New Delhi: A growing number of people nearing retirement will learn that having several crores saved for retirement does not ensure peace of mind. According to CA Nitin Kaushik, people who are content in retirement are those who have aligned risk with reality and pursued stability and time rather than returns.
In a post on X, Kaushik explained what he calls the “Retirement Mistake Even the Wealthy Keep Making And Why It Quietly Destroys Portfolios”. According to Kaushik, many people with substantial assets end up being anxious about retirement not because they lack sufficient funds but because their portfolio is designed for excitement rather than stability.
To explain, Kaushik uses the example of someone retiring with a corpus of Rs 12 crore. He said if the first year brings a sharp downturn then a 25 to 30 percent fall can wipe out Rs 2 to 3 crore instantly. The person is forced to sell part of the equity portfolio which can never recover fully because the recovery happens on a smaller base. “This is how people with even Rs 8–10 crore end up feeling financially tight by their 70s,” he said.
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The Retirement Mistake Even the Wealthy Keep Making – And Why It Quietly Destroys Portfolios
A surprising number of people with solid savings end up anxious about retirement, not because they don’t have enough_ but because their portfolio is built for excitement, not stability._ pic.twitter.com/IbUP4dhtEU
— CA Nitin Kaushik (FCA) | LLB (@Finance_Bareek) November 27, 2025
Kaushik emphasizes that higher volatility combined with fixed withdrawals increases the danger of depletion. He said that portfolios with around half in equities face a drastically higher chance of running out of money. When equity exposure is decreased to around 20–30 percent the probability drops sharply. “While the yearly spending remains almost the same. The trade off is far smaller than most people assume,” Kaushik said.
Kaushik describes an alternative approach saying someone nearing retirement with a balanced mix of enough equity to keep the money growing above inflation and enough stability so that monthly withdrawals do not depend on the market’s mood are at a better position. At 80, their retirement becomes peaceful and not stressful.
Kaushik asserts that after years of observing portfolios and strategies, one truth becomes clear that “People who sleep well in retirement are not the ones who took the biggest bets. They are the ones who aligned risk with reality instead of ego. They did not chase returns but they chased stability, dignity and time.”
Kaushik said that before believing that retirement funds will last forever, it is worth that people consider if they are “walking into retirement with hope instead of a plan.”
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