Vitucci & Associates, Bay Area Independent Financial Advisors, Endorses "Save for Retirement Week Promoting Financial Awareness"

    WALNUT CREEK, CA, October 13, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- When it comes to saving for retirement, there is never a better time than today to assess your prospects toward meeting your goals. And with our nation's leaders declaring Oct. 16 through Oct. 22 as National Save for Retirement Week, you have a great opportunity.

National Save for Retirement Week is the first congressionally endorsed, national event formally calling on all employees to take full advantage of employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Pat Vitucci, a Bay Area Independent Financial Advisor, predicts that retirees will need from 80 percent to 100 percent of their pre-retirement income to maintain their lifestyle after retirement. Yet, surveys show that most Americans remain unprepared for retirement.

"Many workers already participate in company sponsored retirement plans, which provide a foundation for retirement saving", said Vitucci. "And many workers will also be eligible for Social Security benefits at retirement age."

"But, for many, that won't be enough", continued Vitucci. "They will need to add additional retirement savings in order to live comfortably and securely during their retirement years - to fulfill their dreams."

For many Americans today it is important to begin saving for retirement - or increasing contributions to meet their goals. National Save for Retirement Week is dedicated to showing how important it is meet retirement objectives by contributing regularly and investing wisely for the long term.

Here are a few simple examples of what it takes to prepare for when it's time to retire*:
- Save just $10 per week in a deferred compensation plan for 40 years and earn an annual rate of return of 7 percent, and you will have an account with over $100,000. That just shows the power of tax-deferred savings.
- If you start a little later, don't be discouraged. You can still save more than $73,000, by setting aside $60 a month in a tax-deferred savings account for 30 years and at a 7 percent return.
- If you are saving now, and you increase your contributions, you can really make a difference in your final total. Over 30 years, adding $25 to your $100 biweekly contribution can increase your account from $264,327 to more than $330,409, assuming you earn 7 percent.
- Saver's Credit. Sometimes saving seems really hard, especially if your income is limited. The government has a special Saver's Credit just for you. If you are eligible, you can actually receive money back when you file your tax return.

*Examples used as an illustration only and are not indicative of any particular investment. Actual results will vary. Assumes reinvestment of dividends with no consequence of fees or taxes. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

There are many resources available on the Internet to provide you with the information you need to plan for retirement. Here are a few sites that will help you get started:
- www.ssa.gov - Social Security Administration - You will find calculators to determine what your benefit will be, information on how to apply for benefits and other information about the government retirement system.

- www.asec.org -American Savings Education Council - A useful calculator helps you estimate how much you need to save to meet your retirement goals as well as a number of savings tips and useful brochures.

National Save for Retirement Week Goals
Help Americans understand how critical it is to save now for their financial future
- Promote the benefits of getting started saving for retirement today
- Encourage employees to take full advantage of their employer-sponsored plans by increasing their contributions

National Save for Retirement Week Key Messages
- National Save for Retirement Week is the first congressionally endorsed, national event formally calling on employers to promote the benefits of saving for retirement, and encourage their employees to take full advantage of employer-sponsored plans.
- This year National Save for Retirement Week is October 16th through 22nd.
- Statistics reflect that outside of employer-sponsored plans, employees save very little. Trends also reflect that over the last 30 years, tax deferred savings plans have largely replaced pension plans - placing the burden on employees to take the initiative to begin investing adequately within their employer-sponsored plans.

Pat Vitucci provides financial advice for several radio and television stations and hosts his own hour-long radio show called "Your Financial Life." He conducts seminars on various financial topics throughout the Bay Area, sometimes in conjunction with other industry professionals, and has lectured at many organizations, both civic and fraternal, and at numerous corporate-sponsored events.

Pat's mantra--"Don't Invest And Forget"--is not only the title of his recent book, but reflects his approach to managing investments with an active asset allocation method of continually evaluating and redeploying clients' portfolios based upon changing market conditions.

Pat Vitucci has been an active leader in the financial services industry for more than 30 years. He has served in various capacities in his corporate life, including as President of Broker Relations and President of a subsidiary of a major financial corporation. He lives in Alamo and was educated at, Monmouth University in New Jersey where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics.

Security and advisory services offered through National Planning Corporation (NPC), member FINRA, SIPC and a registered investment advisor. Vitucci &Associates and NPC are separate and unrelated companies. 57321

San Francisco Bay Area Independent Financial Advisor and Radio Personality Pat Vitucci founded Vitucci & Associates more than 16 years ago. For more information, please contact us at (800) 472-8305 or visit us at www.dontinvestandforget.com.

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