Investing for Retirees

Retirement is a time to kick back and enjoy doing all the things you didn’t have enough time for when you were working. What retirement isn’t, though, is a time to forget about investing. Continuing to invest throughout your retirement years can help protect your nest egg from the effects of inflation, rising healthcare costs and other threats to your financial well-being.

No Crystal Ball

No one, not even the experts, can predict future market conditions with any certainty. World events and changes in the U.S. economy can cause stock values to fluctuate rapidly over a short period of time. Since market volatility can wreak havoc with your portfolio, spreading your investments across a broad range of securities — diversification — can help manage risk and minimize losses.*

An Honest Assessment

The amount of risk you take with your investments depends on one thing: you. So, it’s important to know your risk tolerance. Stocks present the most risk but offer the greatest potential for rewards. However, what if you’re a conservative investor and the idea of taking risk keeps you up at night?

Consider U.S. Treasury Securities

U.S. Treasury Securities are low-risk investments that provide income and, in some cases, a hedge against inflation. There are several options.

Treasury bills offer a good short-term parking spot for cash. They typically mature from four weeks to one year after they’re issued. Minimum purchase is $100. Treasury bills are sold at a discount, and investors receive their face value at maturity.

Treasury notes mature in two-to-10 years and pay interest every six months.

Treasury Inflation-protected Securities (TIPS) mature in five, 10 or 30 years and make regular interest payments. Investors have their principal returned, adjusted for inflation, at maturity.

Create a Strategy

Investing as a retiree can be part of a well-crafted strategy, based on your retirement goals and risk tolerance, that you and your financial professional work out together.

*Diversification cannot eliminate the risk of investment losses. Past performance won’t guarantee future results. An investment in stocks or mutual funds can result in a loss of principal.