Oct 19, 2026 · 34 min
Retirement changes the case for growth investing
Can I keep investing in the same ETFs forever? How your strategy should change over time
The episode explains how investors can preserve long-term growth while reducing the risk that a market downturn derails retirement withdrawals.
- 1Younger investors can generally prioritize growth, provided emergency savings and changing financial responsibilities remain part of the plan.
- 2Retirement planning requires working backward from spending needs, then building defensive assets to avoid selling investments during downturns.
- 3Leverage does not invalidate age-based investing principles, but changing circumstances and risk tolerance can make gearing unsuitable.
Don't miss
Melissa explains how a major market downturn near retirement can create sequence-of-returns risk and shorten the life of a withdrawal portfolio.
The brief
Jess and financial adviser Melissa Balacharige examine whether investors can keep holding the same ETFs forever, or whether retirement demands a different balance of growth and defensive assets.
The 4% rule offers a way to work backward from desired retirement spending, but it is not a free pass for leveraged investing or a guarantee against market risk.
Melissa explains why younger investors can usually tolerate more growth exposure, while emergency savings, income, family responsibilities and changing goals should shape the plan.
The sharpest warning concerns sequence-of-returns risk: a major downturn near retirement can force withdrawals at depressed prices and materially shorten a portfolio’s life.
The conclusion favors gradual reassessment rather than panic, combining diversification, superannuation and defensive assets with enough growth to support a long retirement.
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