Wealth Protection Strategies for Retirement

By Brent Meyer — SafeMoney.com Founder & Editor Reviewed by Licensed Financial Professionals  |  SafeMoney.com — Trusted Since 2011  |  Updated Regularly Quick Answer: Discover how Americans prioritize wealth protection in retirement. Explore safe money alternatives for a secure financial future. Learn more today! In the last three years, Americans have reported they have become more accustomed to market volatility. But a lingering anxiety over this market uncertainty has led them to seek, in record numbers, strategies to protect a portion of their retirement savings . This latest snapshot of Americans’ attitudes toward market volatility, and its effect on their retirement planning, comes from Allianz Life’s 2018 Market Perceptions Study . Conducted this April, the online study surveyed a nationally representative sample of more than 1,000 respondents. Of this population, more than half had investable assets above $200,000. Chief among the findings? A growing number of Americans said they are comfortable with market conditions and are ready to invest. That share of people was 35% in the 2018 study, compared to 26% in a similar Allianz study published in 2015. Protecting Retirement Savings is an Even Greater Concern Being comfortable with volatile market conditions doesn’t mean investors are happy about them. The Allianz study found that 37% of respondents admit that recent volatility is making them anxious about their nest egg. This anxiety is driving them to search for products that protect a portion of their retirement savings, even if they have to give up potential growth in exchange. A whopping 57% of respondents were willing to sacrifice potential gains to achieve this protection, compared with 48% in 2015. The issue of safety is paramount for those nearing retirement, as this study shows. It found that 38% of respondents reported that if they experienced a significant market drop that caused them to lose a lot of money, they would not have time to rebuild their savings. Volatility “Has Come Back with a Vengeance” If Americans are more comfortable with being stuck in the throes of a highly volatile market, their resolve is likely to be tested throughout 2018. In a recent article, Money magazine proclaimed that “market volatility has come back with a vengeance.” Market strategists look to the Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index (known as VIX) for a window into a tumultuous market. The VIX gauges mar