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Vishesh Raisinghani
Updated Jun 11, 2026
Nearly half of Americans aren't saving enough for retirement, according to Dave Ramsey Solutions.
Yet most retirees still rely on Social Security as a major source of income, a benefit that typically replaces just 40% of pre-retirement income, according to the SSA.
Social Security was never designed to be a retirement plan. It was designed to be a safety net.
The fix looks different depending on whether you have decades ahead or you're already living on a fixed income. Either way, there are moves you can make right now to help your situation.
If you're still working: Start with a plan that sees the full picture
The first step is one everyone can agree on: take your employer’s 401(k) match. It’s essentially free money — and if you aren't taking it, you’re effectively taking a pay cut.
Once you’re contributing enough to capture that match, there are a few critical questions: Should you open a Roth IRA for its tax-free growth or a traditional IRA to lower your current taxable income?
If you’re over 50, the IRS allows you to make additional contributions to your retirement accounts, but knowing which account to fill first is where many people may stumble.
When you have 30 years to go, you may be able to afford a few mistakes. But when you only have 10 or 15, every move counts.
By hiring a fiduciary advisor, you’re gaining a strategist who looks at your financial buckets — from real estate and investment accounts to your cash reserve and 401(k) — as a whole.
A fiduciary is a professional legally bound to put your interests first. They help you stop managing a collection of accounts and start planning for your retirement strategically.
Platforms like Advisor.com take the guesswork out of finding this expertise.
Just indicate what you need help with — like tax optimization, retirement planning, or budgeting — answer a few quick questions through their online form and the platform will match you with a vetted financial advisor in 5 minutes.
You can set up a free, no-obligation-to-hire call to see how they can help you create an actionable plan and whether their approach and pricing model make sense for you.
Whether you're working or retired: Review what your fixed costs are actually costing you
Trimming fixed expenses is one of the fastest ways to free up cash without changing your lifestyle.
Car insurance is a classic example. Many drivers don't comparison shop regularly — and insurers count on that loyalty.
A platform like Insurify lets you view quotes from top-rated providers in about three minutes, making it easy to see whether you're paying a premium for nothing.
It's free to use, and drivers who bundle home and auto coverage can save up to 15%. That freed-up cash can go straight into a retirement account.
Just answer a few basic questions, and Insurify will show you the most affordable deals in your area.
If you're still working: Protect what you're building from inflation
Once you have a strategy in place, the next question is what to put inside your accounts — and how to protect what you're building from inflation and economic uncertainty.
Placing high-growth assets in tax-free accounts while using safe-haven hedges can help protect your nest egg from inflation.
Gold has served as a store of value for thousands of years. It isn't tied to any single country, currency, or economy, and it can't be printed like fiat money.
Investors often flock to it during periods of economic stress or geopolitical uncertainty — pushing prices higher. Gold prices surged by more than 80% year over year in 2025, hitting multiple record highs, with projections suggesting prices could soon exceed $6,000.
A gold IRA allows you to directly invest in physical gold or gold-related assets within your retirement portfolio, offering the tax advantages of an IRA alongside the long-term security of gold. It’s a compelling option for those aiming to protect their retirement savings from inflation and economic instability.
There are specific rules around gold IRAs — and some states have different tax structures for the sale of gold and silver. It’s important to choose the right dealer and custodian to help you navigate regulatory and taxation hurdles.
Depending on the company, they may offer free IRA rollovers and free precious metals for qualifying purchases. Priority Gold, for instance, offers up to $10,000 in free silver on qualifying purchases.
If you’re curious whether this is the right investment to diversify your portfolio, you can download a free gold and silver information guide.
Priority Gold
Get up to $10K free silver
Goldco
Get up to 10% free silver
U.S. Gold Bureau
Up to $20K in free goldIf you're still working: Make consistency your most powerful investing habit
One of the simplest habits that separates consistent investors from everyone else isn't picking the right stock. It's making investing automatic.
Setting up recurring transfers to your investment accounts means you're contributing regularly without having to think about it. Over time, this kind of consistency can matter more than timing the market or chasing returns.
If you're not sure where to direct those automatic contributions, Vanguard Digital Advisor takes the guesswork out of the equation and puts the investing expertise of one of the world’s largest asset managers right at your fingertips.
It builds a personalized portfolio using Vanguard’s well-known low-cost ETFs and mutual funds, then keeps things running with automatic rebalancing — so your money stays on track even when markets shift.
The platform also offers guidance on saving for retirement and lets you set additional goals as your life evolves. With a minimum investment of just $100, it’s an easy way to get started with professionally guided investing.
For every $10,000 in an all-index portfolio, you'll pay approximately $15 to $16 per year¹.
You can even test-drive the Vanguard experience with no advisory fees for the first 90 days.
If you're still working: Reconsider what you're paying for life insurance
Dave Ramsey has often criticized whole life insurance, calling it one of the “worst financial products on the market.” The premiums, he argues, can quietly drain money that might be better put toward retirement savings.
Instead, he recommends a simple 20-year term life policy: coverage that protects your family during your highest-earning (and highest-responsibility) years, typically at a fraction of the cost.
If you’re currently tied to an expensive whole life policy, it may be worth a second look. Today, online insurers like Ethos offer fast, competitive quotes for term coverage tailored to your specific needs.
The application can take as little as 10 minutes. Most applicants won’t need blood work or an in-person exam — just answer a few basic health and lifestyle questions.
Using real-time data, Ethos can often deliver an instant quote and, in many cases, same-day approval. You may be able to get up to $2 million in coverage, starting at just $2 per day.
By swapping an expensive policy for a leaner term plan, you may be able to funnel those monthly savings back into your 401(k) or IRA, where they can work harder for your long-term goals.
If you're still working: Diversify beyond your 401(k)
Most 401(k)s restrict you to stocks and bonds. The wealthy, however, often diversify into alternative assets to protect their portfolios from sharp stock market corrections.
The good news is you don’t need millions to follow their lead.
For instance, the Fundrise Flagship Fund² is a $1 billion private real estate fund that lets you invest in an expertly crafted strategy without needing hundreds of thousands of dollars. You don’t need to be an accredited investor, and you can get started with as little as $10.
With 4,700+ single-family homes and 2,500+ residential units owned by the Fundrise Flagship Fund, you get exposure to institutional-style scale and diversification.
Industrial
215 Interchange
Las Vegas, NV Build-for-rent
Pine Ridge
Fountain Inn, SC Build-for-rent
Omnia
Richmond Hill, GAThese are a few examples of properties powering the Fundrise Flagship Fund. For a full list of the Fundrise Flagship Fund's portfolio properties see the Flagship Fund website
After you place your first investment, the Fundrise Flagship Fund will work to find and add new assets to your portfolio over time and send you transparent updates along the way.
It only takes a few minutes to sign up now and become a real estate investor today.
Fundrise Flagship Fund
Buy real estate through Fundrise's $1 billion private fundAnother way to invest in real estate is through platforms like Mogul.
The real estate investment platform offers fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties, which gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits without the need for a $250,000 down payment or 3 A.M. tenant calls.
Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. Simply put, you can invest in institutional-quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.
Fully Funded
The Harden
Phoenix, AZ$323K
Invested80+
Investors Fully Funded
The Yamamoto
Poconos, PA$909K
Invested80+
Investors Fully Funded
The Alcaraz
Lizella, GA$833K
Invested80+
InvestorsThese are a few examples of properties from Mogul. Browse available properties on their website.
Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Their cash-on-cash yields, meanwhile, average between 10-12% annually.
Each property undergoes a vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios.
With numbers like that, it's no wonder that offerings sell out in under three hours — with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.
If you're already retired: Make your cash work harder for you
Many big banks pay interest as low as 0.01%, which means any cash in a traditional savings account is actually shrinking in value thanks to inflation. For retirees managing a fixed income, this is a silent wealth killer.
Moving your money to a high-yield account puts your cash to work. A high-yield account like a Wealthfront Cash Account can be a great place to grow your uninvested cash, offering both competitive interest rates and easy access to your money when you need it.
A Wealthfront Cash Account currently offers a base APY of 3.30% through program banks, and new clients can get an extra 0.75% boost during their first three months on up to $150,000 for a total variable APY of 4.05%³.
That's ten times the national deposit savings rate, according to the FDIC's March report⁴.
Additionally, Wealthfront is offering new clients who enable direct deposit ($1,000/mo minimum) to their Cash Account and open and fund a new investment account an additional 0.25% APY increase⁵ with no expiration date or balance limit, meaning your APY could be as high as 4.30%.
With no minimum balances or account fees, as well as 24/7 withdrawals and free domestic wire transfers, your funds remain accessible at all times. Plus, you get access to up to $8M FDIC Insurance eligibility through program banks.
With a Certificate of Deposit (CD), you lock in a rate upfront, so your earnings stay fixed for a set term, even if market rates slip.
For those seeking predictable, reliable growth, a platform like CD Valet can help you find higher-yield options that work for you, whether you’re saving for something soon or building a cushion for the long haul.
CD Valet tracks over 40,000 verified rates from FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions nationwide. Unlike other websites, they show every publicly available rate, ensuring you have a comprehensive view of the market.
To help you save smarter, CD Valet provides free, specialized tools.
- Earnings calculator: See exactly how much interest you’ll accrue by the end of your term. Adjust different rates and terms to see how much you can earn with a 12-month vs. a 24-month CD.
- CD rates map by state: See real-time offers of the best CD rates across the country. Many institutions allow you to open an online account, so you can take advantage of a great CD rate without being located in that state.
Plus, their CD rates are updated continuously so you can shop, compare and open CDs with ease.
If you're nearing or already in retirement: Secure an income stream Social Security can't provide
One option some retirees use to create a more predictable income is an annuity. In exchange for a lump-sum investment or a series of payments, an insurance company agrees to provide income according to the terms of the contract.
For some retirees, annuities can help create a reliable income stream that complements Social Security and other retirement savings. Because annuities come in several forms — including fixed, variable and indexed products — it's important to understand the tradeoffs before committing.
Platforms like Annuity.org provide educational resources and can connect you with specialists who can help explain different options and determine whether an annuity fits your retirement strategy.
Just answer a few questions about your retirement goals to get a free quote and schedule a no-obligation meeting with one of their specialists.
More money moves to make
Amerisave
HELOC
Longbridge
Reverse mortgages
Freedom Debt Relief
Debt relief program-
Vanguard Digital Advisor is an all-digital service. Digital Advisor charges brokerage accounts an annual gross advisory fee in the amount of 0.20% for an index portfolio option or 0.25% for an active portfolio option. That gross advisory fee is reduced by a credit of the actual revenue The Vanguard Group, Inc. ("VGI"), or its affiliates retain from investments in each enrolled account, resulting in a net advisory fee. The net advisory fee is the actual fee collected from your account(s) and will vary based on your unique asset allocation, portfolio option, account type, and specific holdings in each enrolled account. Note that this fee doesn't include investment expense ratios charged by a fund, such as fees paid to the funds' third-party managers which are not credited. While we generally recommend using low-cost Vanguard funds to build your portfolio, actively managed funds will have higher expense ratios than index funds. For more information on the services, find VAI's Form CRS and each program's advisory brochure here for an overview.
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Carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fundrise Flagship Fund before investing. This and other information can be found in the Fund’s prospectus. Read them carefully before investing. This marketing was vetted by the Moneywise team and sponsored by the Fundrise Flagship Fund.
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The Direct Deposit Plus Investing Program ("DDI Program") from Wealthfront Advisers LLC and Wealthfront Brokerage LLC (collectively, "Wealthfront") provides eligible clients a 0.25% annual percentage yield ("APY") increase above the current base APY (paid by Program Banks) on total eligible Cash Account balances. Wealthfront may change or end the program at any time and determines eligibility at its discretion. See Terms and Conditions at wealthfront.com/promo-terms.
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The Base Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is 3.30%, as of 01/30/26, and is subject to change. If you are eligible for the overall boosted rate of 4.05% offered in connection with this promo, your boosted rate is also subject to change if the base rate decreases during the three-month promotional period. The Cash Account is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront is not a bank. The Base APY is representative, subject to change, and requires no minimum. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where it earns the variable base APY and is eligible for FDIC insurance. Instant withdrawals may be limited by your receiving firm and other factors. Investment advisory services provided by Wealthfront Advisers LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Securities investments: not bank deposits, bank-guaranteed or FDIC-insured, and may lose value
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Based on the national average savings accounts interest rate of 0.39% as posted on FDIC.gov, as of March 16, 2026. Wealthfront doesn't charge wire fees for transfers to title and escrow companies or your accounts at other institutions, but the receiving entity or institution may charge a fee. For more wire info, visit wealthfront.com/transfer-agreement.
Vishesh Raisinghani
Freelance Writer
Vishesh Raisinghani is a financial journalist covering personal finance, investing and the global economy. He's also the founder of Sharpe Ascension Inc., a content marketing agency focused on investment firms. His work has appeared in Moneywise, Yahoo Finance!, Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine and Piggybank.
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