If you had a dollar for every time you heard the phrase “Start investing early,” you could retire with a million. If you actually acted on that phrase, you are probably retiring with more. Now is the time to encourage your children and grandchildren to start saving as soon as they get their first job. Let’s assume that your teenage child or grandchild is employed for five years from age 16 to age 21. During this time, he or she saves $276 per month ($3,315 per year) and invests the money in a Roth IRA (paying taxes, of course, but at a low tax bracket). This may be a serious sacrifice for a teenager, so any contribution from you would be of great help. Assuming the money returns the historical equivalent of a diversified 60% stock/40% bond portfolio, your child can retire at 65 with $1 million tax-free, without having to invest another dollar after age 21.
