Just graduated? Give some thought to your final (not just your first) paycheck

As I sat watching my daughter’s graduation, I looked out at the sea of caps and gowns and wondered, how many of them are thinking about their final paycheck?  They were almost certainly thinking about their first.

But I work in retirement, so thinking about how people will pay for life in retirement is one of the great passions in my life. The reality is that we have only an educated guess for what is in store for today’s graduates when it comes time for them to retire. One thing we can say with confidence: the sooner they start to save and invest, the more prepared they will be and the greater flexibility they will have along the way.

What graduates and those just starting their first job need now are a few painless ways to get started. Share these tips with a grad you know:

1. Invest your graduation gifts

When family and friends splash the cash to congratulate you on your hard work, they expect you to treat yourself or hope to help smooth out some bumps as you get started. Investing that money may help you maximize their generosity. Of course, many grads may need to meet immediate expenses. If you cannot invest all of it, find a percentage you are comfortable investing.

2. Round up your student loan payments

Repaying student loans may seem like a daunting task. It may feel like paying for your past is getting in the way of building your future. But you may be able to use that habit of making your regular payment to do both. When you budget your payments, round up and invest the extra. For example, if you are paying $250 a month, budget $300 and invest the extra $50. (You may also look into refinancing your student loans and investing the savings.)

3. Explore technology that helps you save as you spend

A new generation of investment tools are designed to fit in with your lifestyle. For example, Acorns* rounds up the cost of simple every day purchases, like the salad you just bought for lunch, and invests the difference. It’s the digital-age equivalent of sweeping up your change every night and dropping it into a jar. It may seem small, but it adds up quickly.

4. Take advantage of your 401(k)

With all your future wages ahead of you, now’s the time to form good habits and expectations around how you invest. That’s part of the value of being defaulted into your company’s 401(k). It’s like auto-pay for retirement saving–you don’t have to think about it. But don’t just accept the default rate. Make sure you are contributing enough to get the full company match, and understand how long you need to stay in the job to be fully vested. Opt in to auto-escalation as well, so that each year–presumably when you get a raise–you can save and accrue a bit more.

5. Make your future even brighter

Here’s the thing–any start, no matter how small, can make a significant impact over time. And time is one thing all new grads have a lot of. So take advantage of it. Getting started doesn’t have to be difficult. There are many low-cost options available that may be an appropriate place to begin building your balance. Because it’s true what they tell you at commencement: Your future is bright. And now is the time to start investing in it.

*BlackRock has a strategic partnership with and minority investment in Acorns, the micro-investing app in the United States. Acorns aims to help America’s next generation of up-and-coming investors improve the way they engage with, save, and ultimately invest their money. Investing involves risks, including possible loss of principal. This material is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. The opinions expressed are as of June 2018 and may change as subsequent conditions vary. The information and opinions contained in this post are derived from proprietary and nonproprietary sources deemed by BlackRock to be reliable, are not necessarily all-inclusive and are not guaranteed as to accuracy. As such, no warranty of accuracy or reliability is given and no responsibility arising in any other way for errors and omissions (including responsibility to any person by reason of negligence) is accepted by BlackRock, its officers, employees or agents. This post may contain “forward-looking” information that is not purely historical in nature. Such information may include, among other things, projections and forecasts. There is no guarantee that any forecasts made will come to pass. Reliance upon information in this post is at the sole discretion of the reader. ©2018 BlackRock, Inc. All rights reserved. BLACKROCK is a registered trademark of BlackRock, Inc., or its subsidiaries in the United States and elsewhere. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. 524344

source https://www.blackrockblog.com/2018/06/26/graduation-advice-on-retirement/