Ways You Can Make Big Progress on Your Retirement Planning in Your 30s

While your twenties can be an exciting time full of new experiences, your thirties are a time when you move through the world with more confidence and clarity. So much of life still seems new and exciting, yet you're more established and have the funds to do more. This decade blends the excitement of youth with the ease of maturity.

Your thirties are the perfect time to elevate your retirement savings plan and build on the foundation you may have started in your twenties. If you’re just getting started, that’s okay, too! Retirement planning isn't about obsessively squirreling away money for your golden years, but rather finding a comfortable and simple way to build up these savings in a way that fits into your life.

Here's how to make your thirties the decade that you start making bigger progress in your retirement planning.

Compound growth is the key to retirement success

While the best time to start saving for retirement is "now," the second best time is "as soon as possible." That's because when it comes to retirement savings, compound interest is your champion. If you were to invest $15,000 at the age of 35 into an account earning 5.5% compound interest, you'd have $44,000 at the age of 60. Add annual contributions of $5,000, and that $44,000 becomes an impressive $300,000.

This is why you shouldn't wait to start your retirement investing journey, regardless of how much you're able to contribute each month. The magic happens when not only your contributions earn returns, but those returns begin earning returns, too — that's the power of compound growth working for you. If you're just now getting serious about your retirement planning in your thirties, you still have decades of compound growth ahead of you. Even the modest contributions today can turn into substantial retirement savings for your future.

Think of retirement as part of your bigger financial picture

The key to successful retirement planning isn't to do everything perfectly. Rather, it's to do everything intentionally and consistently. Not everyone in their thirties is going to be in a financial place where they can contribute as much as their peers. Someone in their thirties with children or student loan debt might have less to contribute than someone with fewer expenses.

Start by sitting down and asking yourself some questions about where you are currently when it comes to your retirement planning, in terms of how it fits into your overall financial wellness plan. Some initial questions to consider might include:

• Have you achieved your non-retirement savings goals already, such as a rainy day fund that you could live off for three months if you needed to?

• Are you taking advantage of all of your retirement savings options made available by your employer, such as your 401(k), and do you know how much your employer matches your contributions?

• If you have investments, do you understand how they're allocated, and what sort of return you can expect?

• Are you paying off your credit cards monthly, or do you find yourself often carrying a balance from one month to the next?

• If you have student loans, are you making the minimum payments, or could you comfortably pay more?

Three ways to secure a healthy retirement starting in your 30s

While retirement planning might look a little different for everyone, these are three aspects of retirement planning in your thirties that you should consider:

1. Make sure you're getting the most out of your 401(k)

Consider making the maximum contribution to your 401(k) plan through your employer so you receive the maximum matching benefit possible. How much your employer matches varies across companies. Often employer matches include a full and partial match on the first percentages of your annual salary. For example: 100% on the first 3%-7% of your salary and 50% on the remaining percent up to 9% for a total maximum employer match of 8% of your total annual salary. In order to receive the total employer match max of 8%, you would need to contribute 9% in this scenario.

2. Consider a Roth IRA

A Roth IRA is a great choice if you're looking to save for retirement beyond your 401(K). A Roth IRA is an investment account where your money earns a return via stocks, bonds, and other financial products. The beauty of this account is that once you reach the age of 59.5, your withdrawals can be tax and penalty-free so long as your account has been open for 5 years. This is why it's such a useful retirement savings tool, particularly if you anticipate moving into a higher tax bracket in the decades to come. A Roth IRA is also an excellent option for the self-employed, alongside solo 401(k)s and SEP IRAs, both of which offer higher contribution limits.

3. Automate wherever possible

Cultivating financial wellness doesn't have to be high-stress and high-effort. You can streamline your efforts by setting up automatic contributions to your retirement accounts. Retirement planning is easier when you simply make contributions a line item in your monthly budget.

Now is the perfect time to solidify your retirement planning goals

If you feel more behind on your financial goals than you thought you'd be in your thirties, you're not alone. A lot of today's thirty-somethings feel like they're farther behind in this decade than their parents were at the same age.

The good news is that if you're beginning to seriously think about your financial future, you've taken the first step towards setting and achieving actionable financial goals. Don't think of your current financial situation as a destination where you've ended up, but rather as a starting point for where you're going.

No matter where you are in your financial journey, small financial gains will create the momentum you need to eventually achieve larger goals. Whether it's starting a rainy day fund or making your first retirement contribution, every little step you take is progress, so pat yourself on the back and celebrate those victories, even when they seem small.

Resources that can help you optimize your financial wellness

Financial wellness is as important as physical or mental wellness. Folio is your best friend when it comes to keeping a big picture view of your financial health. You can track your credit cards, checking accounts, savings, loans, and investment accounts in a single dashboard where your balances are updated daily. If you're seeking even more clarity and guidance, you can also book a 20-minute or 50-minute session with a Mentor who can help you take actionable steps toward a secure financial future.