My mom helped start me off with an initial $1,000 that I put into a Certificate of Deposit at Disneyland's credit union.
My other retirement investments are riskier compared to the CD and include vehicles, such as stocks through my IRA, mutual funds through my 401k.
Being in a business-oriented fraternity in college provided me with a network of stock-savvy friends who helped me research and analyze stocks to invest in. Since I graduated college this past summer, I enrolled in my company's 401(k) as they matched 5% of my contributions.
Through my CDs, IRA and 401(k), I'm saving and investing about $6,000 annually for retirement. This amount doesn't include the interest, dividends or equity that I am earning.
However, the biggest thing that I am investing in for my retirement is real estate. I became a licensed real estate agent as a freshman in college and recently purchased my first home at the age of 23. This will be the first of many real estate properties that I am planning to invest in for income and retirement purposes. I'd like to buy condominiums in different areas and manage them during retirement.
It's one thing to work when you are in retirement age for enjoyment, but I don't plan on working during retirement age to make end's meet. I also want to make sure that my parents can retire comfortably.
A quarter of middle class Americans plan to delay retirement until they are at least 80 years old.
