Do seniors make for good investors? Is investing a viable option for seniors? Is retirement more expensive than ever before? The simple answer to all of these questions is, according to the experts at the Motley Fool, yes. Seniors still have a place in the stock market. Many seniors may feel that starting, or continuing, to invest their hard-earned savings after retirement is a risky move.
There is absolutely risk involved, however, as Kailey Hagen at the Motley Fool points out, smart investing strategizes help minimize risk and could help seniors build their financial safety net. Seniors that can hold off on taking their benefit till the age of 70 can greatly maximize their benefit, which can add to the challenge of building revenue and saving for retirement. This is where the dividends from a stock could bridge the gap in income for those that choose to delay their Social Security payout.
It is possible to mitigate investing risk with a smart strategy. As Hagan suggests, determine your unique tolerance for risk, as everyone is different, and only ever invest a percentage of the revenue or savings you take in. Alternatively, the Motley Fool points out that you can invest in bonds as well as stocks, allowing for a slow investment to mature over time with interest in addition to the faster money made as dividends in the stock market. This can diversify your portfolio and help increase your revenue streams in retirement, on top of receiving the benefits from Social Security.
People are living longer, healthier lives; while the average retirement age remains between 65 and 70 years old, seniors today can live well into their 80s and 90s. With the potential to spend 20 to 30 years in retirement, the more financially strengthening options available to seniors the better. The Social Security trust needs to be protected, so seniors can be guaranteed the benefits they have already earned. An important way to make sure that happens is by sharing your voice. Council for Retirement Security’s has launched our Social Security Lock-Box Petition. Please join us as we urge Congress to make protecting these benefits a priority.
