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
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.
READ THE ARTICLESeveral 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.