Money is not the key to happiness. However, it is a necessary part of life. It allows you to buy the things you need, live in a comfortable home, and help others. If you want to live comfortably now and when you retire, you need to think about money.
The first thing you need to do is set up a budget. You need to know exactly how much money you have coming in and how much is going out. If you do not know where you sit financially, you will never be able to plan well. Write out a budget that you and your family can stick to. Make sure you have money going toward a SEP IRA or another account that allows you to save for retirement.
Unfortunately, some people have the idea that they will just save whatever money they have left at the end of the month for retirement. What usually happens is that there is almost nothing left over. You need to have a specific amount to go toward a retirement account. This is especially important for people who are self-employed or who run their own business. They typically use a SEP IRA. They need more self-discipline than those who have an employer take money out of their check every month to go toward their retirement.
Make sure you understand how your retirement savings will affect your taxes. Making the right decision now will mean that you can save a lot of money on taxes, which means you will have more money for a comfortable retirement.
