How to save for retirement if you don't have a full-time job

Freelancers have to retire, too! Here's how to build your retirement fund without an employer's help.

Home office.
(Image credit: iStock)

For many Americans, 9-to-5 corporate culture is losing its appeal: Nearly one in three working Americans (that's 54 million people!) are freelancers or independent workers, according to the Freelancers Union. It's easy to see why — the benefits of self-employment for both individuals and corporations are numerous. But while it's hard to beat the autonomy of being your own boss, one glaring deficit is the lack of an easily accessible, employment-sponsored retirement plan.

Even if you aren't a freelancer, chances are you have some lingering concern about what your financial situation might look like when you retire. A recent report from the National Institute on Retirement Security says as many as 88 percent of Americans feel strongly that our nation is headed for a retirement crisis. Even more worrying, as many as 76 percent of Americans are concerned about economic conditions affecting their ability to achieve a secure retirement.

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Vivian Manning-Schaffel

Vivian Manning-Schaffel is a journalist, essayist, creative writer, and editor. Her writing has been featured in NBC News BETTER, Medium, Lenny Letter, The New York Times, and many other additional outlets. Find her online at her website and on Twitter at @VeeManningS and @SoapboxDirty.