How Saving Too Much Money Could Actually Backfire
If you’re blindly pumping so much into savings for the future that you aren’t enjoying today, then maybe you’re going too far. Stop and do the math to see what you actually need. You might be surprised.
The most fundamental financial advice — to consistently save — is absolutely correct. What’s less obvious, yet equally correct, is that you can also save too much.
Your financial plan should not only help you to live better in the long run — it should also help you live better today.
The truth is, accumulating more in savings than you will need for retirement can be a mistake if it’s preventing you from fully enjoying life today or if it’s causing you unnecessary financial stress.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free 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.
In order to strike the right balance between diligent saving and saving too much, you need a blueprint.
When Saving Goes Too Far
I recently met with two of my clients, we’ll call them Larry and Laura (not their real names), age 62 and model savers. They contributed diligently to their 401(k)s, HSAs and IRAs and built a nice nest egg.
But this diligent savings came with a cost. They constantly worried about paying their mortgage, life insurance premiums, living expenses, spoiling their grandkids and, of course, continuing to save for retirement.
With a family history of longevity and Alzheimer’s, Larry and Laura also began to worry about saving for long-term care. Despite their nest egg, a long-term care event would likely devastate their retirement. They knew they needed coverage, but they did not feel like they could afford it.
Without a plan, Larry and Laura were lost.
Pulling Back the Curtain on Retirement Income
When Larry and Laura came to meet with me, we first looked at their current income and expenses. Then, we did a deep dive and looked at how their cash flow would change throughout retirement by detailing how certain types of incomes and expenses started and/or stopped at different times.
Starting at age 67, Larry and Laura would begin receiving Social Security and pension benefits, providing them with a solid foundation. What they didn’t realize, however, is how these income sources, coupled with a reduction in non-lifestyle expenses (e.g., retirement savings and payroll taxes), would generate a recurring surplus to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars each year.
The kicker? This didn’t even include spending any of their retirement savings.
Better Today, Better Tomorrow
The analysis concluded that it made sense for Larry and Laura to free up additional cash flow to enhance their current lifestyle. They continued working, but they stopped making additional retirement account contributions, which allowed them to indulge a bit more when it came to their daily expenses. This sounds easy, but it required Larry and Laura to defy the conventional advice they had so diligently followed for so many years.
Initially, the thought of halting their retirement contributions caused some discomfort. To help alleviate that uneasiness, I worked with them to pay off their mortgage using distributions from their retirement savings. The distributions were spaced out over two years to keep the couple in the 15% bracket.
They canceled their life insurance policies, as the insurance was only owned to pay off the mortgage in the event of premature death. The money that was being used to pay for those life insurance premiums was redirected toward purchasing long-term care insurance.
Larry and Laura came in with three primary priorities: an immediate upgrade to their current lifestyle, financial security against the likely need for long-term care and the comfort of knowing they’d be able to retire a few years early, if they so choose. By analyzing their current and future cash-flow needs, we were able to accomplish all three all by correcting the problem of over-saving.
The Bottom Line
The one-size-fits-all advice to maximize the amount you’re saving may work out in the long run, but it may add undue stress today. Remember, your situation is unique, and your financial plan should be, too.
Ask yourself and/or your adviser the following questions to help you evaluate whether you’re saving too much:
- What percentage of my current income will I need to replace once I retire, and how will that number change throughout retirement?
- How much will I need to withdraw from my savings in order to meet my cash-flow needs in retirement?
Navigating your retirement journey requires that you and/or your adviser has good answers to these questions. If you lack clarity, I encourage you to seek better guidance that ensures you are on track with your financial plan and the pursuit of your long-term goals.
-
Timeless Trips for Solo TravelersHow to find a getaway that suits your style.
-
A Top Vanguard ETF Pick Outperforms on International StrengthA weakening dollar and lower interest rates lifted international stocks, which was good news for one of our favorite exchange-traded funds.
-
Is There Such a Thing As a Safe Stock? 17 Safe-Enough IdeasNo stock is completely safe, but we can make educated guesses about which ones are likely to provide smooth sailing.
-
Missed Your RMD? 4 Ways to Avoid Doing That Again (and Skip the IRS Penalties), From a Financial PlannerIf you miss your RMDs, you could face a hefty fine. Here are four ways to stay on top of your payments — and on the right side of the IRS.
-
What Really Happens in the First 30 Days After Someone Dies (and Where Families Get Stuck)The administrative requirements following a death move quickly. This is how to ensure your loved ones won't be plunged into chaos during a time of distress.
-
AI-Powered Investing in 2026: How Algorithms Will Shape Your PortfolioAI is becoming a standard investing tool, as it helps cut through the noise, personalize portfolios and manage risk. That said, human oversight remains essential. Here's how it all works.
-
A Newly Retired Couple With a Portfolio Full of Winners Faced a $50,000 Tax Bill: This Is the Strategy That Helped Save ThemLarge unrealized capital gains can create a serious tax headache for retirees with a successful portfolio. A tax-aware long-short strategy can help.
-
5 Retirement Myths to Leave Behind (and How to Start Planning for the Reality)Separating facts from fiction is an important first step toward building a retirement plan that's grounded in reality and not based on incorrect assumptions.
-
I'm a Financial Adviser: Silence Is Golden, But It Hurts Your Heirs More Than You ThinkTalking to heirs about transferring wealth can be overwhelming, but avoiding it now can lead to conflict later. Here's how to start sharing your plans.
-
Will Your Children's Inheritance Set Them Free or Tie Them Up?An inheritance can mean extraordinary freedom for your loved ones, but could also cause more harm than good. How can you ensure your family gets it right?
-
I'm a Financial Adviser: This Is the Real Key to Enjoying Retirement With ConfidenceA resilient retirement plan is a flexible framework that addresses income, health care, taxes and investments. And that means you should review it regularly.
