Even with a quarter of a million dollars in student loans, saving early for retirement is smart. There are a few ways to make it possible.
What are your recommendations for a recent dental school graduate, now practicing in California, who has about $250,000 of dental school loans to pay off but who also knows the importance of starting to save for retirement?If you’re the graduate, congratulations. Your debt load is obviously significant, but so is your earning potential. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median pay for dentists nationwide is more than $150,000 a year.
Ideally, you wouldn’t have borrowed more in total than you expected to earn your first year on the job. That would have made it possible to pay off the debt within 10 years without stinting on other goals. A more realistic plan now is to repay your loans over 20 years or so. That will lower your monthly payment to a more manageable level, although it will increase the total interest you pay.
Like other graduates, you’d be wise to start saving for retirement now rather than waiting until your debt is gone. The longer you wait to start, the harder it is to catch up, and you’ll have missed all the tax breaks, company matches and tax-deferred compounding you could have earned.Also be sure to buy long-term disability insurance, even though it may be expensive.
But of course there are exceptions, and you’re one of them. People who don’t accrue the necessary quarters typically can pay premiums to get Part A coverage if they are age 65 or older and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. The standard monthly premium for Part A is $437 for people who paid Medicare taxes for less than 30 quarters and $240 for those with 30 to 39 quarters.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Here's why Jay Leno once took a 50% pay cutHere's why the former Tonight Show host said it was 'no problem' taking a 50% pay cut to save his loyal staff.
Read more »
Retirement expert: 'People are spending way too much money on stupid stuff'Retirement expert: 'People are spending way too much money on stupid stuff' via YahooFinance
Read more »
The No. 1 reason millennials are struggling to save for retirement—and it's not debtMost millennials feel behind when it comes to saving for retirement. Here's the top reason they say they're not setting aside enough, according to a 2019 TD Ameritrade survey.
Read more »
Here's how long $1 million in retirement savings will last in 10 major U.S. citiesTo determine how long a $1 million retirement fund would last, SmartAsset looked at average expenses for seniors, cost of living and investment returns in major U.S. cities.
Read more »
Here's why you might find stocks like Microsoft in ESG-friendly fundsESG, an investing theme that stands for Environmental, Social and Governance, is gaining traction on Wall Street, but the stocks inside many ESG funds may come as a surprise.
Read more »
Here's Why Tess Holliday Is Our Breakout Star of Fashion WeekPlus-size supermodel is revolutionizing the industry one runway walk at a time
Read more »