T. Rowe Price Personal Investor - Retirement Savings by Age: What to Do With Your Portfolio in 2024 (2024)

FAQs

How should your investment portfolio change with age? ›

The common rule of asset allocation by age is that you should hold a percentage of stocks that is equal to 100 minus your age. So if you're 40, you should hold 60% of your portfolio in stocks. Since life expectancy is growing, changing that rule to 110 minus your age or 120 minus your age may be more appropriate.

The conservative allocation is composed of 15% large-cap stocks, 5% international stocks, 50% bonds and 30% cash investments. The moderately conservative allocation is 25% large-cap stocks, 5% small-cap stocks, 10% international stocks, 50% bonds and 10% cash investments.

Ideally, you'll choose a mix of stocks, bonds, and cash investments that will work together to generate a steady stream of retirement income and future growth—all while helping to preserve your money.

For most retirees, investment advisors recommend low-risk asset allocations around the following proportions: Age 65 – 70: 40% – 50% of your portfolio. Age 70 – 75: 50% – 60% of your portfolio. Age 75+: 60% – 70% of your portfolio, with an emphasis on cash-like products like certificates of deposit.

Conventional wisdom holds that when you hit your 70s, you should adjust your investment portfolio so it leans heavily toward low-risk bonds and cash accounts and away from higher-risk stocks and mutual funds. That strategy still has merit, according to many financial advisors.

Some financial advisors recommend a mix of 60% stocks, 35% fixed income, and 5% cash when an investor is in their 60s. So, at age 55, and if you're still working and investing, you might consider that allocation or something with even more growth potential.

There are no set ages to get into or to get out of the stock market. While older clients may want to reduce their investing risk as they age, this doesn't necessarily mean they should be totally out of the stock market.

Some recommend portfolio asset allocation by age, under the assumption that the younger you are, the more aggressive you should be with your retirement asset allocation. That may be true to some degree, but some investors are naturally more conservative than others.

How much cash should I have in my retirement portfolio? ›

Cash and cash equivalents can provide liquidity, portfolio stability and emergency funds. Cash equivalent securities include savings, checking and money market accounts, and short-term investments. A general rule of thumb is that cash and cash equivalents should comprise between 2% and 10% of your portfolio.

Know how your savings or pension plan is invested. Learn about your plan's investment options and ask questions. Put your savings in different types of investments. By diversifying this way, you are more likely to reduce risk and improve return.

Your investment is put into various asset options, including stocks. The value of those stocks is directly tied to the stock market's performance. This means that when the stock market is up, so is your investment, and vice versa. The odds are the value of your retirement savings may decline if the market crashes.

Investors can preserve their capital by diversifying holdings over different asset classes and choosing assets that are non-correlating. Put options and stop-loss orders can stem the bleeding when the prices of your investments start to drop. Dividends buttress portfolios by increasing your overall return.

A recession could result in a lower IRA balance, but that's not guaranteed to happen. If a recession does negatively impact your IRA, your best bet is to do nothing. It's a good idea to have an emergency fund for surprise expenses that could pop up during a recession, so you can let your IRA recover.

The Rule of 100 determines the percentage of stocks you should hold by subtracting your age from 100. If you are 60, for example, the Rule of 100 advises holding 40% of your portfolio in stocks. The Rule of 110 evolved from the Rule of 100 because people are generally living longer.

A 70/30 portfolio is an investment portfolio where 70% of investment capital is allocated to stocks and 30% to fixed-income securities, primarily bonds.

The “60/40 portfolio” has long been revered as a trusty guidepost for a moderate risk investor—a 60% allocation to equities with the intention of providing capital appreciation and a 40% allocation to fixed income to potentially offer income and risk mitigation.