When you start saving for retirement, you may have a lot of questions. As you search for the answers to the unknown, the one thing you may want to know is how much money you’ll need to live comfortably during this phase of your life.

Although it is suggested that every year people save between 10% and 15% of their annual income for retirement,  you want to be sure that you have enough, and that can be done by examining certain factors.

Examine your current income and expenses

What is your current source of income? How much of that income do you spend every month? As you make your retirement plan, it is important to know where your current finances stand.

Estimate your future income and expenses

Your current income and expenses can actually be used to estimate your future income and expenses. Yes, retirement is years away, but you should be able to determine your future income and expenses if you know what to expect. If you know your home and student loans will be repaid by the time you retire, then you’ll know that you won’t have to save enough to continue to make monthly payments on these debts during retirement.

Additionally, depending on your source of income at the time, you may be able to calculate how much money you’ll have coming in every month. For example, you can estimate your Social Security payments just to get an idea of all or a portion of your future income.   

Consider the potential cost of the unexpected

Retirement does not mean you don’t have to be prepared for the unexpected. You can expect to pay a monthly bill when it arrives, but what about those little surprises that life will throw at you? At any point in time, your car could break down, your roof could need replacing or an accident can leave you with a high medical bill.

Your retirement fund should allow you to live comfortably, but it should also protect you from financial hits that are hard to come back from. If you don’t plan for the unexpected, a good portion of your retirement fund can be wiped out.

Consider your preferred lifestyle and spending habits

People’s lifestyles vary, so what one person may find necessary another may not. If you wish to maintain your current lifestyle and spending habits when you retire, it will be important to consider this fact when you are trying to determine how much to save.

For example, if your annual income of $70,000 allows you to take a few vacations every year, and that is something you would like to continue to do when you retire, then you’ll want to ensure you have the money necessary to afford these vacations.

Consider the amount you currently have in your retirement fund

Have you already started saving for retirement? Whether the answer is yes or no, the amount that you currently have saved should, of course, be factored into the amount you will need to save. However, not having anything in your retirement fund could be a problem because this means that you may have to put a larger amount away when you start to save.

Say you plan to retire in under 30 years,  if you do not have anything in your retirement fund, rather than saving $300 a month, you’ll have to save $500 a month to ensure you reach your goal.

Saving for retirement is not a priority for everyone. However, not saving for this phase of your life can negatively impact you. As you plan for your retirement, be sure you are considering the right things, so you don’t find yourself re-entering the workforce during a time when you should be relaxing.