A new analysis from Seniorly has put the American retirement crisis into black-and-white numbers. On a national basis, seniors in 41 of the 50 states, along with those in Washington, D.C., are projected to outlive their savings. Specifically, Seniorly sees those seniors falling short of their retirement needs by an average of $115,000.
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Unfortunately, this is the stark reality that many Americans are facing when it comes to retirement. But as bad as these stats from Seniorly are, things are even worse in the great state of New York.
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What’s the Deficit in New York?
According to Seniorly, New York is No. 1 in the nation when it comes to coming up short in terms of retirement needs. The average senior in New York is expected to face a $448,000 shortfall in retirement. Total expenses are projected at $1.12 million, but retirement income is only $670,000 on average, according to the data.
New York is not the most expensive state. In fact, four other states (as well as Washington, D.C.) have higher projected expenses:
- Hawaii: $1.74 million
- Massachusetts: $1.31 million
- California: $1.26 million
- Washington, D.C.: $1.14 million
But New York is still tops in terms of a retirement savings deficit because incomes are higher in these locations. Hawaii, for example, has the highest total retirement income in the nation, at $1.32 million. That’s almost double the income in New York, resulting in the disparity.
However, Hawaii still ranks No. 2 in terms of a retirement deficit for its seniors. Massachusetts, California and Washington, D.C., rank No. 6, No. 5 and No. 3, respectively.
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What States Have the Biggest Cushions?
Results of the study vary from state to state, but the bottom line is that only nine states have an average income that exceeds the average expenses in retirement.
| State | Expected Surplus |
| Washington | $146,000 |
| Utah | $121,000 |
| Montana | $43,000 |
| Colorado | $38,000 |
| Iowa | $32,000 |
| Minnesota | $23,000 |
| Maryland | $13,000 |
| Kansas | $8,000 |
| South Carolina | $2,000 |
How Can You Secure Your Retirement?
The good thing about retirement projections is that they are just that — projections. While you can’t control every variable when it comes to retirement planning, you can greatly increase your chances for outliving your money. Here are some important steps, according to Seniorly:
- Use tools: There are plenty of online calculators that can help you determine how long your savings will last. Play with different variables, such as your investment return, longevity and expenses, to see how they can affect your overall outcome.
- Don’t assume you’re average: No one understands your lifestyle needs better than you do. While the state-by-state averages can be a starting place, tweak that data based on your own personal real-world income and expenses to get a more accurate projection.
- Optimize your Social Security strategy: You might want to consider working with a financial professional to help you choose the best time to claim your Social Security benefits.
- Factor in unexpected expenses: Income, investment returns and expenses are all variables that may not come in exactly where you project. To help cover unexpected costs that could otherwise derail your financial plan, build an emergency fund and consider additional insurance, such as long-term care and/or umbrella policies.
- Talk about your plan: Whether it’s with your spouse, significant other, adult children or financial advisor, bouncing your plan off someone can provide you with insights you might overlook in terms of how your strategy might meet your needs.
In addition to these tips, take a hard look at your income, spending patterns and investment returns. If your cost of living is too high, consider moving to a lower-cost state to improve your chances of outliving your money. If there’s a way to boost your income, take advantage of it as early as you can so you can build your assets. If your portfolio is too conservative to meet your needs, consider adding a bit of risk to help you grow your nest egg, as long as it remains within your risk tolerance. This is where a fiduciary financial advisor can be helpful.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Retirees in This State Will Outlive Savings by Almost Half a Million Dollars
