As retirement gets closer, the conversation usually shifts. Less about how much you've saved, more about how that money is going to hold up.
Inflation is the part of that shift people tend to skip over. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index climbed roughly 37% between December 2015 and December 2025 (BLS, 2025). Put another way: something that cost $100 a decade ago runs about $137 now. If your income needs to stretch across twenty or thirty years of retirement, that's not a side note. It changes the math.
A few areas are worth a second look because of it.
Purchasing power. Your account balance only tells half the story. What matters more is what that balance can actually cover, and costs don't sit still. Groceries, healthcare, housing. The number on the statement stays the same while what it buys keeps shrinking.
Income coordination. Which accounts you draw from, and when, affects how long your money lasts. That's true in any environment, but it matters more when prices are climbing faster than you planned for. A withdrawal strategy built five years ago may not hold up under today's numbers.
Competing priorities. A lot of people this age are still helping their kids, maybe their parents too, while trying to get their own transition right. Rising costs make that balancing act harder. Without a clear picture, money gets pulled in whatever direction feels most urgent that month, not necessarily the direction that serves you best.
None of this calls for a complicated plan. It calls for one that's coordinated and reflects where you actually stand right now, not where you stood when you first put it together.
If it's been a while since you looked at the whole picture, let's talk. I'll walk through your retirement readiness with you and make sure the pieces are still working together the way they should. Get started at pereirawm.com or contact me at 877-997-7113
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index data (bls.gov/cpi).