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7 Bills You Never Have To Pay When You Retire

One of the things that many workers don’t understand about retirement is that you’ll probably have to create a completely new budget. While you might feel as if life will continue in more or less the same fashion, the truth is that lifestyles and spending patterns change in retirement, sometimes dramatically.

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The good news is that many retirees learn that common expenses they’ve had in their working budget for years will actually disappear, freeing up more cash flow for other costs or even discretionary expenses. While not all retirement budgets are the same, here are some common bills that you may find you no longer have to pay once you retire.

By the time you retire, it’s possible you can kiss your mortgage goodbye. If you take out a 30-year mortgage at age 35 or earlier, for example, you’ll have it entirely paid off if you retire at age 65.

Even if you take out a mortgage after that age, there are two ways you may have it paid off by the time you retire. The first is simply by making additional principal payments along the way. Another way is to consider a shorter mortgage. With a 15-year mortgage, for example, even if you buy a house at age 50, it can still be paid off by retirement.

Without a mortgage, you’ll likely free up thousands of dollars from your monthly retirement budget.

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Many workers have two cars, especially if they have families. But by the time you retire, you’ll likely be an empty nester.

While you may also want a car for your spouse, many retirees can get by quite easily on just a single car. And if you’ve paid that car off, then you won’t have any car loan expense at all.

As most Americans pay car loans throughout their working lives, this can save you hundreds of dollars per month after you retire.

Generally speaking, your tax burden will be higher during your working career than it will be after you retire.

Most retirees live off a combination of fixed income sources, such as Social Security and investment income. For many retirees, Social Security isn’t taxed at all, and no retiree pays taxes on more than 85% of their Social Security income.

Investment income can also receive special tax treatment, especially if it comes from qualified dividends or capital gains. You may also find yourself in a lower tax bracket after you retire, as your peak earning years are generally in your 50s, not after retirement.