While many people look forward to retirement, it can be a financially stressful period of life. Even if you've built a nice nest egg, there's the nagging thought of your money running out.
It's important to make strategic financial decisions for your retirement so you can live comfortably and minimize your stress. And that could mean avoiding these big mistakes.
Image source: Getty Images.
1. Withdrawing from your savings without having a plan
Even if you kick off retirement with a large amount of savings, it's important to manage that money carefully. To that end, rather than take withdrawals at random, come up with a withdrawal rate that makes sense based on your investment mix and income needs.
You might think that if you have a $2 million IRA, it doesn't matter if you withdraw $4,000 here or $5,000 there to pay for things like vacations. But failing to come up with a withdrawal plan puts you at risk of depleting your nest egg in your lifetime.
2. Taking large IRA or 401(k) withdrawals when the market is down
When the stock market slumps, you don't lose money unless you sell off assets when their value is down. But when you're living off of savings, you risk doing that if you continue to take large withdrawals from your retirement account while the market is in the midst of a decline.
Rather than ignore market conditions, pay attention. And make sure to always keep enough cash on hand to cover one to two years of living expenses. That way, if the market ends up in a prolonged slump, you'll have a way to pay your bills without having to lock in losses.
3. Investing your savings too conservatively
You may be inclined to pull out of the stock market in retirement to avoid the volatility that tends to come with it. But while it's smart to scale back on stocks at that stage of life, dumping your stocks completely could stunt your portfolio's growth. The result? Poor returns.
The less income your portfolio is able to generate during retirement, the less money you might have available to spend. It's really that simple.
You may want to keep anywhere from 30% to 60% of your retirement portfolio in stocks, depending on your risk tolerance, income needs, and outside income sources. A financial advisor can help you come up with a smart allocation, so it could pay to talk to one.
4. Claiming Social Security too soon
Even if you have a lot of savings, you might rely heavily on Social Security to cover many of your retirement expenses. That's why it's important to file for benefits carefully.
You can sign up for Social Security at any time once you turn 62. But if you don't wait until full retirement age, which is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later, you'll face a permanent reduction in your monthly benefits.
Getting less money from Social Security each month could limit your lifestyle over time. It could also put more of a strain on your savings and give you fewer options during a market downturn. So while it's not automatically a given that claiming Social Security ahead of full retirement age is a poor choice, it may not be optimal for you.
5. Not reviewing your Medicare plan choices each year
Healthcare could easily end up being one of your largest retirement expenses. So it's important to do what you can to save on your Medicare costs.
Part of that involves choosing your Medicare coverage carefully. So to that end, make sure to participate in open enrollment each fall, even if you're convinced you shouldn't change the plan you have.
Medicare's fall open enrollment starts on Oct. 15 annually and lasts until Dec. 7. During that time, you have an opportunity to switch your Part D drug plan or Medicare Advantage plan.
Medicare plan benefits and formularies can change from year to year, so it's always smart to review your coverage options to see if there's a less expensive alternate to your existing plan. And remember, when it comes to Medicare plans, cheaper doesn't always mean worse coverage. In many cases, it can mean equal or better coverage at a lower cost.
The last thing you want is to spend much of your retirement worrying about money. Avoiding these mistakes could be your ticket to enjoying your senior years without the constant strain of financial stress.
