Are Retirees Being Too Cautious With Their Money?
I find many people tend to hunker down as they near retirement or retire.
The idea is that the accumulation phase is over, and now it's the distribution chapter. There's a limited nest egg, and it's time to lay low.
But maybe there's an argument for a more adventurous approach.
An interesting study published in 2026 found that:
The median retiree maintained 85% of their starting wealth over the 12 years following age 65 (including housing assets).
40% of retirees actually increased their assets during that same period.
Source:Asset Decumulation in Retirement: Patterns, Predictors, and the Role of Financial Literacy (2026).