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Rukevwe Erakpotobor

How Inflation Impacts Retirement Savings and What You Can Do About It

Inflation is perhaps one of the most common economic challenges any country can suffer. It quietly devalues money, making it harder for people to maintain their purchasing power over time.


Sadly, within the last year, the Nigerian naira depreciated significantly by at least 215%, contributing to a headline inflation rate of 32.7%. This automatically affects the real value of your savings, pensions, and standard of living even in the future.


Regardless of these setbacks, you can prepare for and thrive in inflation if you adopt the right strategies. In this article, we address how inflation could affect your retirement savings and provide actionable tips to help you deal with it now and in the future.


Why Does Inflation Matter in Retirement?

Inflation is the rise in prices over time, which decreases the purchasing power of money. This means the same amount of money buys less as time goes on. For example, what ₦1,000 can buy today might cost ₦1,500 in a few years or months due to inflation. When inflation happens excessively, it becomes problematic for retirees, and here’s why:


The Fixed-Income Trap

Income from your pension is often fixed, and this can make it harder to keep up with rising prices. If your savings don’t grow at a rate that outpaces inflation, your future purchasing power will be significantly reduced. 


For instance, if inflation averages 10% annually and your pension fund grows by only 5%, you're effectively losing purchasing power each year.



Reduced Purchasing Power 

The money saved today may not be enough to cover living expenses in the future. Prices of food, housing, and healthcare tend to increase, meaning retirees might struggle to maintain their lifestyle.


This can become particularly challenging for retirees who rely solely on their pension income to cover all living expenses.



inflation represented by a woman losing money

How You Can Deal with Inflation

You may not be able to control inflation, but you can create a buffer for when it eventually happens. If you want to stay ahead of the curve and still live comfortably regardless of price fluctuations, then you can consider the following strategies:


Diversify Your Retirement Portfolio

Your pension is a strong plan to fall back on during retirement, however, you should not rely solely on your retirement savings if you want protection against inflation. Instead, consider investing and diversifying in multiple investments.


You could venture into stocks and bonds to help spread risk and ensure you have multiple income streams even in retirement. 


Invest in Inflation-Protected Assets

One of the most effective ways to shield your retirement savings from inflation is by investing in inflation-protected assets. These are assets that tend to outperform inflation when it happens; therefore, rather than depreciate, they appreciate. 


Some common inflation-protected Assets in Nigeria include real estate, commodities, gold, federal government bonds, and Treasury bills issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.


Consider Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC)

In Nigeria, you can boost your retirement savings by making voluntary contributions in addition to your mandatory pension contributions. These could be lump-sum contributions or smaller contributions outside the mandatory 18% joint monthly contributions you remit. 


Your AVC will grow within your pension fund, help you save more, and contribute to helping you keep up with inflation. 



Review and Adjust Your Retirement Plans Regularly

It’s important to review your retirement plan periodically and make adjustments when necessary. You can always consult with the Oak Pensions team of financial advisors to reassess your retirement goals and savings strategy. This will help you ensure that your savings are growing at a rate that can keep up with inflation.


Factor Inflation into Your Budget 

As you consider how much you ought to have in your pension pot when you retire, ensure your retirement budget accounts for inflation. Don’t assume that your expenses will remain the same throughout retirement. 


Therefore, create margins and plan for gradual increases in the cost of living, especially for essentials like food, healthcare, and housing. By planning for these increases ahead of time, you’ll be better prepared to manage your finances in retirement.



Conclusion

Inflation is a reality every Nigerian pensioner or intending pensioner must plan for. While we want to enjoy the peace of mind and security that comes with owning a pension account, it's important to be certain that these savings can create enough support for retirement.


The strategies here will help protect your savings and maintain your financial security during retirement. But if you want more advice on how to combat inflation and protect your retirement savings, let Oak Pensions be your partner. Contact our team of professionals at 09087448661 or send an email to info@oakpensions.com to get started.

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