As a senior, you may be looking for ways to make the most of your money. Investing regularly, opening accounts or college funds for grandchildren, and investing in Treasury securities, dividend-paying stocks, and annuities are all great options. You may also want to consider collectibles, antiques, and property as additional sources of income. Money market accounts, certificates of deposit, and Treasury bills are all safe places to store cash for short-term needs.
When comparing multiple accounts and institutions, avoid minimum deposits, minimum balances, and monthly maintenance fees. Additionally, you may want to look further than your regular bank or credit union to find the highest APYs. Finally, researchers have found that older adults enjoy charitable giving more than their younger counterparts. Certificates of Deposit (CD) are one of the safest investment options for seniors because a fixed amount of money can be saved for a fixed amount of time to generate a guaranteed return. These can be purchased at banks, brokerage firms, and credit unions, and the bank pays a higher fixed interest on the fixed amount.
This is a savings account with a fixed monetary rate for a period of time. Well-established companies often pay dividends to shareholders. People who want to see a more consistent or stable source of income should consider dividend-paying stocks as a safer investment option. Treasury bills, notes, bonds and TIPS are some of the safest options. While the typical interest rate of these funds will be lower than that of other investments, they carry very little risk. The average 70-year-old will most likely benefit from investing in Treasury securities, dividend-paying stocks, and annuities.
All of these options offer relatively low risk. Many retirees rely primarily on their own savings for a portion of their retirement income. This includes traditional and Roth IRAs, retirement plans rated as 401 (k), s, 403 (b) and SIMPLE IRAs, and taxable investment accounts. Additional sources of income may include collectibles, antiques, and property. Countless seniors sell their primary residence and reduce its size, often investing part of the profits in additional income.
Retirees may need cash at any time for expenses such as a new car, home repairs, vacations, or medical care. Safe places to store cash for short-term needs are money market accounts, certificates of deposit and Treasury bills. These secure investments provide a small return in the form of interest and return of principal. Conservative investors consider return on capital to be their top priority; they don't want to lose money. Sufficient income this year will not extend far enough to pay the bills 10, 20 or more years in the future.
Like money market accounts, you can do better with an online bank than with a traditional financial institution. Avoid minimum deposits, minimum balances, and monthly maintenance fees when comparing multiple accounts and institutions. Look further than your regular bank or credit union to find the highest APYs. Part of this phenomenon is psychological. Researchers have found that older adults enjoy charitable giving more than their younger counterparts. On the other hand, older retirees may have less control over their finances than they think.
Decreased financial decision-making capacity during retirement is “extremely common” according to Daniel Marson, professor of neurology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
