The Retirement Rule Suze Orman Says You Should Ignore

When it comes to retirement planning, most of us follow age-based rules we’ve heard for years: be conservative after 60, shift to safety at 70. But financial expert Suze Orman says those guidelines miss the mark entirely. The bestselling author and host of the Women & Money podcast believes retirement safety has nothing to do with your birthday—and everything to do with whether your money can actually support the life you’re living. Here, she shares the honest conversation you need to have with yourself about structuring retirement income that will carry you through a very long life.

Q: I’m 66. What’s the best way to structure my retirement income to cover my expenses long term?

Suze: Retirement safety has nothing to do with a birthday. It has everything to do with whether your money can support the life you are actually living.

Too many people make financial decisions based on age alone. They hear rules like “be more conservative after 60” or “shift everything to safety at 70.” But those are general guidelines.

Your age is just a number. Your real risk age is written in your bank accounts, your investment statements, your health and your responsibilities.

When you stop focusing on how old you are and start getting radically honest about your financial reality, that is when you can begin to balance growth and safety in a way that will carry you through a very long life.

Start by facing your real numbers

Write down what it actually costs you to live each month: housing, food, utilities, insurance, medications, transportation. Then think about what may show up later: higher healthcare costs, home repairs or helping children or grandchildren.

Next, list every source of predictable income you have: Social Security, pensions, annuities, rental income or even part-time work.

Now compare the two

If your steady income plus safe savings cannot comfortably cover your essential expenses, you do not have the luxury of taking big investment risks no matter what your birth certificate says. Your priority must be safety: eliminate high-interest debt, cut unnecessary spending and build a strong cash cushion.

But if your essential expenses are covered and covered comfortably, the conversation changes. In that case, even if you are well past traditional retirement age, you may still want a meaningful portion of your portfolio invested for long-term growth.

Know that retirement today may last 25 or even 30 years

So the real question is not “How old am I?” but “If I live another 30 years, will there still be more than enough?”

Peace of mind does not come from following an age rule. It comes from knowing your numbers, telling yourself the truth about them and having the courage to act on what they say.

This story first appeared in the May 4, 2026, issue of Woman’s World magazine.

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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 6:30 PM.