Creating an Income Floor in Retirement
- Ethan Barry
- Jul 22
- 2 min read
Why an Income Floor Is the Foundation of a Secure Retirement
This article is for anyone who doesn’t have a clear plan for where their retirement income will come from to cover monthly expenses, or for those already drawing Social Security benefits but feeling stretched to make ends meet. Planning your cash flow in retirement is crucial, and one of the best ways to do that is by understanding and establishing your income floor.
What Is an Income Floor?
An income floor refers to the minimum amount of reliable income you should aim to receive each month in retirement to cover your essential living expenses—things like housing, utilities, groceries, and medical costs.
The most common income sources used to build this floor include:
Pension income
Dividends from bonds or dividend-paying stocks
Having a predictable monthly cash flow provides peace of mind and financial stability. It also helps protect your investments from being sold during market downturns, thereby reducing your sequence of returns risk—the risk of poor investment returns early in retirement negatively impacting your long-term finances.
Different Streams of Income
While Social Security is a foundational income source for most retirees, it often is not enough on its own to support your whole lifestyle. That's why it’s essential to establish multiple income streams. These might include the following:
Pension payments
Dividend income
Rental income
Part-time work
Annuity income
These supplemental income sources provide flexibility and security, enabling you to maintain your desired standard of living throughout retirement. For those nearing or already in retirement who feel behind, some of these options may no longer be viable. In that case, part-time work would be the most practical and immediate way to boost your monthly cash flow and reduce financial pressure.
Building a Budget to Match Your Income Floor
Your income floor is only meaningful if you know what it needs to support, which means having a solid budget in place. Understanding your monthly and annual expenses allows you to determine whether your guaranteed income is sufficient or if you’ll need to rely on savings or other sources to close the gap.
If you do not yet have a budget in place, I strongly recommend reading the following article by Lindsey Curry on building a ‘zero-based budget’ or scheduling a consultation with one of our financial advisors, who can help you create a customized plan.
Final Thoughts
Knowing where your retirement “paycheck” will come from and ensuring it is enough to meet your needs is one of the most powerful steps you can take toward long-term financial peace of mind. An income floor provides the foundation. From there, you can build a retirement strategy that is both secure and flexible.