Four Retirement Tips For Stay At Home Moms

Your spouse can help protect you by contributing to a spousal IRA. In general, anyone contributing to an IRA must have earned income; however, that doesn’t apply to a spousal IRA. Your spouse can contribute to both their own and your IRA up to the amount they earn each year. As a married couple filing jointly, you can contribute $12,000 annually to IRAs ($14,000 for those 50 and older). The spousal IRA will be in your name and belong to you.

If you have a retirement account from previous employment, you can roll it over into an IRA. You won’t have to pay any taxes or penalties, and you’ll be in a better position to withdraw money early if necessary. Also, an IRA gives you a better chance of “growing” your money as an investment. Learn more about IRA rollovers and the best online IRAs here.

If you return to the workforce, you can take steps to catch up on your retirement savings. If you have a 401(k), you will need to contribute the maximum allowed each year if possible. If not, put in as much as you can afford. Even 15 years of a concerted savings effort can put you in a decent financial position for retirement.

You cannot rely on Social Security to cover your expenses during retirement, but it will definitely help support you. If you have worked at least ten years and earned your required 40 credits from the Social Security Administration, you will be eligible for benefits. The amount depends on your past earnings and when you begin to draw your SS. If you have been married for more than ten years, you can draw 50% of your spouse’s benefit. Visit the SSA website to get an estimate of your benefits.

Remember, you cannot afford to take anything for granted when it comes to your retirement, so investigate your options now. Stay-at-home moms have to be more vigilant than most.