9 Suze Orman Money Rules That Only Apply After You Turn 50

In your 50s and beyond, not all financial advice fits the moment. You're likely eyeing retirement, caring for aging parents, or supporting grown kids. Personal finance icon Suze Orman emphasizes that while younger investors chase growth, those over 50 may need to shift gears toward protection and stability.

Now's a pivotal time to ensure you're on the right track to build wealth without risking the foundation you've spent years creating. That's why Orman's guidance evolves past 50, and your priorities should too.

As you near or enter retirement, Orman urges boosting your cash cushion to three to five years of living costs to weather market dips without tapping investments. This may help avoid selling stocks in downturns that may take years to recover, a mistake that can significantly erode long-term nest-egg value.

After age 50, Orman recommends shifting from aggressive stock-heavy portfolios to more stable assets like bonds. This may help preserve capital and ensure that you have money available when needed, rather than being forced to liquidate at a low point, an often-overlooked risk in volatile markets.

Orman says your early 50s are the sweet spot to buy a long‑term care insurance (LTCi) policy since your health status is probably better and premiums may not have grown as steeply yet. She emphasizes that waiting can mean higher costs as age or health issues rise.

Orman strongly cautions against filing for Social Security at 62 unless necessary, noting that each month you wait increases your benefit by up to 30% more by full retirement age and 76% by age 70. Delaying your Social Security benefits is often the wisest choice for maximizing lifetime income and maintaining financial security in your golden years.

As you enter your 50s, your insurance requirements often shift. What made sense a decade ago may no longer fit today's priorities. Suze Orman recommends term life insurance tailored to how long someone actually depends on your income, instead of permanent or employer-provided policies that can be costly or inadequate.

A will by itself may lead your heirs through probate, a process that can be slow, costly, and public. Suze Orman urges adding a revocable living trust to your estate plan, one that you control during your life and can adjust or revoke at any time, to help your heirs avoid probate, reduce legal expenses, and keep asset distribution private.

After turning 50, healthcare costs begin to climb, and basic Medicare coverage alone doesn't cover everything. Orman advises pairing Medicare Part A/B with a robust Medigap plan to cover essentials like dental, vision, and hearing, and to prevent unexpected expenses from bleeding into savings. This rule dovetails with LTC insurance and protects your nest egg from health‑related shocks.

Once you hit 50, the IRS lets you boost your yearly retirement savings with catch‑up contributions up to $7,500 annually. Orman stresses taking full advantage every year, especially for those aged 60 to 63 who are eligible to make greater catch-up contributions of up to $11,250 for 2025.

She notes that consistently maxing out these higher limits, even for just a few years, can yield an extra six‑figure nest egg due to compounding. This is a smart opportunity to accelerate savings with real leverage before retirement.

Orman urges homeowners nearing retirement to consider downsizing before home values or interest rates make it costlier. She highlights that moving from a larger home to something smaller and more manageable could potentially free up hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run. Starting the transition while you're healthy and financially nimble makes adapting easier later on and may give you more years to invest or save money.

As you enter the prime of your financial life, Orman's rules nudge you to shift from growth to protection, from chasing high returns to building buffers and safeguards. Beefing up emergency savings, locking in LTCi coverage, and delaying Social Security are critical pivots that Orman says should be front and center after 50.

If you haven't already, it's time to reassess your plan to avoid money mistakes that could be financially dangerous in your golden years.