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6 Retirement Financial Myths to Avoid

This article appears as part of Casey Weade's Weekend Reading for Retirees series. Every Friday, Casey highlights four hand-picked articles on trending retirement topics and delivers them straight to your email inbox. Get on the list here.
Weekend reading 6 retirement financial myths Weekend reading 6 retirement financial myths

Weekend Reading

If you’ve ever discussed retirement planning with friends or done a quick Google search for financial strategies on your own, it’s inevitable you’ve been inundated with advice. However, not all of this “advice” is geared toward your unique financial situation.

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Several financial myths that could do you more harm than good if followed blindly include:

📌 Live off income without touching the principal: Relying solely on income from bonds can expose you to inflation risks. Instead, diversify!

📌 Get cash flow only from bond interest and stock dividends: This strategy can lead to higher taxes. Therefore, focusing on portfolio appreciation can reduce your tax burden.

📌 Hold bonds equal to your age: With longer life spans, this rule may leave you vulnerable to inflation. Investment allocations should match your personal needs and risk tolerance.

📌 Limit withdrawals to 4-5 percent annually: There's no universal safe withdrawal rate. Spending more in your early retirement years might be reasonable if expenses decrease over time.