For some of us, financial decisions are the easiest to delay. You may have the best of intentions, but the pressures and activities of daily life take over, and increasing your 401(k) contribution or rolling over that IRA never rises to the level of action. In fact, 58 percent of Americans aged 50-70 agreed with the statement, “I could save more money for retirement if I wanted to,” according to the 2013 Ameriprise Financial Retirement Check-In® survey.
What prevents people from taking action in their own self-interest? “Short-term thinking is inherent in being human,” according to David DiSalvo, author of the new book, Brain changer: How harnessing your brain’s power to adapt can change your life. “Our brains seem to be wired to grab immediate rewards and handicapped when it comes to envisioning long-term payoffs.”
With financial issues, short-term thinking can lead to denial; we pretend the future will take care of itself, even if we know For some of us, financial decisions are the easiest to delay. You may have the best of intentions, but the pressures and activities of daily life take over, and increasing your 401(k) contribution or rolling over that IRA never rises to the level of action. In fact, 58 percent of Americans aged 50-70 agreed with the statement, “I could save more money for retirement if I wanted to,” according to the 2013 Ameriprise Financial Retirement Check-In® survey.
What prevents people from taking action in their own self-interest? “Short-term thinking is inherent in being human,” according to David DiSalvo, author of the new book, Brain changer: How harnessing your brain’s power to adapt can change your life. “Our brains seem to be wired to grab immediate rewards and handicapped when it comes to envisioning long-term payoffs.”
With financial issues, short-term thinking can lead to denial; we pretend the future will take care of itself, even if we know that’s not true. People in their fifties, for example, have a hard time accepting that their high-paying careers won’t last forever and that retirement is only a decade or so away. Or, they may receive sound financial advice but then never act on it because it seems complicated or time-consuming. “We feel overwhelmed chiefly because we are fearful, and we frequently get lost in distractions to avoid facing our fear,” says DiSalvo.
But, here’s the good news — you can become unstuck. According to DiSalvo, the best thing we can do to override our brain’s short-term bias is to develop a more consistent discipline to stop and intentionally take a long-term view. “The hardest part is becoming more comfortable with short-term sacrifices,” he says, but practice does help.
Here are recommendations from Ameriprise advisors on how to catch up on your retirement savings:
Start small. Start by making that phone call or sending an email to get the ball rolling for one thing on your list. Then schedule time on your calendar for the next action. Deadlines help.
Follow the natural progression. One action often inspires the next action. If you increase your 401(k) contribution, then it’s logical to review your current investment choices and update your diversification plan.
Leave feelings out of it. Today’s a new day. Even if you wish you had moved forward before, feeling guilty is not productive.
Enlist a partner. Work with your financial advisor to develop a manageable action plan. Commit to accomplishing one or two action items between meetings. And be explicit if you want your advisor to follow up with reminders.
Celebrate successes. Set milestones for your progress over the next year or two. When you achieve one, promise yourself a meaningful reward.
Make sure to be clear and honest with your advisor about your goals and concerns. Decision-making is easier when you have an open dialogue and a strong mentor — one with whom you can have discussions, debates and even disagreements. It’s easier to see beyond the short-term when you work with someone who has your long-term interests at heart.