6 Surprising Statistics About Wealthy Retirees

Retirement anxiety does not discriminate based on wealth. Even multi-million-dollar portfolios are not immune to the fear of running out of money. This creates one of retirement’s greatest paradoxes: having enough but feeling like you don’t.

When clients hear they can safely spend $150,000 a year in retirement, many hesitate. They remember their first job making $30,000 and struggle to shift from a lifetime of saving to a season of spending. Research shows wealthy retirees spend 24 percent less than they safely could, simply because of this mindset.

Healthcare adds to the anxiety. Retiring before Medicare can mean $20,000 to $30,000 a year in costs for couples. Even after 65, Fidelity estimates a couple needs $315,000 saved for healthcare alone. No surprise that many retirees keep 10 to 20 percent of their portfolio in cash, even though that choice limits long-term growth.

Ironically, spending often decreases with age while income from Social Security and investments increases. This creates a cushion that may support higher equity allocations later in life, which is the opposite of what conventional wisdom suggests. Yet fear lingers. A 2023 EBRI survey found one in three high-net-worth retirees still worry about outliving their money.

If you want clarity about your retirement picture, try our free planning tool or reach out to explore how Root Financial can help you make the most of what you have worked so hard to build.

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Ari Taublieb, CFP ®, MBA  is the Chief Growth Officer of Root Financial Partners and a Fiduciary Financial Planner specializing in helping clients retire early with confidence.