Saving for retirement is a lifelong worry, but it becomes even more crucial when going through periods of high inflation like the one today. As of April 2022, inflation is up 8.3%, meaning your dollar is going far less than it used to. The cost of living increases as inflation increases, but wages cannot keep up, making it even more difficult for people to make ends meet, much less save for retirement. For more options, you can look at installment loans online, which allow you to get the money you need now and pay it off over time. 

It is currently projected that social security benefits will be exhausted in 2037, which means people are going to rely more than ever on retirement funds to get them through their non-working years. 

Ways to protect your retirement fund

• Invest

As inflation increases, the value of money decreases, so keeping large sums of cash will result in a net loss. Instead, invest in equities to keep ahead on inflation. Of course, keep emergency funds liquid so you do not have to tap into your investments in the event of an emergency. Although investments tend to be impacted by inflation as well, they are much less impacted than the value of cash.  

• Keep contributing to your retirement plan

As long as you are financially able, keep contributing a portion of your monthly salary to your retirement plan. By setting aside money every month, you are able to reduce the long-term risk of being impacted by inflation because you are contributing no matter how the market is doing. When you start contributing early, you have many more years for that fund to grow. You can also take advantage of employer matches or other programs to help grow the fund. 

• Diversify

Make sure your retirement portfolio is diverse. You will want to invest in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds to keep your portfolio secure. How much you put in each type depends on what you need from your retirement and the level of risk you are willing to take. It is also helpful to have contributions that you have already paid taxes on in your retirement account so you have tax-free income during retirement. You can also invest in real estate or inflation hedges like gold. 

The bottom line

No one knows exactly what is going to happen in the future. You can make all the predictions that you want, but it is best to be prepared for anything. Most people are worried about contributing to their retirement fund and those that are close to retirement are wondering if they even have enough to retire. It is important to diversify your portfolio, so if one thing does not work out you always have more that will.