While many Americans make plans for retirement, including saving through 401K programs or individual retirement accounts (IRAs), fewer people manage to achieve a solid, worry-free plan. Some investors choose to “do it themselves,” but this isn’t always a solid plan: after all, most Americans aren’t professional financial planners. Many questions need to be asked, including when and where you will retire, when you will begin drawing Social Security benefits, what your retirement living expenses will be, whether you have budgeted enough for healthcare post-retirement, and, finally, whether your assets are protected from risk. These are all issues that a financial advisor can help with, but risk zone management is one of the most important.
What is Risk Zone Management?
The Retirement Risk Zone is generally defined as the crucial years just before and after retirement, for between five and 10 years, when assets are at their most vulnerable. During this time, the decisions you make become even more important since mistakes can be hard or impossible to recover from during these years. Risk zone management refers to the practice of paying careful attention to the years just before retirement to ensure you have made good choices that will protect your nest egg in the event of adverse marketing conditions.
Asset Management During the Retirement Transition
Managing assets during the transition from work to retirement is both an art and a science. Individuals need to properly balance risk and reward as their risk tolerance declines. At the same time, they need to consider the potential effects of inflation. To this end, many investors follow the four percent rule, which is a common strategy that sees investors removing four percent of their retirement savings per year, adjusted for inflation. This strategy may not work for everyone, however. Other savers choose to pursue a more dynamic strategy that adjusts the amount of withdrawal based on market performance. What’s right for you will depend on several factors, including your post-retirement lifestyle and whether you’re planning to relocate after retirement.
Let an Investment Professional Guide You Through the Zone
Before you decide on a retirement investment strategy, consult with a reliable partner who can help you ensure you have a worry-free and secure retirement. Some retirees are more risk-averse than others, depending on the amount and type of investments they have for retirement. Since this is the money you will live on for years or decades after retirement, it’s too important to leave it to guesswork.
Finding the right solutions for protecting your estate is likely to be a complex process that will have many moving parts. For this reason, it’s important to consult with a financial services advisor who understands how to navigate through the critical risk zone and tailor an approach to you and your post-retirement lifestyle.
Learn how Arizona-based Prime Wealth Advisors’ full-service retirement planning, tax, estate, and wealth management can help you ensure you maximize your financial position. Call 623.77.PRIME or visit our website for more information.
