Retirement is not always planned. For most people, reaching retirement age means ending a lifetime of hard work. They have saved enough to rest and enjoy their days without the daily hassle. This is not always the case however. Occasionally, someone will experience what is called a forced retirement. This is when you or your employer demand that you leave your job, whether you are ready or not. For many people, forced retirement can be very disruptive and in some cases can even create financial hardship. You may want to consult a financial advisor to help you plan for your retirement finances.
Consider consulting a lawyer
Forced retirement is often illegal. When discussing this issue, it is important to distinguish forced retirement from late layoffs. The latter occurs when you are fired or fired late in your career. For example, you may be 62 years old and plan to work another five years when your company downsizes. Your department loses its budget and you lose your job. Instead of trying to pursue your career elsewhere, as you would have done at 32, you decide to take early retirement.
It’s surprising and embarrassing, but nothing more than the product of bad timing and bad luck. Forced retirement is a whole different issue. Otherwise known as mandatory retirement, this is when your company fires you because of your age.
ADEA allows two main exceptions. First, an employer can set a forced retirement age if it is a “bona fide professional qualification”. For example, some physically demanding jobs like firefighters or police may set a mandatory retirement age. Second, companies can set a retirement age for certain workers considered to be managers, decision makers or shareholders. For example, in certain circumstances, a company may have a retirement age for its partners or its managing directors.
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In all other situations, however, your employer cannot let you go or force you to retire just because of your age. This is true for whatever prima facie reason they give. Most employers who violate labor laws try to use employment at will as a cover for their actions, claiming that they in fact fired someone for reasons that had nothing to do with a protected issue. But if you’re over 40 and think you were kicked out because you were too old, it’s time to talk to an employment lawyer.
Review your finances
If you’ve been forced into early retirement, perhaps due to layoffs or even just personal reasons, the first step is to review your finances. By definition, you hadn’t planned to be done making money yet, so it’s time to get a clear idea of where you are.
Ideally, sit down with a financial advisor to figure out what you have and what you need for the future. It will be important to consider issues such as your portfolio growth, taxes, when you can and should collect Social Security, the type of expenses you have and more. Whenever possible, you want to avoid selling investment assets too soon. Your portfolio is at the peak of its earning capacity right now, with compounding returns finally kicking in. If there’s a way to leave accounts like your 401(k) and IRA alone until age planned for your retirement, do it.
Either way, your next steps will depend entirely on the outcome of this review. The most important retirement question is, “How long will my money last?” You answered this question years ago by assuming you would retire at a certain age, but now those numbers have changed. If you’re lucky, you may have been taken by surprise, but you’re doing fine. If not, you’re fine, but you may need to take more active steps. The first important part is to understand this.
Adjust your expenses
As part of your financial review, you will review your expenses. When people retire, they tend to drastically reduce their day-to-day expenses. It is usually a combination of design and circumstances. With fewer time constraints, they tend to spend less money. With less money coming in, they also tend to budget a little more carefully.
With a forced retirement, it’s good to be even more intentional in this process. Look at your expenses and figure out what you can cut. If you intend to stay out of the workforce, your lifestyle will change significantly and often for the better. Your household may no longer need multiple cars, or you may no longer need to live near the office.
We all make a lot of assumptions when it comes to our spending habits, often spending money today because of past needs and decisions. Take the time to review your expenses and determine what you will really need in retirement. This can make a significant difference in the life of your money.
Find benefits and programs
If you have been legally forced into early retirement, chances are you are eligible for some form of government assistance.
Dismissed workers, for example, can apply for unemployment benefits. Sick or injured workers may, depending on their circumstances, be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. Different states will have specific programs to help workers who have had to leave their jobs, which can be especially helpful if you had to leave your job to care for a family member.
Whatever the reason, it’s important to explore. The government has many different programs to help people who have lost their jobs for reasons beyond their control, from layoffs and health to natural disasters. (If you were forced into retirement because a hurricane leveled your community and workplace, FEMA can help.) Don’t ignore this lifeline.
Potentially prioritize income
You’ve reviewed your overall financial plan and you’ve reviewed your expenses, and it’s entirely possible that the numbers don’t add up. With forced retirement, your instinct might be to simply adjust any assumptions you’ve made about life in retirement. This may work depending on your particular situation, but it’s important not to overtighten the belt.
If your new plan is just to live out the rest of your life on a shoestring or you have to sell investments too soon to keep paying rent, you might just be in trouble later.
Instead, if possible, consider earning extra income for the remaining years before your planned retirement. By supplementing your income, you can anticipate problems with tight budgets or selling assets before you are ready. If your health and personal situation allow it, working for a few more years (albeit unpleasant) will probably be much less difficult than cutting financial expenses for the next 30 years.
Now, often articles like this will give advice like starting a business, going back to school, or opening an online store. In most cases, this is not practical. Starting a new business tends to be a high speculative endeavor that can easily fail and, even if successful, takes years to bear fruit. The same is true for back to school.
If you’re looking for a way to make money over the next 15 years, go for it. If all you need is extra income to make the transition from 62 to 67, then it’s usually best to consider contract work, part-time work, and gig work. These are positions that can generate income immediately, with low risk and little overhead.
If it’s a choice between living on two-thirds of your projected budget, selling your home, or spending the next five years working weekends at the local Starbucks. We’re not saying it’ll be fun, but take advantage of this employee discount. It will be better in the long run.
Get health coverage
It’s not in order of importance, because it’s a big deal. If you’ve lost your job, chances are you’ve also lost your health insurance. And health insurance only kicks in when you turn 65. You will therefore likely have a gap in health insurance coverage at an age when this has become particularly important. It is essential that you take out health insurance coverage immediately.
There are many ways to do this. You can look for plans that specialize in covering this type of gap. You can open a health savings account associated with a high-deductible plan. You can participate in the Affordable Care Act exchanges and purchase simple health insurance which, although potentially expensive, would be the best option for comprehensive care. Depending on your financial situation, you can even check out Medicaid.
No matter how you answer the question, it’s important to do so. At 25, your health insurance may be “I am 25”. Even at 35, you can get by with low coverage, a bottle of Advil, and a bit of luck. By the time you’re in your 60s, however, real health insurance matters. Don’t sleep on it.
The essential
If you have been forced into retirement, several options are available to you. Review your finances, determine if you should find an additional source of income, and just make sure it’s all legal. The most important part of this whole process is taking action immediately and making sure you have a plan. Working with a financial advisor can be a great way to feel confident moving forward.
Retirement advice
Planning for retirement can be difficult, especially if it’s unexpected. Working with a professional can help ensure that you’ve considered everything from income to a withdrawal plan for your retirement accounts. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be difficult. SmartAsset’s free tool connects you with up to three approved financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor for free to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you reach your financial goalsstart now.
Planned retirement is a big enough project, but early retirement? This can create a huge problem. It is important to know the risks and to be well prepared if there is still time.
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