SPOTLIGHT

Five key risks of retirement

Before your clients can embark on building a practical road map to financial security, they need to understand five key risks that can potentially derail a lifetime income plan.

Longevity
Longevity

Plan for living longer than you think

A retirement income plan may help to ensure that your client’s assets last as long as their retirement. When thinking about how long they might need income, many people tend to think in terms of life expectancy. But statistically, half of the population will live longer than their expectancy, which means that they will underestimate how long they will need their savings to last.



*At least one surviving individual. Source: Based on Society of Actuaries RP-2014 Mortality Table projected with Mortality Improvement Scale MP-2021, as of 2022.

Health care expenses
Health care expenses

Saving for rising costs

 

Longer life spans, rising medical costs, declining employer-sponsored medical coverage, and possible shortfalls ahead for Medicare all add up to make health care expenses a critical challenge for retirees and pre-retirees alike.

In fact, a Fidelity study1 estimates that a couple retiring in 2024 at age 65 may need current savings of approximately $330,000 to supplement Medicare and cover their out-of-pocket health care costs in retirement.

The estimate includes:

Inflation
Inflation

Even low inflation could damage purchasing power²

Inflation is the long-term tendency of money to lose purchasing power. And it can have a particularly negative effect on retirees because it chips away at retirement income in two ways:

  • Increases the future cost of goods and services
  • Potentially erodes the value of assets set aside to meet those costs

 


All numbers were calculated based on hypothetical inflation rates of 2%, 3%, and 4% (historical average from 1926 to 2022 was 3%) to show the effects of inflation over time. Actual inflation rates may be more or less.

Asset allocation
Asset allocation

Retirees need stocks for the long haul

Some people fear losing their nest egg, so they avoid stocks and stick with fixed-income investments. But by doing this they give up long-term growth potential and risk outliving their money.

1926–2023 comparison of average annual rising costs vs. average annual investment returns3


Stocks are composed of domestic and foreign stocks.

This graph is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent actual or implied performance of any investment option. All indices are unmanaged, and it is not possible to invest directly in an index. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Returns include the reinvestment of dividends and other earnings. Data source: Morningstar Inc., 2024 (1926–2023). Domestic stocks are represented by the S&P 500® index, bonds are represented by U.S. Intermediate Government Bond Index, and short-term assets are based on the 30-day US Treasury bill. Foreign equities are represented by the MSCI Europe, Australasia, and Far East Index for the period from 1970 to the last calendar year. Foreign equities prior to 1970 are represented by the S&P 500® index. Inflation is represented by the Consumer Price Index. U.S. stock prices are more volatile than those of other securities. Government bonds and corporate bonds have more moderate short-term price fluctuation than stocks but provide lower potential long-term returns. U.S. Treasury bills maintain a stable value (if held to maturity), but returns are generally only slightly above the inflation rate. Asset allocation does not ensure a profit or protect against a loss.

* Data for health care costs is from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, National Health Expenditures Estimates 2023–2032.

Excess withdrawal
Excess withdrawal

Sustainable withdrawal rates can extend the life of a portfolio4

Many people counted on Social Security and pension benefits to cover their retirement income needs. But today, retirees will be more personally responsible for funding their own retirements.

Where will retirement income come from?

Many people counted on Social Security and pension benefits to cover their retirement income needs. But today, retirees will be more personally responsible for funding their own retirements.


Source: Income for the Population Aged 65 and Older: Evidence from the Health Retirement Study (HRS), December 16, 2022.

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