How Much Cash Should You Hold in Retirement? (2026 Update)

How much cash should you have set aside as you enter the early years of retirement so you can weather market downturns without constant worry? In this episode of Retirement Answers, Jacob Duke explains Rivertree’s bucket strategy: keep two years of portfolio-withdrawal needs in cash (money market) and three years in short-duration fixed income to create a five-year runway, while avoiding being overly conservative and losing purchasing power to inflation. He also walks through how to take withdrawals in practice—generally pulling from what has gone up the most or down the least—and how to proactively replenish cash and bond buckets after strong market periods or following a decline.👉 Book a call with me: https://www.rivertreewealth.com/get-started✅ Get your Important Numbers 2026 PDF here: https://www.rivertreewealth.com/2026-important-numbersEmail: [email protected]: https://www.rivertreewealth.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobdukeJacob Duke, CFP, MBA is the founder of Rivertree Wealth and the host of the Retirement Answers podcast.DISCLAIMER: This should not be taken as tax, legal, or investment advice. All content is for educational purposes only.00:00 Big Question00:47 Why Cash Matters01:35 Bucket One03:33 Bucket Two05:37 Avoid Getting Too Conservative07:42 Allocation Based on Needs09:38 How to Withdraw in Practice12:04 Income From Dividends Interest13:00 Replenishing The Buckets17:01 Closing