There are too many retirement dos and don’ts to count, but what would financial experts say is their number one simple piece of advice?
Several financial experts were asked to share just one piece of simple retirement advice everyone should follow in 2026. Here’s what they had to say.
Separate Short-Term Money From Long-Term Money
“My biggest piece of advice for 2026 is to protect your retirement savings by separating short-term money from long-term money,” explained Devin Miller, CEO and co-founder at SecureSave.
According to Miller, this involves separating your emergency money from investments to prevent you from dipping into your retirement accounts.
“Emergency savings may not feel as exciting as investing, but it’s what keeps people from derailing their retirement when unexpected expenses pop up. We see over and over that people with emergency savings stay invested longer and retire with more,” Miller added.
See Next: Here’s What Retirees Wasted the Most Money On in 2025 — and How To Avoid It in 2026
Treat Retirement Like a Paycheck
Steven Rogé, certified financial planner (CFP), certified analytics professional (CAP), accredited investment fiduciary (AIF) and chief investment officer and CEO of R.W. Rogé & Company, Inc., recommended running retirement like a paycheck.
“Set a fixed monthly deposit into checking, fund it from a zero- to three-year cash reserve and keep the rest invested for long-term growth,” he explained. “Refill the cash once or twice a year by trimming winners and put tax withholding on every transfer so April is boring.”
According to Rogé, this habit keeps spending steady, turns volatility into a tool — since rebalancing and refills naturally sell high and avoid forced selling low — and it gives you better control over taxes, as withdrawals can be sized and sourced to fit the bracket you want.
“Build the retirement paycheck first, then let the portfolio do its job behind the scenes,” he added.
Contribute Enough to Your Retirement Account
“I would say make sure you are contributing enough to get your company match if they provide one. This is free money and makes a big difference in your 401(k) balance over time,” explained Georgia Bruggeman, founder and CEO at Meridian Financial Advisors, LLC.
There are different match formulas, but Fidelity pointed out that the most common is for employers to contribute $1 for every $1 an employee contributes, up to 3% of an employee’s salary, then 50 cents on the dollar for the next 2% of an employee’s salary. Fidelity added that workers should aim to save about 15% of their pre-tax income each year, including their match.
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Why These Retirement Strategies Matter for California Residents
California residents face unique retirement challenges that make expert advice even more critical:
- Higher cost of living (20-50% above national average)
- Expensive healthcare before Medicare at 65
Implementing these three expert strategies helps California residents maximize retirement success despite these challenges.
How California Estate Planning Enhances These Retirement Strategies
Each expert strategy works better with proper California estate planning:
Strategy 1 + Estate Planning: Protect Your Emergency Savings
Separating short-term from long-term money requires legal structures that protect both:
Revocable Living Trust for Long-Term Assets
- Holds retirement investments and real estate
- Provides smooth transition if incapacitated
Separate Accounts for Emergency Funds
- Keep 6-12 months expenses outside trust
- Payable-on-death designations for remaining funds
Why this matters: If you become incapacitated without planning, your family might need court permission to access emergency funds—exactly when you need them most.
Strategy 2 + Estate Planning: Structure Your Retirement Paycheck Legally
Running retirement like a paycheck requires proper authority and tax planning:
Durable Power of Attorney
- Authorize trusted person to manage retirement paycheck if you can’t
- Manage tax withholding and adjustments
Trust Distribution Provisions
- Specify monthly distribution amounts
- Name successor trustees who understand your strategy
California tax considerations:
- Structure withdrawals to minimize California state income tax
- Plan Roth conversions during lower-income years
Strategy 3 + Estate Planning: Protect Company Match Benefits
Maximizing employer matches requires beneficiary planning:
Update 401(k) Beneficiary Designations
- Primary beneficiary: spouse (or trust for their benefit)
- Review annually (especially after life changes)
Consider Retirement Trust as Beneficiary
- Protects inherited 401(k) from beneficiary’s creditors
- Prevents young adults from squandering inheritance
Example: Tom, a Sacramento tech worker, contributed enough to get full employer match ($12,000 annually). Over 20 years, with company match and growth, this became $500,000. By naming a retirement trust as beneficiary, he protected this wealth from his son’s divorce and creditors, while ensuring responsible distributions.
Real-World Case Study: California Retiree Success
Meet Linda, 67, retired Sacramento teacher with comprehensive planning:
Her Implementation:
Emergency Fund Separation (Strategy 1)
- $60,000 in high-yield savings (12 months expenses)
- $550,000 in brokerage accounts (taxable)
Retirement Paycheck Structure (Strategy 2)
- Monthly trust distribution: $4,000 (from brokerage)
- Her CalSTRS pension: $3,200
Company Match Maximization (Strategy 3)
- Contributed to CalSTRS throughout career
- Combined retirement accounts: $800,000
Her Estate Planning Foundation:
- Revocable living trust holds all major assets
- Healthcare directive specifies medical wishes
Results after 5 years of retirement:
About the Author: Dustin MacFarlane, Esq.
California Licensed Attorney | Estate Planning Specialist
Dustin MacFarlane is the founder of California Probate and Trust, PC, with over 15 years of experience in estate planning, probate administration, and trust law. Licensed by the California State Bar, Dustin has helped thousands of California families protect their assets and plan for the future.
CA Bar License: Active | Practice Areas: Estate Planning, Probate, Trust Administration | Location: Granite Bay, CA