Why Success in Retirement Isn't All About Assets (and What it is About)

Most of us, and rightly so, view retirement as the ultimate reward for a lifetime of hard work. There are so many things to look forward to — from being able to sleep in every morning to having more time to spend with family or more freedom to pursue hobbies. 

As exciting as this time may be, experience has taught us that transitioning into retirement isn’t easy for many people. It can be an entirely new way of living, and changing nearly everything after a lifetime can naturally take some getting used to.

The sense of relief when reaching retirement may fade almost as soon as the retirement party is over. Even those with large investment portfolios may find themselves spending their newfound free time on an activity that isn’t fun for any of us — worrying about things outside our control.

Conventional wisdom tells us that the key to success in retirement is having a well-stocked nest egg, but for many retirees that simply isn’t the case.

None of us knows how long we’ll live, or what the stock market may do over the long- or short-term. And without a proper plan in place, nest eggs of all sizes can definitely be vulnerable to a number of financial risks, including:

Longevity risk - how long you'll live, or how long you'll need your money to last

Market risk - market losses can impact your investments, especially if they happen early in retirement 

Inflation - the rising cost of goods and services which can negatively impact purchasing power

Of course, no one can create a retirement that is free from all financial risks, but fortunately, there are proactive steps retirees can take to help minimize their exposure.

A Solid Plan and Guaranteed Income Can Lead to a Happier Retirement

When sources of guaranteed income are generated to help cover retirees’ expenses, goals and potential challenges, they can experience a level of financial confidence that many retirees may never know — even those with much larger portfolios.

Best of all, establishing guaranteed income sources can help retirees prevent two undesirable outcomes in retirement:

Outliving their money - running out of funds later in life, whether they live longer than expected or spend too much early-on in retirement

Under-living their retirement - being so scared of outliving their money that they live beneath their means and never spend money on the things they always wanted to do

To learn more about how to help minimize your financial risk, attend our informative workshop presented by author, Tom Hegna, 4 Steps to Help Secure Your Retirement.