Knowledge Center

Where Should Retirees Put Their Retirement Money?

investing-my-money | Read Time: 3 minutes

By Charles O. Posnecker IV, CFA, CFP®, CTFA | Published: June 2022

Where Should Retirees Put Their Retirement Money?

When it comes to investments and retirement, retirees are in a precarious position. You have accumulated a retirement nest egg, but now you face new unknowns around life expectancy, quality of life and your health. And not to be forgotten is how best to invest those hard-earned savings. Should you stick with stocks and their inherent volatility? Or do you move more into fixed income, despite their lower yields?

The first step in any plan is to know how much you have in assets and what your spending rate is. From there, you can get an understanding of a target asset mix of cash, stocks, and bonds that works best for you. The optimal asset mix is the one that lets you sleep comfortably at night, which ideally will be a balanced approach utilizing each asset class.

Keep in mind that even at retirement age, you may still have a long investment horizon of twenty or more years, which may mean multiple market cycles.

Cash Investments
Given that unforeseen circumstances may require you to withdraw from your portfolio when you least expect to, it is best to have some cash on hand for emergencies, ideally three to six months’ worth.

You may want to look for high-yield savings accounts, which are FDIC-insured and earn more than regular savings accounts. They will not make you rich but will help avoid needing to sell from your portfolio prematurely or when the markets are down.

Certificates of deposit may also be an option, but often come with early withdrawal penalties where you forfeit some of the interest earned. Series I bonds sold by the U.S. Treasury have also come into fashion and are currently attractive, though they come with low purchase amount limits and must be held for a period of time to earn interest.

Fixed Income Investments
Fixed income likely also won’t make you rich, but it should keep you well-positioned. The days of earning 5%+ on your bonds to stay ahead of inflation have been gone for a while.

That said, they also are much less volatile than stocks. The stock market has experienced Black Monday, Black Tuesday and the Global Financial Crisis, but rarely do we see significant bond market downturns.

Bonds also generally move opposite to stocks, providing a ballast in times of turmoil, so if the markets are down, it can be a great time to rebalance your portfolio. If you want to favor liquidity, you can look to U.S. Treasuries, investment grade corporate bonds, and low-cost index ETFs (exchange-traded funds), which may own thousands of bonds and provide diversification. Be wary of yields that appear too good to be true.

Equity Investments
We’ve seen a number of high-performing stocks and funds recently, but remember that past performance is no predictor of future success. If you prefer individual stocks, you can focus on those durable companies that have weathered multiple economic cycles and have good management in place. A good rule of thumb is to monitor your concentrations to make sure you have proper diversification and aren’t putting all of your eggs in one basket.

Low-cost index ETFs (exchange-traded funds) covering the broader stock market are also an option if you do not want to follow specific companies. ETFs are usually more tax efficient than mutual funds as well. And most importantly, trying to time the market in the short term is a recipe for disaster and akin to gambling, not investing. No one can predict with certainty where stocks will go in the next couple years, let alone the next couple months, but history shows that over a long enough period markets will grow up and to the right.

With no wages coming in the door, having a plan for your investments is that much more important. A financial advisor can take into consideration not just your financial assets, but various other factors.

Financial planning software today allows for detailed forecasting to set your expectations and recommend corrective action. Similar to a doctor, a good advisor can diagnose what is and is not working, giving you a framework for life in retirement and ensuring that your goals are met.




About the Author – Charles O. Posnecker IV, CFA, CFP®, CTFA
Chuck Posnecker joined Cypress Capital Management in 2017 after working for Christiana Trust, a division of WSFS Bank, for 12 years in their personal trust and investment groups. He graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he received his BSBA in International Business (2002) and MBA-Finance concentration (2005). Chuck is also a graduate of the Pennsylvania Bankers Association School of Trust, Investments & Relationship Management, where he completed a three-year program focused on various aspects of trust administration and investments. Chuck obtained his Certified Trust & Financial Advisor designation in 2011, his Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2016 and earned the CFP® certification in 2019.


This article is provided by Cypress Capital Management, LLC ("Cypress" or the "Firm") for informational purposes only. Investing involves the risk of loss and investors should be prepared to bear potential losses. Past performance may not be indicative of future results and may have been impacted by events and economic conditions that will not prevail in the future. No portion of this commentary is to be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell a security or the provision of personalized investment, tax or legal advice. Certain information contained in this presentation is derived from sources that Cypress believes to be reliable; however, the Firm does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of such information and assumes no liability for any resulting damages.

Cypress is an SEC registered investment adviser that maintains a principal place of business in the Greenville, Delaware. The Firm may only transact business in those states in which it is notice filed or qualifies for a corresponding exemption from registration requirements. For more information about Cypress’ registration status and business operations, please consult the Firm’s Form ADV disclosure documents, the most recent versions of which are available on the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website at https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/. Cypress is wholly owned by WSFS Financial Corporation.

 

 

Generational and Gender Differences in Approach to Estate Planning

Generational and Gender Differences in Approach to Estate Planning

Since the start of the pandemic, our lives have changed in a variety of ways, from increases in telemedicine and working from home to virtually learning. The new normal has become, well, normal.

Read More
Investing after Retirement

Investing after Retirement: Tips for Spending After Retiring

There are countless articles about saving, investing, and budgeting for retirement, otherwise known as asset accumulation, because a few general principles apply to many, e.g., live within your means, utilize tax-advantaged accounts, avoid high-interest debt, and automate savings where possible.

Read More
Saving for Retirement: The Millennial Way

Saving for Retirement: The Millennial Way

Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996 (ages 26 to 41), have come of age during a tumultuous time in our history: 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Great Financial Crisis, and more recently, civil unrest and COVID-19. Unlike the relative calm of the 1980s and 1990s when many baby boomers entered the workforce, the last 20 years have been chaotic.

Read More
Market Minute

Market Minute: The Latest on the Markets and Economy

The markets and the economy are ever-changing, making it hard to keep up sometimes. Let WSFS help you make sense of it all. Tune in to our Market Minute update from Andrew N. Davis, CFA®, Director of Research at West Capital Management, a subsidiary of WSFS Financial Corporation.

Read More
WSFS and Bryn Mawr Trust Provide 6abc Viewers with Tips and Advice on Money Management, Investing and Buying a Home

WSFS and Bryn Mawr Trust Provide 6abc Viewers with Tips and Advice on Money Management, Investing and Buying a Home

In the current economic environment and housing market, with rising interest rates and inflation at its highest in 40 years, consumers are looking for expert advice to help them manage their money in challenging times. WSFS and Bryn Mawr Trust were recently featured on two 6abc programs aimed to help consumers overcome obstacles to achieve financial success, navigate the housing market, and wisely invest in their futures.

Read More