Being 18 years old, I think I would have started saving for my retirement. This was something that I didn't become aware of until my mid 20s and truly did not see the importance of it until my 30s. That time to invest is more valuable than some people realize. I would have made a budget that included saving as a priority. I feel that if I would have done this at 18 I would be in a much greater financial situation. A thing that I preach to my children is investing young and compound interest. These two things paired together insure that they will have money in retirement and not have to rely solely on Social Security.

Given the current state of Social Security, it is known by 2035 that there will only be enough money to pay 75% of the payment. It would be a mistake to rely on SS with the uncertainty of funding. I know that my grandmother only has SS and she struggles with her monthly expenses and needs my dad to help her.

Real estate can be helpful in your later years. Buying homes and renting gives a person the ability to still receive income in the later years. This works well if you have someone to manage the properties. Repairs can get tiresome depending on how many rental homes you have. The homes can also be sold to receive a lump sum in cash, which can help fund important needs in the future. The only downside to real estate is the liquidity. If your wealth is tied up in homes and you need money quickly, you are a prisoner to the market and the buying process. Respond to Tiffany your classmate post.

Your 100- to 150-word responses should focus on elaborating on the investment technique or concept that your peers selected in their initial posts.