My husband and I have $7K in Social Security and $2.5 million in stocks. What could go wrong?

Published: Oct. 27, 2025 at 8:08 a.m. ET

Dear Quentin,

I am retiring next year, but I hope to wait until January 2027 before I draw Social Security at 69½. My husband will also retire in January 2027 when he turns 65. I estimate our combined Social Security income at $7,000 a month. Furthermore, I have built a 15-year TIPS ladder from my husband’s old retirement accounts and additional funds from an aftertax mutual fund; that should provide an additional $60,000 per year.

Currently, I have $1.9 million in my 401(k) and $200,000 in a 457(b) managed annuity account. My husband has about $100,000 (S&P 500) in his current workplace IRA. We have $500,000 in a money-market account and $220,000 (S&P 500 SPX) in a mutual fund. We own our home, which may sell for $400,000 when we retire.