down the road and will help you get closer to the amount you need to live comfortably in your elder years. In other words, if your needs are being met and you are comfortable and happy with your current situation, resist the urge to buy a bigger lifestyle now for a better lifestyle later! Truly, setting up your retirement investment plan doesn’t need to be complicated. Choose a percentage of your pay that you can put away in a retirement account investing in diversified funds, and increase your contributions over time with bumps in pay and bonuses. There will be opportunities later to spread your portfolio and pursue other financial interests, but don’t be so focused on the minutia that you fail to act now. After all, when it comes to investing, now is the best time to start.
DEREK BRAINARD, AFC ® , CRPC ® is the Director of Financial Education at the AccessLex Center for Education and Financial Capability. He is an Accredited Financial Counselor ® and a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor ® , and his financial writing and commentary have been featured via U.S. News and World Report, MSN Money, NBC News, and USA Today .
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