assuming both spouses live to 100<\/a>\u2014not to cause worry, but to prevent someone from running out of money in the event they live well into their 90s.<\/p>\n‘Take Control’<\/p>\n
For those nearing retirement who fear their savings won\u2019t last, Spiegelman offers one blunt first step: \u201cThe B-word can be a nasty word \u2014 and that\u2019s \u2018budget.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n
He recommends going through statements, getting a clear picture of spending and stress-testing future income against realistic costs.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnowledge is power. Once you see the numbers, you\u2019ll know what adjustments are needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rebell agrees that today\u2019s retirees need a new mindset.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday\u2019s retirement savings are to a large degree stuck in the past,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Without guaranteed pensions, she says, being \u201cproactive, and intentional is a non-negotiable\u2026You are the largest stakeholder in your future\u2014take control.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read\u00a0Newsweek’s\u00a0full interview with\u00a0Adam Spiegelman below<\/p>\n
Q: The survey shows that 63 percent of people worry they\u2019ll need to return to work after retiring. From your perspective, how realistic is that concern, and what drives it?<\/p>\n
That fear is very real\u2014and it isn\u2019t limited to people with modest savings. In my 25 years of advising clients, I\u2019ve seen people with millions of dollars still worry that they\u2019ll run out of money. There\u2019s a major psychological shift that happens when someone goes from receiving a paycheck every two weeks to relying on their own portfolio for income. It triggers a scarcity mindset that can make even the financially secure feel vulnerable.<\/p>\n
Part of the anxiety is structural. In the U.S., retirement is largely self-funded. We don\u2019t have the kind of social safety nets that exist in parts of Europe, and confidence in government programs like Social Security is shaky. People know it\u2019s there, but they also know it was never meant to fully fund a retirement. Add inflation, rising living costs, and headlines about market volatility, and the fear of having to \u201cunretire\u201d starts to make sense.<\/p>\n
The good news is that planning can ease a lot of that anxiety. When clients take the time to project their income needs, account for inflation, and stress-test different market scenarios, the numbers often show they\u2019re in better shape than they think. You don\u2019t have to work with a professional to start\u2014even simple online calculators can help. But having a clear plan, with real cash-flow projections and contingencies, turns fear into understanding. That\u2019s usually when confidence starts to replace worry.<\/p>\n
Q: In your experience, how common is it for retirees to actually re-enter the workforce?<\/p>\n
In my personal and professional experience, it\u2019s not common at all. I\u2019ve had that occur or a client attempt to do that once\u2014and this is a 20-plus-year career. My clients tend to have higher net worths and come to me because they have money but don\u2019t know how to structure it efficiently. Even though many are concerned about spending through their assets, very few ever go back to work.<\/p>\n
A lot of retirees will volunteer or \u201ccycle\u201d through retirement\u2014taking a step back, maybe working part-time, consulting, or shifting to something more purposeful. The one client I had who tried to re-enter the workforce had retired early, in his 50s, and regretted it. He was essentially aged out and found it very difficult to get rehired. So while the fear is understandable, the reality is that it\u2019s very rare. For most people, once they retire, they stay retired\u2014and once we run the numbers, they realize they can.<\/p>\n
Q: Do you expect \u2018unretiring\u2019 to become a more common trend as people live longer and costs continue to rise?<\/p>\n
I do think people will work longer, though not necessarily \u201cunretire.\u201d Rising costs, inflation, and longer lifespans are all contributing factors, but so is purpose. I think a lot of people simply don\u2019t want to stop being productive. It\u2019s not healthy to just sit back at 50 or 55 with nothing to do\u2014people need structure, engagement, and meaning.<\/p>\n
Working, in some form, provides that. Whether it\u2019s part-time, consulting, or passion-driven work, staying active has real psychological benefits. That said, I don\u2019t think people who have been fully retired for a few years will easily return to traditional employment. Once you\u2019re out of the workforce, especially as you age, it\u2019s harder to find the same level of opportunity or income. So I think the bigger trend is delayed retirement\u2014not necessarily \u201cunretirement.\u201d
Q: Are today\u2019s retirement savings strategies failing to account for longer lifespans, or is it a matter of external factors people can\u2019t control\u2014like the economy or inflation?<\/p>\n
It depends on who you ask, but I think many plans underestimate longevity. You\u2019re doing clients a disservice if you assume they\u2019ll live only into their 80s. For our planning purposes, we assume both spouses live to 100. Clients sometimes laugh at that, but you never want someone calling you at 92 saying, \u201cWe only planned to 85, and I\u2019m out of money.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s always better to plan conservatively. If you live shorter than expected, that\u2019s a good problem to have. But you also have to account for healthcare, long-term care, helping kids or grandkids, and leaving a legacy\u2014those add up.<\/p>\n
Many people simply start too late. They think financial planning begins in their 40s, but it should start in their 20s. Build the saving habit early, invest in a diversified portfolio\u2014real estate, markets, whatever fits your risk level\u2014and let compounding do its work. Plan for inflation. Don\u2019t rely on inheritances or home equity. Be conservative, but make sure your portfolio still has growth potential. That combination\u2014discipline and long-term perspective\u2014is what actually works.<\/p>\n
Q: For someone nearing retirement who worries their savings won\u2019t last, what is the first step you recommend they take?<\/p>\n
The B-word can be a nasty word\u2014and that\u2019s \u201cbudget.\u201d Most people don\u2019t like hearing it, but it\u2019s one of the most powerful tools in financial planning. It\u2019s not glamorous, it takes time, and it\u2019s uncomfortable. But you can\u2019t make good decisions if you don\u2019t know what you\u2019re actually spending. You don\u2019t need to necessarily keep to the budget but knowing your bottom line\u2014where your money really goes\u2014is the key to all of this!<\/p>\n
Go through your credit cards, bank statements, and bills. Most people underestimate their expenses, so whatever number you think you spend each month, increase it by a third. There are plenty of software tools that can help organize it, but even a simple spreadsheet is a start.<\/p>\n
Assume you\u2019ll spend at least as much in retirement as you do now\u2014probably more, given healthcare costs, travel, and inflation. Then stress-test your plan. Know where your income will come from\u2014retirement accounts, Social Security, investments\u2014and make conservative assumptions. Knowledge is power. Once you see the numbers, you\u2019ll know what adjustments are needed. Be realistic, plan early, and check your plan regularly. Don\u2019t count on windfalls or inheritances. Do the work, update it every year or two, and most of the worry goes away.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Many Americans are heading into retirement with anxiety rather than optimism. Even as life expectancy grows, doubts about…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":69851,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[114,184,85,46,2101,49300,688,6896,1264],"class_list":{"0":"post-69850","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-economy","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-economy","10":"tag-il","11":"tag-israel","12":"tag-money","13":"tag-project-alchemy","14":"tag-retirement","15":"tag-savings","16":"tag-work"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69850","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69850"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69850\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69850"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69850"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69850"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"Americans](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2614330-americans-are-dipping-their-retirement-funds.png\"\/)
Will Retirees Really Go Back to Work?<\/p>\n