Life involves risk. One of them is retirement, and whether the money we save to fund it will last. Do you understand your risk, and actions you can take now to manage it?

 

A recent survey found that retirement security may be threatened by these four risk factors: longevity, behavior, market conditions and inflation. The survey found a disconnect between each of these risks and retirement plan savers’ actions. So there’s no time like the present to make sure you understand them and how your retirement savings decisions will impact, or be impacted by, them.

In 2020, life expectancy for the average American is roughly 79 years. However, many can expect to live into their 80s, 90s or more. Social Security may provide a minimal income, leaving a gap that must be filled through personal savings. Are you confident that your 401(k) balance and other savings will last 20, 30 or even 40 years?

 

Considering the risk of outliving one’s savings, it is generally wise to begin making significant retirement contributions as soon as one enters the workforce. Then, leave the money in the plan and invest it appropriately. While intentions are good, however, many people don’t follow this course of wisdom. Instead, they delay starting, contribute little, and take a distribution when changing jobs. The result of these behaviors can be a significant hit to your ultimate account balances, and have a serious, long-term impact on retirement security.

 

The market goes up and the market goes down. No one can stop the fluctuations, but people can manage their reactions to them. Understanding that concept may help you to stick to an appropriate long-term investing strategy, providing some protection against the storm. Instead of reacting emotionally to market fluctuations (see Risk #2!), understanding this may help you feel prepared to ride out the bumps.

 

Some investors are so nervous about the stock market that they believe their money is safer in a cash equivalent fund, like a money market. They don’t realize that their earnings may not be keeping up with inflation, thus rendering their money less valuable as each day passes. Education can help you see that an extremely conservative investment may not be as safe as you believe it to be.

 

The 2020 Retirement Risk Readiness Study from Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York found that 65% of pre-retirees said they plan to work at least part time during their retirement years. However, among those who are actually retired, just 7% are working. Fifty percent of retirees said they retired earlier than planned, mainly due to factors outside of their control; 34% of that group suffered an unexpected job loss and 25% retired early for health reasons.

 

By ensuring you understand the factors that impact retirement, you can take steps to improve your ability to reach retirement security. Starting today will help you plan for a better tomorrow.