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Owning a home can make you feel more secure as a retiree. It can also have a nest egg for drawing. If you have $143,000 in cash, you should do something with it, because having that much money in the bank is not a good idea. You run the risk of missing out on opportunities and the value of your money eroding due to inflation.

But what should you do with this money? Since you are already retired, you have to be a bit more cautious with your investment choices than your younger counterparts; at the same time, $143,000 isn’t enough money to live on forever, but you also can’t afford to be too conservative. Fortunately, if you already own a home, at least you know you have an asset to fall back on if needed.

Here are a few things to consider before investing that cash.

Investing involves uncertainty, which is the last thing many of us want in retirement.

With President Donald Trump’s administration imposing sweeping tariffs on nations like China and Russia, and even allies like Canada and the EU, global relations and the stock market have been volatile.

This volatility can make the stock market riskier than usual because it is less predictable.

And as a retiree, you don’t want to be in a situation where you have to sell stocks for income during a market downturn.

While these risks are very real, the risk of being too conservative cannot be ruled out either. If you just spend your money without getting any returns, it’s more likely that your funds will run out while you still need them.

Your best bet may be to balance “riskier” investments with higher potential returns and safer investments that will allow you to make limited gains. A common rule of thumb is to subtract your age from 110 and put that amount into stocks. Using this rule, a 66-year-old would invest 44% of their money in stocks and 56% in fixed-income investments such as bonds.

This approach can limit potential losses in a market downturn, especially if you keep some funds in cash. That way, you won’t be forced to sell shares for income during a market downturn. If you’re retired and need to get out of that money, it’s crucial to limit your losses and avoid overexposure to market volatility.

But ultimately, it’s best to get personalized, professional advice rather than relying on a rule of thumb.

That’s why it might pay to talk to a qualified financial advisor.

Vanguard research shows that working with a financial advisor can add about 3% to net returns over time. This difference can become substantial. For example, if you started with a $50,000 portfolio, professional guidance could mean more than $1.3 million in additional growth over 30 years, depending on market conditions and your investment strategy.

Finding the right advisor is simple Advisor.com. Their platform connects you with licensed financial professionals in your area who can provide personalized guidance.

A professional advisor it can also help you determine how many years you have left to invest before retirement and assess your comfort level with market fluctuations, two key factors in creating the right asset mix for your portfolio.

Through Advisor.com, you can schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your retirement goals and long-term financial plan.

Read more: Approaching retirement with no savings? Don’t panic, you are not alone. here they are 6 Easy (and Fast) Ways to Catch Up

Beyond figuring out your ideal asset allocation, you should also know what to invest your money in. Given that everyone’s situation is unique, an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks the S&P 500 is a common choice for U.S. equity holdings.

The S&P 500, made up of 500 of the largest US companies, has returned 12.5% ​​annually over the past five years (1). And because S&P 500 ETFs are typically passively managed, you’ll be charged minimal fees for instant diversification.

One of the easiest ways to invest is to open a self-directed trading account with SoFi. This do-it-yourself approach allows you to invest without fees, plus for a limited time you can get up to $1,000 in stock when you fund a new account.

SoFi is designed to help you learn to invest as you go, with real-time investment news, curated content, and the data you need to make smart decisions about the stocks you care about most.

While the S&P 500 provides a certain degree of diversification, it is not perfect. This is because not all companies in the index are equally weighted. Because of their size, just five companies (Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet and Amazon) account for 30% of the entire S&P 500 according to CNBC (2).

So your portfolio would be highly exposed to technology and AI. If you want to invest in companies outside of the S&P 500 or in different industries, it can be difficult to know where to start.

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*Returns from 22/1/2026. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Individual investment results may vary. Every investment carries a risk of loss.

Of the remaining funds, you’ll probably want to set aside a few months of living expenses in an accessible high-yield savings account, along with other low-risk options such as,

Bonds are a debt instrument, meaning you are essentially lending money to a corporation (corporate bonds) or the government (Treasury bonds) in exchange for regular interest payments until the bond matures.

CDs are investment vehicles that are often purchased from banks. They typically provide a higher return than a savings account, as the investor agrees to “lock up” their money for a set period (usually three months to five years). The issuer guarantees the investor both the interest rate and the principal balance.

Bonds can be advantageous for some retirees because interest is usually paid quarterly, so you have a regular income stream. They can also have higher interest rates than CDs. Bonds aren’t FDIC-insured like CDs, but if you buy Treasuries, you’re betting on the full faith and credit of the federal government, so you’re not taking on significant risk.

Ultimately, investing your money is your best option for growing your nest egg, but only after you’ve considered your risk tolerance and have plenty of cash set aside in an easily accessible account.

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S&P Global (1); CNBC (2)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without any warranty.