57: Investment Basics - How to Structure Your Investments for Retirement

In this episode of Retire Well, Matthew and Joe continue their mini‑series on investment basics by diving deeper into one of the most important topics in retirement planning: risk.Building on the foundations laid last time—covering bonds, equities, property and alternatives—they explore how these building blocks fit into a real‑world retirement strategy. Using examples like Greggs and Amazon, they highlight why volatility is normal, why diversification matters, and why picking individual stocks rarely leads to long‑term success.They break down:How equities and bonds behave differently over timeWhy asset allocation—not stock picking—drives long‑term returnsActive vs passive investing: what actually mattersHow risk tolerance changes from your 20s to retirementWhy lifestyle funds work… and when they don’tThe power of the three‑bucket strategy for managing withdrawals in retirementWhy moving everything to cash at retirement can be more risky than it feelsThey also answer a listener’s question from a 63‑year‑old entering drawdown and worried about market falls—unpacking capacity for loss, sequence‑of‑returns risk, and whether cash or an annuity might be the better solution.Whether you’re decades away from retirement or thinking about drawdown today, this episode helps you understand how to match risk, time horizons and investment structure to create a smoother, more confident financial future.--CHAPTERS00:00 - Introduction01:13 - Asset Classes and How They Work07:45 - Funds and Portfolios12:15 - How Your Attitude to Risk Can Change Over Time20:40 - Lifestyle Funds22:45 - Bucketing Strategy26:45 - Listeners Questions--TALK TO USCall us: 0191 384 1008Email us: [email protected]: www.retirewellpodcast.co.uk--SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTERwww.retirewellpodcast.co.uk---Wealth of Advice are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, reference number 563909. Past performance is no guide to future returns. Your investments can go down as well as up, so you may get back less than you originally invested. This video is for educational purposes only and is not personal financial advice.