It cannot be said often enough: Save early and save more for retirement.
That is the number one piece of advice a group of retirees who do not have pensions want to offer to those still working, according to a study released Wednesday by Pentegra Retirement Services.
Pentegra, a provider of retirement plan and fiduciary outsourcing solutions based in White Plains, N.Y., polled 443 retirees without pensions to see what they would tell those still working.
Sixty-three percent of those polled stressed the importance of saving early and 57 percent told workers to save more throughout their careers. The biggest regret held by the retirees was not starting to save earlier for retirement.
“Our hope is that if people hear this now from actual retirees – not just retirement experts -- then it will put fire under them to put a solid plan into place today,” says Rich Rausser, senior vice president at Pentegra Retirement Services.
On other topics, 26 percent of retirees told younger workers to delay taking Social Security benefits for as long as possible. Twenty-two percent advised working with a professional financial planner. Thirteen percent also say they wish they had invested more aggressively, taken the time to learn more about investing, and continued working longer.
Pentegra has created the Beyond the SmartPath section of its website and a social media hashtag, #talkaboutretirement, to encourage discussions about retirement and inspire workers to take action on their retirement planning, Pentegra says.