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50 Habits That Will Prepare You for a Comfortable Retirement

A comfortable retirement isn’t built overnight and it doesn’t require a six-figure salary. What makes the difference are the small habits you build over time. Whether you’re in your 20s or 50s the right habits will help you build the kind of retirement you want.

The 50 habits below will set you up for a comfortable retirement.

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1. Start saving and investing early. Time is your greatest asset. The earlier you start, the more time your savings and investments have to grow.

2. Automate your finances. Set up automatic transfers to your savings, investing and retirement accounts.

3. Build an emergency fund. Save at least three to six months’ worth of living expenses to avoid tapping into your retirement accounts during emergencies.

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4. Take advantage of employer 401(k) match. This is free money. Always contribute enough to your 401(k) to get the full employer match.

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5. Contribute to an IRA. Use a traditional IRA or Roth IRA to grow your retirement savings tax-efficiently.

6. Diversify your investments. Don’t invest in one asset class. Spread your money across stocks, index funds, ETFs and bonds to reduce risk.

7. Invest consistently. Use dollar cost averaging to invest consistently regardless of where the market goes.

8. Rebalance your portfolio regularly. Review your portfolio year and adjust asset classes based on your risk tolerance and goals.

9. Understand your risk tolerance. Pick investments that align with your risk appetite.

10. Avoid emotional investing. Stick to your plan despite the market swings.

11. Increase your retirement contributions annually.

12. Don’t panic during market downturns. Don’t panic sell your investments when the market is going down.

13. Stay invested long-term. Time in the market beats timing the market.

14. Shop for insurance annually. Compare rates for auto, home and health insurance to ensure that you’re getting the best rates.

15. Use catch-up contributions. Contribute more to your retirement accounts once you hit the age of 50.

16. Avoid early withdrawals. Don’t tap into your retirement accounts unless it’s an emergency that deserves the withdrawal penalty.

17. Harvest tax losses. Strategically realize losses to offset gains and reduce current tax liability

18. Track your expenses. Know where your money goes so you can cut back when needed.