7 Smart Ways to Secure Guaranteed Retirement Income (2024)

It might seem like an intimidating challenge at first glance, but you have numerous options for guaranteeing retirement income. Some are more suited to long-term planning, but others can be last-minute moves just before you pull the plug on working. Your best results might come from a combination of both.

Buy an Immediate Annuity

What’s the easiest way to achieve guaranteed retirement income? Buy it. This is exactly what you do when you purchase animmediate annuity. You use a lump sum of money to purchase guaranteed income.

You can choose an option where the income will pay out for your entire ​lifetime or for joint lifetimes if you're married. Thepurchase could be the deal of a lifetime for aspiring centenarians! There's no way you can outlive your income with an immediate annuity.​

As the name implies, "immediate" means the income starts right away, so the best time to look at this option is when you're ready to retire. You want anincome source that will begin immediately. Exactly how much monthly income you can receive depends on your age. The older you are, the higher the income you'll get per dollar that you invest.

Use a Withdrawal Benefit Rider on a Deferred Annuity

Look for an annuity that has a guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit rider (sometimes called a GMWB) or a lifetime withdrawal benefit (an LWB)if you want to purchase guaranteed retirement income at somepoint in the future,

You deposit your funds today with the intention of taking out income at some point 10 years or more in the future. The annuity company takes a snapshot of your account value each year as you go along. The new higher value is locked in as the new “income base” as the account value grows. You can use the larger of the current account value or the income base value to generate your guaranteed withdrawals when you activate your withdrawal rider.

Using this option can be a good way to protect account values from the impact that a major market decline would have if you're 10 to 15years away from retirement. This is particularlytrue if the decline should happen as you get nearer to your retirement age.

Work Toward Getting a Pension

It's great to retire with a pension. Some professionals spend the last 10 years of their careers working at a government agency just so they can acquire one. It's a smart move for those who didn't save enough toward retirement earlier in their careers. Look for employers that offer pensions and check to determine their vesting schedule.

Some people worrythat their pensions might not pay out all the benefits they were promised. The older you are when you start your pension, the more secure your income will be. There's a form of government insurance called thePension Benefit Guarantee Corporationor PBGC.

It protects pension benefits, but the amount that's guaranteed has a cap. The insured amount is reduced for each year you retire before age 65. Begin benefits at 65 or later to maximize the insured amount if your pension is covered by the PBGC.

Get a Reverse Mortgage

Guaranteed retirement income is just that: income that you can count on for life with no risk. Areverse mortgagecan provide that level of security, and the income is tax free. So why don’t more people use them? Two reasons: fear and fees.

First, people fear that the bank can take their home. This was true long ago, but regulations have changed dramatically since 1985 or so. This product is now safer, stronger, and less risky for the borrower.

Second, some people think that the fees are too high. Once again, regulations have improved this situation. Fees can no longer exceed limits set by the government. A reverse mortgage might be a viable option if you're age 62 or older, you're looking for guaranteed retirement income, and you've paid off your home or have plenty of equity in it.

Be Careful About When You Claim Social Security

Most retirees receive the largest portion of their guaranteed incomes from Social Security. Those receiving Social Security benefits get a cost-of-living adjustment each year, which usually results in anincrease in benefits.

The problem is that most people still take Social Security too early, or they don't coordinate with theirspouses if they're married. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of income that would be paid out in the form of spousal benefits and widow/widower benefits can be foregone because one spouse made an unwise decision about when to begin their benefits.

Put Money in a Deferred Income Annuity or QLAC

Longevity insuranceis a form of adeferred immediate annuitythat will guarantee you a minimum amount of income at a specific future age, such as 85 or 90.

There's a special form of this product called a QLAC or Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract. It's purchased inside an IRA or 401(k). The QLAC allows you to defer the start of your required minimum distributions.

People with longevity insurance feel more secure about spending their retirement money on fun and travel while they're younger because they know they have a future source of guaranteed income to provide for them later.

Build a Bond Ladder

Many retirees are afraid to spend principal, but it can be perfectly OK if it's structured the right way as part of a plan.

You can build a bond or a CD ladder. This involves buying a certificate of deposit or a bond that will mature in a specific year in an amount you'll need at that time to cover expenses. When the bond matures, you spend it.

Another option is to useTreasury securities. These are bonds issued by the U.S. government, and they're considered to be one of thesafest investmentsyou can own. Financial institutionscan strip the interest portion of the bond from the principal portion, creating something called Treasury STRIPS. You can buy these strips with maturities that are laddered out, creating a guaranteedstream of income with each strip maturing in the year you'll need it.

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