arise. Here are some financial planning tips for executives looking to retire at 55.
What Is The Cost Of Early Retirement
To retire successfully at 55, rather than say 65, there are a number of financial factors that will affect the overall balance of your retirement fund. You will need to overcome a combination of:
10 years when you wont be making contributions into a pension. This means no employee contributions from your salary, no free employer contributions and no pension tax relief.
10 years reduced compound interest, which can make a massive difference in the final 10 years as the investment balances should be at their largest. A percentage of a small amount of money is a small amount of money, the same percentage of a much larger figure has a much greater financial impact money makes money.
Drawing down on your investments 10 years earlier, which may affect how long your funds will last.
Lets use the example of a 40-year-old, earning £40,000 a year with a current total pension pot of £100,000. Retiring at 55 gives them 15 years left to build a retirement fund, whereas continuing to work until 65 means there are 25 years left to build a retirement fund.
£40,000 a year equates to a gross income of £3,333 each month. If this person contributed 15% of their gross income via employee/employer/SIPP contributions and any tax relief they are entitled to claim, they will be adding about £500 each month to their retirement pot.
In both these illustrations, waiting the extra 10 years to retire at 65 gives you over double the monthly gross income in retirement.
Recommended Reading: Calculate Your Retirement Savings Goal
To Enjoy Retirement Be Flexible With Your Spending
This is one of the most important conversations we have with clients as they approach retirement. We remind them they dont know how long their health will allow them to keep doing the things they love, so make these activities a priority.
Whether its traveling the world or splurging on season tickets at the ballpark and dining at four-star restaurants, your expenses may exceed the 4% rule in the early years. But thats OK. In reality, retirement spending often comes in a U shape as opposed to a straight line. Retirees often spend more in their 60s and 70s and less in their 80s. One of our favorite stories involves a client who was spending more than 4% shortly after he retired, and we warned him that he could run out of money if financial markets took a big hit. His response was unforgettable. He said he was losing a good friend of his almost every year, and he wanted to make sure he did everything he ever wanted to do before his number was up.
He said if the stock market crashes, wiping out a significant portion of his wealth, he would be just fine sitting on the back porch sipping lemonade while waiting for the grandchildren to come over and play. He was extremely comfortable tying his retirement largely to the U.S. economy and markets. Are you willing to do this to some degree?
How Can We Help You Retire At 55
We are award-winning independent financial advisers and expert retirement planners. Were experts in retirement planning with specialist retirement qualifications, and most recently have been awarded Independent Financial Adviser of the year 2021 for the South West.
Working together, we can show you whether you are on track to retire at 55 and build a retirement income plan.
As Im approaching the latter part of my career I decided I needed some support with my retirement strategy. Frazer James has been first class in providing advice and a clear deliverable plan. The team at FJL have shown a real understanding of my priorities and needs, and have provided a truly bespoke service with excellent communications and support. I now feel in control of my retirement plan. Big thanks to James, Chris and the team. JC
Planning to retire at 55 is a journey, thats why we recommend regular meetings to ensure you remain on track and make any adjustments as necessary.
Read Also: Smith Ranch Retirement Community San Rafael
What Is Enough For Some Is Not Enough For Others
Passionate readers of this site will know I believe personal finance is personal. What works well for some investors or families will not work at all for others.
You need to carve your own financial path.
The 4% rule says that you should be able to safely withdraw 4% of your original portfolio each year, adjusted for inflation, for at least 30 years and have a reasonably high chance of having money left over.
This means, in more practical terms based on this rule, that a $1.2 M portfolio should be able to last ~ 30 years by withdrawing $48,000 in year 1 of retirement , and then increasing that amount over time with inflation.
That said, while having a core spending plan is all fine and good, its also having flexibility designed into your plan that is essential for success. You need to consider your spend on travel, hobbies, home renovations but also the ability to cover emergencies and more during retirement.