16 Strategies To Keep Your Retirement Portfolio Growing And Balanced

Forbes

6 hours ago

A successful retirement strategy doesn't stop at setting up a portfolio or savings account. It requires regular attention and thoughtful adjustments over time.
While the "set it and forget it" mindset may seem convenient, it can also prevent you from realizing alternative investment opportunities or leave you vulnerable to increased risk. Staying engaged, reassessing goals and responding to market changes are key to building long-term financial security.
To help you stay on track, 16 members of Forbes Finance Council share smart, actionable tips for maintaining a well-balanced and growth-oriented retirement portfolio.
1. Stay Engaged And Adjust Regularly
You shouldn't treat your retirement like a crockpot; you should treat it like a business. It's important to check in every quarter and adjust based on what's happening worldwide and where the money's moving. You must use smart tools that track trends and save money by keeping your taxes low. The old passive way is out. Today, it's about being engaged, staying sharp and shifting smart. - Karla Dennis, KDA Inc.
2. Create And Follow A Financial Plan
Wealth-building and retirement preparation require a financial plan. You should avoid a "set it and forget it" approach to prevent missed opportunities. Regular review ensures alignment with goals, especially after life changes. Annual evaluations encourage engagement and empower decisions. Thoughtful planning secures lasting financial stability. - Sean Gould, Waddell & Associates
3. Review And Rebalance Quarterly
Investors should review their portfolios quarterly to assess whether values align with what was laid out in their plan and rebalance as needed to keep within plan parameters. It's a good opportunity to do a quick review of what is going on in your life as it happens and changes. Retirement plans are not one-time builds to just forget them after. They are living plans that get reviewed and adjusted as life happens. - Shawn Maloney, Retire Wise, LLC
4. Stick To Strategy With Annual Reviews
You need to remember that investing for retirement is investing in your long-term financial future. You should set the investment strategy that suits your risk tolerance and don't allow emotions such as greed and fear to interfere with that long-term strategy. Annual rebalancing helps to correct 'drift' away from your long-term strategy. - Sonya Thadhani Mughal, Bailard, Inc.
5. Explore Global Investment Opportunities
They must think internationally. There are investment opportunities globally that can prove profitable beyond a domestic retirement account. While it can seem daunting, they should start trading in foreign currencies on a small scale. Doing so expands investment possibilities and makes for a more resilient portfolio. - Rahim Madhavji, Knightsbridge Foreign Exchange
6. Use Dynamic Glide Paths
The key is to look beyond rebalancing and use dynamic glide paths. You should adjust equity exposure not just by age, but by real-time market conditions and personal spending behavior. It's a smarter way to grow while managing sequence-of-returns risk. - Sumeet Grover, UFCU
Forbes Finance Council is an invitation-only organization for executives in successful accounting, financial planning and wealth management firms. Do I qualify?
7. Combine Passive And Active Models
One strategy is to use a passive index core model with actively managed satellites to be opportunistic and move away from overpriced asset classes. Once your model is built, you can automate rebalancing to maintain risk exposure. - Christopher Foder, CExP, Meridian Financial Associates
8. Question Traditional Portfolio Models
A smart strategy is to work with an advisor who questions outdated models like 60-40 portfolios, the 'endowment model' and overreliance on treasuries or tech stocks. We're in a generational regime shift—true diversification now requires alternatives and adaptive thinking. Many advisors lack the tools or mindset to keep up. You must choose one who evolves with the times to keep your portfolio positioned for long-term growth. - Brian Lasher, Euclid Harding LLC
9. Treat Your Portfolio Like A Business
Investors must treat their portfolio like a boardroom: Underperforming assets don't get tenure; they get fired. You should audit allocations quarterly against forward-looking macro shifts, then redeploy capital with surgical conviction. Discipline eclipses hope; management outclasses memory. - Terry Chen, Modulate
10. Add Alternatives For Higher Growth
I recommend adding alternatives to the portfolio allocation, such as startups, to ensure uncorrelated risk and access to growth opportunities that exceed the market. Investors should look at what early-stage companies do in their industry and leverage their domain expertise to make informed investment decisions. - Andrew Izyumov, 8FIGURES AI Investment Advisor
11. Protect Your Growing Assets
A key strategy is to regularly assess liability exposure as your portfolio grows. Then, you can integrate powerful asset protection tools—like offshore trusts—not just for security, but for flexibility. Smart investing includes not just growing your nest egg but protecting it against lawsuits and unexpected claims. - Blake Harris, Blake Harris Law
12. Redirect New Contributions Strategically
You should strategically use new contributions to achieve long-term portfolio goals. When certain asset classes move away from your target range, you can direct new investments to restore balance. Instead of selling one asset (which could create a taxable event) and buying another to rebalance, it might be optimal to redirect new capital additions more efficiently. - Martin Jarzebowski, CFA, Federated Hermes
13. Schedule Regular Advisor Check-Ins
One simple but powerful tip is to schedule regular check-ins with your advisor. Life changes, markets shift and goals evolve, so your retirement plan should too. These meetings create space to explore new strategies, rebalance your portfolio and make sure your investments still align with where you're headed, not just where you started. - Michael Foguth, Foguth Financial Group
14. Realign After Life Milestones
I would suggest aligning portfolio modifications with life milestones, not the calendar. Instead of using scheduled evaluations, you should update strategically after important life events like a job shift, home purchase or childbirth. These events naturally change financial priorities and risk tolerance, making them perfect realignment triggers. This maintains investments responsive and relevant without frequent monitoring. - Neil Anders, Trusted Rate, Inc.
15. Diversify With Self-Directed IRAs
You should stay active and diversify! You might want to consider exploring self-directed IRAs for investments beyond the typical stock market, potentially hedging against volatility and expanding your portfolio's growth avenues. - Jason Craig, IRA Resources, Inc. (IRAR)
16. Reallocate Based On Economic Indicators
You can implement a periodic reallocation strategy based on macroeconomic indicators and asset class performance. At our office, we view active oversight, not overreaction, as essential to preserving intertemporal balance and compounding growth across shifting market cycles. - Alfonso Cahero, Cahero Family Office
The information provided here is not investment, tax, or financial advice. You should consult with a licensed professional for advice concerning your specific situation.