When climbing Mount Everest, everyone enters a very dangerous elevation zone where oxygen is very scarce. In this "danger zone," the human body burns more oxygen than it can take in from normal breathing. Even when supplementing with added oxygen, people must overcome incredible levels of fatigue and exhaustion to make it to the peak.
Some sadly never make it safely back down the mountain. In fact, most people who die on Everest die while descending from the summit. Many make it to the "top of the world," only to fall victim to the "danger zone" on the way back down.
Statistics show that the most critical years for retirement planning are the three years before retirement and the three years after retirement. This crucial six-year window is like the "retirement danger zone." Any serious mistakes in this narrow window of time can have devastating affects on your retirement, driving you to postpone retirement plans, reduce income expectations or even work longer than planned.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
This "danger zone" is a great metaphor for effective retirement planning, highlighting a very important aspect of retirement that is often neglected - the distribution and income phase. With the disappearance of pension plans over the past few decades, we must now manage longevity risks, health care costs and stock market risks all on our own. While we are very focused on the accumulation phase of retirement planning—ascending to the peak—we do not pay as much attention to the distribution and income phase—which is like coming safely back down the mountain after having reached the summit.
Remember, getting to the top of the mountain is optional; getting safely back down the mountain is not. While the accumulation phase is very important, planning on how to protect your assets and distribute them in the form of a reliable 20- to 30-year income stream is equally, if not more important.
When planning for our clients' retirement income, we consider many approaches depending on needs and resources. We look at controlling taxable income, managing required minimum distributions, optimizing Social Security and sequence of withdrawals, as well as generating some guaranteed income to fund lifestyle needs.
The guaranteed income really brings a high level of comfort when planning for retirement. To do this, we investigate different annuity options, and in some cases carefully structured cash value life insurance strategies. These approaches are new to some, and can be somewhat complex, so it is imperative to work with an adviser who specializes in this area. When done properly, retirement planning is well worth the effort to get you "safely back down the mountain."
Please watch this video from that explains retirement planning in a very powerful way, and I hope it gets you thinking.
-
Four Surprising Signs You’ll Never Retire (and How to Fix Them)Gearing up to retire? If any of these four signs ring true, you may want to make some changes before you do.
-
Stocks Rise After Trump-Powell Fed Tour: Stock Market TodayNvidia hit a new all-time high intraday, but another renowned semiconductor name and some less iconic stocks were bigger movers Friday.
-
How Divorced Retirees Can Maximize Their Social Security Benefits: A Case StudySusan discovered several years after she filed for Social Security that she is eligible to receive benefits based on her ex-spouse's earnings record. This case study explains how her new benefits are calculated and what her steps are to claim some of the money she missed.
-
I'm an Investment Pro: Here's How Alternatives Could Inject Stability and Growth Into Your PortfolioAlternative investments can often avoid the impact of volatility, counterbalancing the ups and downs of stocks and bonds during times of market stress.
-
An Investment Strategist Takes a Practical Look at Alternative InvestmentsAlternatives can play an important role in a portfolio by offering different exposures and goals, but investors should carefully consider their complexity, costs, taxes and liquidity. Here's an alts primer.
-
Ready to Retire? Your Five-Year Business Exit StrategyIf you're a business owner looking to sell and retire, it can take years to complete the process. Use this five-year timeline to prepare and stay on track.
-
A Financial Planner's Prescription for the Headache of Multiple Retirement AccountsHaving a bunch of retirement accounts can cause unnecessary complications. Consolidation can make it easier to manage your savings and potentially improve investment outcomes.
-
Overpaying for Financial Advice? A Financial Planner's Guide to FeesTake five minutes to review how much you're paying for financial advice. If you're overpaying, you could be better off with an adviser who charges a flat fee.
-
The Big Red Bucket Theory: A Financial Adviser's Simple Way to Visualize Your Retirement PlanWhen you think about retirement, picture a big red bucket brimming with all the money you've saved. It's everything you've got, and it has to last you.
-
A Guide to Personalizing Your Retirement Plan for Maximum ImpactThis strategy challenges conventional retirement rules of thumb by combining traditional savings, home equity and annuities to provide higher income and liquid savings and help cover long-term care costs.
