Retirement’s Final Five Years Matter Most | Raleigh News

Raleigh News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 8, 2026 · 2m

Retirement’s final five years are make-or-break: your investment choices here can massively impact how long your money lasts. Sequence-of-returns risk looms large—if markets crash when you start withdrawing, you’re forced to sell at a loss, permanently shrinking your nest egg. Experts warn that the current safe withdrawal rate is now 3.9%, down from 4%, due to high stock valuations. Don’t cling to aggressive stock-heavy portfolios built decades ago; shift toward bonds and cash as you near retirement. Fidelity, Schwab, and Vanguard all recommend conservative allocations. Also, consider Roth…