The Fixes You Need When Retirement Goes Wrong

So, you’ve got your retirement plan all done and dusted and you’ve managed to save up a nice sum of savings that should help you get by once you do retire. And all of those preparations means that your upcoming retirement will be plain sailing, right? Well, unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. When retirement goes wrong you need to take action. There are a few issues that some people face once they retire, some of which they might not have entirely bargained for. For instance, their savings might not last quite as long as they had hoped or they might end up getting in some medical complications which could dramatically increase their monthly outgoings. 

To ensure that you can continue to enjoy financial security well into your retirement, it’s a good idea to have some fixes up your sleeve that you can use to solve any problems that look set to ruin things.

The Fixes You Need When Retirement Goes Wrong

Credit

Maximize Savings Now

There is no better fix than prevention to make sure that your retirement isn’t turned upside down by any problems that might raise their head well into your retirement. But maximizing your savings doesn’t just mean that you need to start saving more – there are ways that you can help your current pot of savings to continue growing, even once you are retired. For instance, you should consider putting your retirement cash bucket in a high-interest savings account as they will accumulate a lot of extra interest over the years. Be sure to diversify your non-cash investments with allocation ratios aligned with your risk tolerance and long-term retirement funding plans.

Know How To Fix Your Credit

Just because you are retired doesn’t mean that your credit rating is safe. In fact, it could be a lot more at risk as you will no longer have a regular income from a full-time job. In the event that you do need to take out any extra financing or loans during retirement, you might find that it is a lot harder to secure some cash. But there are ways to ease the process, such as going through a credit repair company or financial advisor. These experts will be able to give you plenty of tips to ensure that your loan or finance application looks attractive to potential lenders.

The Fixes You Need When Retirement Goes Wrong 2

Credit

Be Prepared To Return To Work

If your retirement finances really do start to look bad, you might need to return to work. Unfortunately, for those who never before considered a retirement job, this is something that cannot be sidestepped. When retirement finances go south, going back to work and earning again is the only real way to secure a regular income. So, as long as you are fit and healthy in retirement, you can have peace of mind that returning to work is always an option if you ever struggle to get by. Just stay curious in retirement learning new things to stay relevant. Aside to doing all you can to be healthy, you should also keep up the skills you already have to keep working in retirement as a valuable option.

Consider Releasing Your Equity

If you own your house outright then you will have a large sum of money tied up in it. This is known as equity. You can release some or all of the equity and get a sum of money by remortgaging your home. This is something that a few retired couples do if they ever need any extra cash. Just be strategic about it as this may also increase your monthly outgoings. You can always reap the equity in other things you own by selling non-essential items like second cars and any other property of value.

 

Hopefully, these fixes will help you think about ways out of any tricky financial situation that may come up during your retirement.

4 thoughts on “The Fixes You Need When Retirement Goes Wrong

  1. Good things to think about Tommy. Its always good to be prepared with a plan just in case. With this market rally, I probably dont have to ever work again. But I’ve still kept my long time side-hustle as an extra buffer. I may go back to work full-time for a while (kind of like what you did). Then a layoff with severance and unemployment wouldnt be a bad thing. You cant cover everything, but putting in some effort ahead of time will probably make many situations much better and have less of an impact on you.

    1. Thanks for the comment Arrgo. When investments and portfolios are at all time highs, thinking about our retirement going bad is hard to prioritize. A successful Retirement isn’t guaranteed when inflation, medical issues, and investment returns will never be something we can totally control. Just thinking about options for “IF” the worst happens is always a good exercise.
      Tommy

  2. Great points! I strongly agree that it is a good idea that you have some fixes up your sleeves. Prepare your plan B, C or even D, to every possible scenario in retirement in case your current plan fails. Let’s not forget the most common reason why good plans derail to which you should also have plan fixes in case it happens to you – healthcare issues. For this, I suggest getting to know all possible ways that will help you pay for the expensive costs of healthcare. There’s Medicare, Medicare Supplement plans, Advantage plans, Medicaid and other health insurance. Learn everything about each of those options and know when or how you can take advantage of them in retirement. Knowing your options ahead can make you play your cards well. Good luck to us!

    1. Thanks for the comment Leandro. Health care related cost is definitely my largest monthly expense and you are absolutely right that investigating all our health care options is a prudent part of our contingency plans.
      Tommy

Comments are closed.