A retirement stress test is an analytical process that examines how your retirement plan holds up under unfavorable conditions. These include poor market returns, high inflation, unexpected healthcare expenses, or a longer-than-expected lifespan.

A stress test does not assume markets perform at historical averages throughout your retirement. Instead, it models what happens if:

You retire at the start of a prolonged downturn
Inflation runs consistently above average
You live to 95 instead of 85

This analysis is often run using Monte Carlo simulations, which generate thousands of possible market scenarios. The result is a probability-based view of whether your plan is likely to succeed. It covers a range of outcomes, not just the optimistic ones.

A well-designed stress test reveals vulnerabilities in your plan before they become real problems. That gives you time to make adjustments, such as:

Reducing withdrawal rates
Delaying retirement
Adding guaranteed income
Trimming discretionary spending

Stress testing your retirement plan is a standard part of the planning process at Moore Invested. We believe a plan that only works under ideal conditions is not a plan you can truly rely on.

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