An investments expert is in central Iowa today, talking with folks about saving for retirement. Don Blandin is president and C-E-O of Investor Protection Trust, a nonprofit Washington D.C. based organization devoted to investor education. Blandin says most of us get an annual income statement from Social Security in the mail, usually about three months before our birthday. He says to take the time to look over the statement and do an annual financial checkup to see where else your income will be coming from upon reaching retirement. Blandin says set specific goals so you’ll know how much money you’ll need and for how long you’ll need it. Blandin says Social Security was never meant to be a retirement plan alone — he says it needs to be supplemented with other savings, through something like a 401-K or an I-R-A. Blandin says it’s recommended you save between 80 and 120-percent of your pre-retirement earnings for each year of retirement. He says that range depends on the type of lifestyle you’ll want in retirement. If you plan to do some gardening and little traveling, then you might be fine with 80-percent. If you want to join the “cruise of the month” club and do lots of traveling, you’ll need to save more. Blandin is speaking tonight from 6:30 to 8 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Urbandale.
