By Brad Rhodes

Safe money refers to low-risk investments that provide a guaranteed return on their investment. Insurance companies typically offer these investments and include products such as fixed annuities, life insurance policies and other fixed-income investments. Safe money investments are considered low-risk because they provide a guaranteed return on investment and are not subject to market fluctuations.

Safe money investments are important to retirement planning because they provide a reliable and predictable source of income during retirement. During retirement, it is essential to have a steady source of income to cover expenses such as housing, healthcare and other necessities. Safe money investments can provide a reliable source of income during retirement, which can help retirees maintain their standard of living without having to worry about financial uncertainties.

In addition to providing a reliable source of income, safe money investments also offer other benefits for retirement planning. For example, many safe money investments, such as annuities and life insurance policies, grow tax-deferred. This means that investors do not have to pay taxes on the growth until they withdraw the money. Safe money investments may not be able to respond to high rates of inflation, which can erode the purchasing power of retirement savings over time. Because safe money investments provide a guaranteed rate of return, they may help retirees keep pace with inflation and maintain the value of their retirement savings, but that also depends on the actual inflation rate.

Overall, safe money investments are an important part of retirement planning. They provide a reliable source of income, protection from market fluctuations and inflation, and can help retirees maintain their standard of living during retirement. Investors need to consider their risk tolerance and investment goals when deciding how much to allocate to safe money investments as part of a well-diversified investment portfolio.

Some common types of safe money investments include:

• Fixed annuities: Fixed annuities are insurance contracts that provide a guaranteed rate of return over a specific period. They are designed to provide a reliable source of income during retirement and are often used as a supplement to other retirement savings vehicles.
• Life insurance policies can also be a safe investment. Certain types of life insurance policies, such as whole life or universal life, offer a guaranteed rate of return and grow tax deferred.
• Savings accounts: Savings accounts are a basic form of safe money investment offering a guaranteed return rate. While the return on savings accounts is typically lower than other safe money investments, they are a low-risk option for short-term savings or emergency funds.
• Certificates of deposit (CDs): CDs are a type of time deposit that offer a guaranteed rate of return for a fixed period of time. They are insured by the FDIC up to a certain amount, which makes them a safe option for short-term savings.
• Money market accounts: Money market accounts are a type of savings account that typically does not offer a higher rate of return than traditional savings accounts.

While safe money investments offer a guaranteed rate of return and protection from market fluctuations, it is important for investors to consider the potential drawbacks. Safe money investments may not offer the same growth potential as risky investments such as stocks or mutual funds. Additionally, safe money investments may have restrictions on withdrawals.

Safe money investments are an important part of retirement planning. They provide a reliable source of income, protection from market fluctuations and inflation and can help retirees maintain their standard of living during retirement. Investors should carefully consider their risk tolerance and investment goals when deciding how much to allocate to safe money investments as part of a well-diversified investment portfolio. It is also important for investors to regularly review their investment portfolio and make any necessary adjustments to ensure that they are on track to meet their retirement goals.

Brad Rhodes lives in Lexington and is a member of Syndicated Columnists.