Retirement plans can be put back on track

Retirement plans can be caught up even after being unemployed, according to an article in Reuters.

"Don't despair if you've been through a job loss in your late fifties or early sixties," Christine Fahlund, a senior financial planner and vice president at T. Rowe Price, told Reuters.

An analysis by T. Rowe Price found that a retirement saver who was unemployed for three years can get back on track.

This person started saving in his or her 20’s in order to retire at 65. The goal was to replace 57 percent of pre-retirement income. After being unemployed, the goals can still be achieved by either accepting a lower percentage income replacement or boosting contribution levels from the previous 13 percent to 18 percent.

Savers can add up to $17,500 to a 401(k) in 2013. For those over 50, an additional $5,500 catch-up money can be added as well.

Claiming Social Security a little later and working a few years longer can also help.

"You get about 8 percent more for every year you wait — it's the cheapest way to buy a lifetime better annuity income,” Steve Utkus, director of the Vanguard Center for Retirement Research, told Reuters. “Waiting even two years will pay dividends over decades of retirement."

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