How to Build a Retirement Income Plan That Holds Up Against Inflation, Market Swings, and Longevity Risk

When you're in the process of building a retirement nest egg, you might assume that finding the money for your IRA or 401(k) is the hard part. But managing your retirement savings well is just as important.

The last thing you want is to kick off your senior years with a generous IRA or 401(k) balance, only to see it eventually get whittled down to $0. That's why you need a solid retirement income plan. Here's how to safeguard your money against three key factors that could put your nest egg at risk.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Inflation

Inflation can erode your savings over time if you aren't careful. And it doesn't even have to be rampant to have an impact. Even moderate 2% to 3% annual inflation could eat away at your buying power through the years.

To combat that, make sure you're maintaining a decent stock allocation in your retirement portfolio. You don't need to keep 80% of your portfolio in stocks, and doing so as a retiree is actually pretty risky.

But keeping 50% to 60% of your assets in stocks could set your savings up for continued growth, allowing your nest egg to outpace inflation over time. Your specific stock allocation should hinge on your tolerance for risk, income needs, and the amount of guaranteed income you have coming your way, including Social Security and a pension, if applicable.

Another hedge worth considering? Delay your Social Security claim. Each year you wait past full retirement age boosts your monthly checks by 8%. The larger your benefits, the more money Social Security's annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) should put in your pocket.

2. Market swings

Stock market volatility may be something you're used to by the time you reach retirement. But in retirement, it can be pretty scary. That's because you don't have years to wait out a market recovery -- you need your savings to cover your expenses right now.

To protect against market swings, build a cash buffer. If you have two to three years' worth of living expenses sitting in cash, you'll have that much time to leave your portfolio alone if the market is down. That could spell the difference between having your investments regain value after a market decline or locking in losses permanently.

3. Longevity

Living a long life is a great thing in theory, but it could pose a huge financial challenge. It's one thing to retire at 65 and need 20 to 25 years out of your savings. It's another thing to require that money to last an extra decade beyond that.

Since there's no way to predict how long you'll live, a good bet is to establish a safe withdrawal rate for your savings. You can use the 4% rule as a starting point. But if you expect to have a longer retirement than what's typical, you may want to adjust your withdrawal rate downward into the 3% range.

You may also want to stick to a withdrawal rate around 3% if you're investing in mostly conservative assets. A portfolio that's 75% bonds, for example, may not generate enough ongoing income to support 4% withdrawals on an ongoing basis.

Delaying Social Security is another great way to address longevity risk. The larger your benefits are, the more long-term protection you get, since those monthly checks are guaranteed for life.

Building a strong retirement income plan isn't just about having a lot of money, or "enough" money. It's about managing different risks carefully. But if you invest in stocks for continued portfolio growth, build a cash cushion, establish an effective withdrawal strategy, and claim Social Security wisely, you can put yourself in a solid position to enjoy the stress-free retirement you deserve.

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.