Market ups and downs can keep retirees on edge, worried about potentially big losses from which they may never be able to recover.<\/p>\n
And those worries aren\u2019t necessarily misguided. From 1928 through March 2022, there have been 26 bear markets. A bear market is a market decline greater than 20% that lasts at least two months. The average bear market decline since 1928 has been 36.62%, so the potential for big losses is real.1<\/sup><\/p>\n The good news, though, is that there are ways to help protect yourself from these inevitable market downturns. After all, your retirement shouldn\u2019t be an endless series of sleepless nights. And, with careful income planning that covers your lifestyle needs, allows for emergencies, and includes a suitable amount for investment and growth, it doesn\u2019t have to be.<\/p>\n Math\u2019s role in income planning<\/strong><\/p>\n As you already know, people are living longer these days, which means it\u2019s even more important to make the right financial decisions. Here\u2019s where the math gets involved \u2013 and we start dividing money into buckets.<\/p>\n One of the nice things about this three-bucket approach is the possibility of taking advantage of market growth without having your retirement fortunes tied to it. That\u2019s why, as you near retirement, it is important to sit down with a financial professional who can help you figure out the answers to your own math problem.<\/p>\n\n