I'm a Financial Advisor: 5 Tips for Retirement Planning When You're Scared for the Future
These days, browsing headlines about retirement can feel like being trapped in a haunted house. Only instead of ghosts and goblins, you’re confronted with worries about outliving your retirement savings, rising prices from inflation, or turbulence in the market. How can you possibly save for retirement when you’re so scared about the future?
Read Next: I’m a Financial Advisor: Here’s How Often You Should Check Your Retirement Account Balance
Learn How: 9 Subtly Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money — That You Should Do, Too
To give you helpful tips for retirement planning in such a fearful climate, MoneyLion turned to Georgia Bruggeman, CFP, founder and CEO of Meridian Financial Advisors, LLC. So take a deep breath and know that you have more options than you may think.
1. Start With a Clear Financial Snapshot, Even If It’s Uncomfortable
One of the biggest client fears Bruggeman has encountered is running out of money in retirement. Unfortunately, that fear is only compounded when clients don’t know exactly where they stand.
To gain clarity, you’ve got to get organized: Learn what you own, what you owe and where your income will come from in retirement, along with your current expenses.
“Once you have an accurate picture of where you are, then you can figure out what you need to do to be more prepared for retirement,” Bruggeman said. “Be sure to adjust your expenses for inflation every year.”
2. Build a Plan Based on Reality — Not Fear
Even if you don’t like that clearer picture of your finances, you can use it to build a plan based on facts, not fear. Identifying areas of concern sooner rather than later means your plan may need to focus on generating extra income for your golden years.
“This may mean working longer, contributing more to your retirement plan or taking a part-time job during retirement,” Bruggeman said.
While these choices may be uncomfortable, it’s better to make them early than feel panicked as you reach retirement age.
Learn More: Enter for a Chance To Win $500 in MoneyLion's Summer Break Giveaway (No pur. nec. Ends 7/4/26. See official rules at mlion.info/summerbreakofficialrules)
3. Focus on Consistent Habits That Build Long-Term Security
In uncertain times, the most important retirement strategies emphasize consistency. While it’s understandable to panic with every dip in the market or ominous economic report, Bruggeman said you’re better off embracing several key habits:
Regular, systematic saving through retirement accounts, emergency funds and investments
Tracking spending closely to understand your cash flow
Avoiding lifestyle creep or unnoticed overspending
Your mission — and hopefully, you’ll choose to accept it — is to build habits that create stability and give you more control. Ideally, consistency and control will help ease your financial anxiety over time.
4. Stay Invested — Don’t Let Market Swings Drive Decisions
Of course, market volatility is scary. But successfully planning for retirement means resisting the urge to make fear-based decisions. Reacting impulsively can do more harm than good.
“The market is up much more than it is down. Staying invested is the most important thing here,” Bruggeman said. “It is time in the market, not timing the market.”
To prove her point, she offered some historical perspective:
Since 1980, the S&P 500 has had an average intra-year drop of about 14%
Despite those drops, the index finished the year positive in 34 of 45 years through 2024
In 2025, the market dropped 19% at one point but finished up 16%
In 2024, it fell 8% before ending the year up 23%
Hopefully, that makes you feel a little better.
5. Look for Missed Opportunities To Boost Retirement Savings
Another common fear Bruggeman has seen among clients is that they’re getting a late start on retirement savings, putting themselves at a further disadvantage in an uncertain environment.
She assured these people there are still ways to improve their trajectory, often by simply optimizing what they’re already doing. Bruggeman suggested evaluating these areas more closely for possible opportunities:
Unused or excess cash flow that could be invested
High-interest debt that’s slowing your progress
Whether you’re allocating money inefficiently, such as overpaying a low-rate mortgage instead of investing
Your 401(k) investment choices
Eligibility for a health savings account, or HSA, and whether it’s invested
“If you think you started too late, there is always a way to get into a better situation,” Bruggeman said. “It takes discipline and having a goal.”
The Bottom Line
It’s reasonable to feel anxious about your financial future when times are hard. But if you’re diligent, thoughtful and consistent in your planning — and you don’t let fear get the better of you — you can build a secure retirement strategy.
To help Americans navigate the added cost of summer, MoneyLion is giving away $1,000 every day through July 4. Enter the Summer Break Giveaway here (No pur. nec. Ends 7/4/26. See official rules at mlion.info/summerbreakofficialrules)
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
More From MoneyLion:
How Middle-Class Earners Are Quietly Becoming Millionaires — and How You Can, Too
7 Kirkland Signature Items at Costco Worth Buying This Spring
4 Financial Decisions Young Adults Make That Are Hardest To Undo