How Can RIAs Help Clients Prepare for Retirement in 2026?

Retirement planning is becoming more complex as clients face longer lifespans, higher healthcare costs, and changing benefit rules. For RIAs, the work now goes beyond portfolio construction. Clients need help turning assets into income, making Social Security decisions, planning for healthcare costs, and managing taxes through retirement.

The pressure is already visible. The 2026 Social Security COLA is 2.8%, while Medicare Part B premiums are rising by nearly 10%. That gap makes retirement planning less about a one-time projection and more about ongoing adjustments as costs, benefits, and tax rules change.

How Should RIAs Approach Retirement Income Planning?

The traditional 4% withdrawal rule is under more pressure as clients live longer and markets remain less predictable. Many advisors now start closer to 3.5% or use dynamic withdrawal strategies that adjust with portfolio values and market conditions.

For RIAs, the goal is to help clients create a reliable income structure rather than simply set a withdrawal rate. Scenario modeling can also help clients see potential income gaps before retirement begins, when there is still time to adjust savings, spending, or risk exposure.

Social Security remains one of the most important income sources for many retirees. The average monthly benefit is expected to rise to about $2,071 in 2026 after the 2.8% COLA.

Claiming decisions can materially affect lifetime income. Delaying benefits until age 70 can increase monthly payments by up to 24% compared with full retirement age at 67, and up to 77% compared with claiming at 62.

For RIAs, this is especially important when planning for couples. Spousal benefits, survivor benefits, health assumptions, and tax effects can all change the best claiming strategy.

How Should RIAs Plan for Healthcare Costs?

Healthcare remains one of the largest retirement risks. Fidelity’s 2025 estimate put lifetime healthcare costs for a 65-year-old retiring in 2025 at about $172,500 in after-tax savings. For couples, projected costs can be substantially higher, especially before long-term care is included.

These expenses can weaken a retirement plan quickly if they are treated as a general assumption. RIAs can help clients model Medicare premiums, supplemental coverage, prescription costs, and possible long-term care needs.

What Overlooked Value Can Support Retirement Planning?

Retirement planning also creates an opportunity to recover value that may already exist inside client portfolios. Securities class action recovery is one example. In 2025, settlements reached about $8B, yet many eligible proceeds remained unclaimed because the process required manual matching, filing, and payout tracking.

Platforms such as 11th.com now automate the entire recovery workflow and return proceeds directly to client accounts. For RIAs, this can add value during retirement planning without adding internal workload, especially for clients who rely on portfolio assets for long-term income.

What Should RIAs Prioritize in 2026?

In 2026, RIAs should treat retirement planning as an ongoing process rather than a static projection. Income assumptions, Social Security timing, healthcare costs, and withdrawal strategy all need regular review.

Firms that do this well can help clients make decisions before problems appear. They can also strengthen the advisory relationship by showing value across the full retirement picture, not just investment performance.