Finances in retirement can be tricky today.

Consider this statement from a Wall Street Journal article in February 2000: “Retirement is the great financial riddle. Think of the uncertainties. You don’t know how long you will live. You don’t know what investment returns you will earn. You have only a limited sum of money. And there are no second chances.”

Yikes! What should you do to make sure you do well, no matter what happens?

Consider your experience. You have always had a natural progression in the financial products you have used.

When you were a child, you kept your money in a piggy bank. Why did you switch to a real bank? It was because you had more money and wanted to keep it safe and earn interest. Why did you later switch to other, more exotic places to grow your money? It was because you perceived that the long-term earnings potential outweighed the risks.

So let me ask you, what will be different now that you are retired or on the verge of retirement?

For example, what are the ramifications of needing to withdraw money for expenses while the market is down? If you have money in financial products with an uncertain return, there is a possibility of withdrawing too much and running out later. Are you concerned about that risk? Annuities with guaranteed income benefits can address this risk and increase your comfort level in retirement, providing you with a “guaranteed income retirement contract”.

Is there a possibility of incurring major care expenses and not having any insurance to cover them? Medicare doesn’t cover most long-term nursing care or home health caretaker visits. Long-term care insurance or long-term care funding alternatives like hybrid annuities and life insurance can mitigate this risk and increase your financial security in retirement.

Just as you progressed from the piggy bank to the real bank and to more exotic financial products, many people progress to annuities with guaranteed income benefits. Just as you once saw the need to purchase health insurance, many people come to see the need to purchase long-term care insurance or other long-term care funding solutions.

Contact me to think through these new risks, and I will assist you in staying financially secure.