Simple Trading: 6 Steps To Relieve Your Retirement Crisis

In this post, I'm to going to give you a quick, simple process to help you start rescuing your retirement from its current crisis state... even though you likely think it's "too late for you to get started."

If you're like most Americans of a certain age, you're in for a rude awakening when you no longer have a "steady" paycheck.

Very rude.

You're simply not prepared for retirement.

Your savings will NOT be enough.

Especially since the most important part of the savings paradigm is sorely lacking...

Growth on those savings.

In other words, compounding.

The mutual fund industry and their "long term" mantra aren't helping in this regard... Still, you're staying with them because "what else are you gonna do" right?

When it comes right down to it, most people stick with mutual funds because they don't know what else to do. You've all likely heard somewhere at some point that mutual funds are "the way to go" to prepare for retirement. Not only do I disagree with that idea, I do so loudly... and, perhaps, a bit indignantly.

Incidentally, your 70-year-old self is gonna be incredibly disappointed with you if you stick to the mutual fund approach. Actually, scratch that... your 70-year-old self is gonna be PISSED if you stay that course.

Even now, we're starting to see more and more articles about seniors going back to work post-retirement... mostly because they're worried about running out of money.

So what can you do instead?

Free advice is generally worth what you pay for it [often less], but here is some that's priceless... especially if you implement the steps.

6 Steps To Relieving Your Retirement Crisis

1) Move aggressively to living your life on a cash basis. Debt is the devil’s work... not to be confused with short-term leverage, of course. The more quickly you can transition from credit to cash, the better off you’ll be. After said transition, restructure your financial accounts as below.

2) Never use a savings account for “savings.” Accumulate 3-6 months of expenses in a brokerage account... Then begin to work that money into a low-cost index fund (I prefer the S&P Smallcap or the Midcap, but that's me). If you ultimately have sufficient confidence in this strategy, I suggest you consider using a leveraged fund. The results can be borderline insane. Your sell date by the way, is essentially, never. Over time as you continue to save, add to your position and allow the index to work its magic, the size of this "emergency" account will become substantial.

3) Develop, beg, borrow or buy a profitable Price Behavior based trading strategy. "Finding" it means more than just locating the strategy. You have to identify strategy candidates then test them (without risking a cent...i.e., paper trading). Use the strategy or strategies you like most. You should “like” the strategy that delivers the most return for the least amount of risk the most frequently for the timeframe the most by the way.

4) Maximize your 401k each year [assuming your employer matches your contributions... why turn your nose up at "free money"?] and make use of DRIPs [Dividend Reinvestment Plans]. In these accounts, you buy a few high-yielding stocks and allow your positions to grow both through the addition of funds each year as well as through the dividends paid in quarterly. 401k accounts are tax-deferred, so take full advantage of growing your money in this type of environment without the drag of taxes.

5) Open and fund a ROTH IRA account (if your current income is low enough). Maximize your contributions to this account every year as well. Deploy your vetted strategy (from #3 above) on trades lasting a few days to a couple of weeks. I like using a single, leveraged ETF and/or options for these trades. As always, start at the smallest level possible and grow your account organically. Your goal is to average around 2.5% per week [$25 for every $1,000 in your account].

Bonus

6) If you have still more funds to deploy and/or you're close to retirement, you have a schedule that's amenable (do not quit your job to do this) and you're looking to truly hypercompound your assets, take a look at Simple Day Trading... More specifically, look at day trading US Equity Index Futures. This is essentially deploying THE SAME STRATEGY from #3 above on smaller time frames (intraday). If done effectively, there is literally NO FASTER WAY to grow your funds.

A few caveats...

1) Some of the recommendations above are classified as "risky." I don't know of a way to generate return (legally) without some risk. Your goal should be to minimize risk at every turn and then maximize the return you're getting for said risk.

2) I am neither money manager nor broker... I don't give financial advice specific to your financial circumstances. If you don't see how you can do the above, it means that you can't do it... For now at least. There's no magic asterisk...

3) No, I will not manage your money.

4) No, I don't teach people to trade... anymore at least. I guide/mentor... you teach yourself. If that sounds harsh, I'm probably not someone you want to follow.

Clearly, if you're in your fifties/early sixties and you have limited retirement savings you should be concerned.

But you needn't panic just yet. Follow the above prescription and stick around... you'll have your retirement rescued before you know it.

Good trading.

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