• Discounts and special offers
  • Subscriber-only articles and interviews
  • Breaking news and trending topics

Already a subscriber?

By signing up, you accept Moneywise's Terms of Use, Subscription Agreement, and Privacy Policy.

Not interested ?

Getting started on your nest egg

Just a small fraction of low-income Americans — who earn a median yearly salary of $19,000 — reported having some retirement savings to fall back on in 2019.

In the survey, Allianz Life found that 35% of respondents said putting a protion of their retirement savings towards a product with lifetime income payments was a top way to ease their fears of running out of money.

Before you can put funds aside, make sure you’ve either settled or have a plan for settling all your debts— including your credit cards and student loans.

Credible can make this process easier with debt consolidation loans. When you consolidate your debt, you can get a better rate and pay it off faster. Credible’s online marketplace of vetted lenders helps you find the best loan options in your area so you can get the best deal and tackle your debt.

To add some extra padding to your retirement income, it’s best to start saving money ASAP.

By putting your savings in a high yield savings account they have a better chance at growing seeing as they outrank the national average APY of 0.46%. Consider one of our picks for the Best High-Yield Savings Accounts to build up your savings.

Read more: Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now use $100 to cash in on prime real estate — without the headache of being a landlord. Here's how

Discover how a simple decision today could lead to an extra $1.3 million in retirement

Learn how you can set yourself up for a more prosperous future by exploring why so many people who work with financial advisors retire with more wealth.

Discover the full story and see how you could be on the path to an extra $1.3 million in retirement.

Read More

How to get ahead if you’re behind

Only about 23% of low-income workers have access to a workplace retirement account in the first place, and some may opt out of making contributions if they’ve got limited income or are planning to rely on Social Security benefits.

As it stands, workers relying on Social Security to cover their expenses in retirement need to prepare for the program’s main fund to run low within the next decade.

While you’re trying to catch up on shoring up funds for your golden years, make sure you’re picking the right retirement vehicle.

For example, if your employer offers a 401(k) plan, you can divert some of your pre-tax pay into the account and grow your savings tax-free. Your employer might even match contributions as well.

If not, consider looking into a Gold IRA with American Hartford Gold. A gold IRA is a type of individual retirement account that allows you to invest in gold and other precious metals in physical forms. And when you open with American Hartford Gold — an industry leader in precious metals — you can diversify your portfolio and stabilize your finances so you have some extra funds to rely on in your golden years.

With First National Realty Partners, everyday investors have access to institutional-quality, grocery-anchored commercial real estate investments without the effort of scouting out buildings on your own.

Through FNRP you can own a share of properties leased by national brands and their team of experts manage every component of the investment life cycle. On top of not having to worry about property management, you can rest easy knowing that these investments are necessity-based and will weather the storm of economic volatility.

All you have to do to get started is fill in some information about yourself, your income and investment goals and you can start earning extra cash for your retirement fund.

If you’ve started building your nest egg but think you might be behind on your goals or you aren’t sure of the best way to handle investing for retirement, you may want to consider speaking with a financial planner to make sure you’re on the right track. With Wiser Advisor, all you have to do is answer some questions about yourself and your finances and you can get matched with vetted financial advisors and book a free, no-obligation consultation.

What to read next

Sponsored

This 2 minute move could knock $500/year off your car insurance in 2024

OfficialCarInsurance.com lets you compare quotes from trusted brands, such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO to make sure you're getting the best deal.

You can switch to a more affordable auto insurance option in 2 minutes by providing some information about yourself and your vehicle and choosing from their tailor-made results. Find offers as low as $29 a month.

Moneywise Moneywise Editorial Team

The Moneywise Editorial Team is a group of passionate financial experts, seasoned journalists, and content creators who are deeply committed to providing unbiased, relevant, and accurate financial information. With years of combined industry experience, our team is dedicated to maintaining the highest journalistic standards and delivering informative and engaging content. From personal finance and investing to retirement planning and business finance, we cover a broad range of topics to suit the financial needs of our diverse readership. You can trust the Moneywise Editorial Team to empower you with the knowledge and tools necessary to make wise financial decisions.

Disclaimer

The content provided on Moneywise is information to help users become financially literate. It is neither tax nor legal advice, is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. We make no representation or warranty of any kind, either express or implied, with respect to the data provided, the timeliness thereof, the results to be obtained by the use thereof or any other matter. Advertisers are not responsible for the content of this site, including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete and current information on any advertiser product, please visit their website.