This Is the Single Biggest Threat to Your Retirement Security

Source The Motley Fool

Key Points

  • Seniors deserve financial security in retirement, but many will struggle to achieve it.

  • There's one mistake that could set you up for failure.

  • If you're making this error now, you still have time to make a change.

  • The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook ›

You could be making a mistake right now that is putting your financial security in retirement in jeopardy. It's one of the single most difficult mistakes to recover from, and many people never get back to the position they would have been in if they hadn't made this error.

Here's the mistake you must avoid if you want your retirement planning efforts to succeed.

Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »

Adults looking at financial paperwork.

Image source: Getty Images.

You can't afford to make this mistake with your retirement plans

The biggest threat to your retirement security isn't what you might think. It's not Social Security running out, which is a common fear many have. Instead, it's delayed retirement investing.

If you delay investing for retirement, you give up the opportunity to make compound growth work as effectively as it should. You limit how much your money can work for you to grow your wealth, and you end up with far less money in your retirement plans because of it.

Why is delayed investing the biggest threat to your retirement security?

To understand why delayed retirement investing is such a huge threat, just take a look at the numbers. Let's say you want to retire at 67 with $2 million. Here's how much you'd have to save each month to make that happen, depending on how old you are when you begin investing and assuming a 10% average annual return:

  • Age 30: $504.99
  • Age 40: $1,376.27
  • Age 50: $4,110.69
  • Age 60: $17,567.58

As you can see, a delay takes a goal that's achievable -- saving $504.99 per month -- and makes it impossible since few people can save $4,110.69, much less save over $17,000 per month. There is a huge disparity in how much you must save because when you invest early, you have lots of time for your money to make money that can be reinvested. You don't need to contribute as much personally. You lose that advantage when you start late.

So, don't put your retirement in jeopardy by waiting. Start investing as much as you can today so compound growth can work for you and help you achieve your retirement savings goals.

The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook

If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income.

One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Join Stock Advisor to learn more about these strategies.

View the "Social Security secrets" »

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
Ethereum (ETH) Price Closes Above $3,900 — Is a New All-Time High Possible Before 2024 Ends?Once again, the price of Ethereum (ETH) has risen above $3,900. This bounce has hinted at a further price increase for the altcoin before the end of the year.
Author  Beincrypto
Dec 17, 2024
Once again, the price of Ethereum (ETH) has risen above $3,900. This bounce has hinted at a further price increase for the altcoin before the end of the year.
placeholder
Pi Network Price Annual Forecast: PI Heads Into a Volatile 2026 as Utility Questions Collide With Big UnlocksPi Network heads into 2026 after a 90%+ 2025 drawdown from $3.00, with 17.5 million KYC users and a smart-contract-focused Stellar v23 upgrade offering upside potential, but 1.21 billion tokens unlocking and heavy exchange deposits (437 million PI) keeping supply pressure and trust risks firmly in focus.
Author  Mitrade
Dec 19, 2025
Pi Network heads into 2026 after a 90%+ 2025 drawdown from $3.00, with 17.5 million KYC users and a smart-contract-focused Stellar v23 upgrade offering upside potential, but 1.21 billion tokens unlocking and heavy exchange deposits (437 million PI) keeping supply pressure and trust risks firmly in focus.
placeholder
Bitcoin Realized Losses Rival Luna Crash Levels as Market Absorbs $2 Billion HitBitcoin network realizes $1.99 billion in losses, rivaling the 2022 Luna crash, though analysts view the $67,000 flush as a cyclical cleanse rather than a structural breakdown.
Author  Mitrade
Feb 12, Thu
Bitcoin network realizes $1.99 billion in losses, rivaling the 2022 Luna crash, though analysts view the $67,000 flush as a cyclical cleanse rather than a structural breakdown.
placeholder
Silver Price Forecast: XAG/USD rebounds above $76.50 after sharp drop, eyes on US CPI dataSilver price (XAG/USD) recovers some lost ground to near $76.60 during the Asian trading hours on Friday. The white metal suddenly fell late Thursday, pushing silver down more than 11%.
Author  FXStreet
Feb 13, Fri
Silver price (XAG/USD) recovers some lost ground to near $76.60 during the Asian trading hours on Friday. The white metal suddenly fell late Thursday, pushing silver down more than 11%.
placeholder
Bitcoin Flirts With ‘Undervalued’ As MVRV Slides Toward 1Bitcoin is nearing a level on the MVRV ratio that historically lines up with market “undervaluation,” according to CryptoQuant contributor Crypto Dan, as traders look for signs that a four-month
Author  NewsBTC
Yesterday 01: 43
Bitcoin is nearing a level on the MVRV ratio that historically lines up with market “undervaluation,” according to CryptoQuant contributor Crypto Dan, as traders look for signs that a four-month
goTop
quote