Retirees Should Do This to Avoid a Catastrophic Financial Blow

Americans with retirement accounts believe they need an average of $1.8 million socked away to retire, according to a Charles Schwab study reported by CBS News — and about 55% of them say they’re behind on saving, per a recent Bankrate survey.

For women, that feeling is even more common, with 50% of them saying they’re not on track with retirement savings compared to just 35% of men, a new report from Goldman Sachs revealed.

What’s more, women are more likely to face challenges that could throw them even further off the savings course — from losing a spouse or partner to becoming a caregiver, according to recent research from financial services firm Edward Jones and aging research provider Age Wave, CNBC reported.

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The research found that having a spouse or partner pass away is the most common curveball for both men and women, but women are twice as likely to be widowed.

Assuming a caregiver role also disproportionately affects women; a majority of them said it was a “life-destroying” event both from a financial and life standpoint, Lena Haas, head of wealth management advice and solutions at Edward Jones, said.

Women are also more likely to need more retirement savings: 57% of all those ages 65 and older are female, and the average lifespan is about five years longer for women than men in the U.S., according to Harvard Health.

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The best way to safeguard your finances no matter what happens? Seek out a professional financial advisor and identify important questions that should be asked, considering key details like emergency funds, life insurance and long-term care insurance, Haas told CNBC.

Be sure to use an employer’s benefits department as a resource too; it can help you find out what’s available to you, Heather Ettinger, chairwoman of Fairport Wealth in Cleveland, Ohio, told the outlet.