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As sage billionaires go, BlackRock chairman and CEO Larry Fink (BLK) belongs in the same rarefied air as Warren Buffett.
And while he probably stopped worrying about his own nest egg a long time ago, as Fink’s firm hit a record $12.5 trillion in assets under management in Q2 of 2025, he has a warning for his peers without substantial retirement savings in the bank.
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“If the tariffs are instituted over the next five months, I think we’re going to see very elevated inflation,” Fink said at the Forbes Iconoclast Summit in June, adding, “We are going to start seeing the impact of these tariffs that are going to start impacting the economy over the course of the next five months.”
However, Fink has been surprisingly supportive of Trump’s tariff policies.
"Let’s be clear, the U.S. deficits are an issue … the U.S. economy needs a 3% growth rate to overcome its deficits and I do believe what President Trump is trying to do is consistent with what the kingdom has been trying to do, they are trying to create more public-private investing," Fink said at the Saudi-U.S. investment forum in May.
Here’s what you need to know now to build a strong nest egg for whatever the future may bring.
Building on the ‘fantastic foundation’ of Social Security
One-third of Americans don’t have any retirement savings at all, according to Larry Fink’s 2025 Annual Chairman’s Letter to Investors. But Social Security is a good place to start.
As of July 2025, the average monthly benefit for retirees is $1,918.22, according to the Social Security Administration. Supplemental security income for those over the age of 65 amounted to $593.96 on average last month.
"Social Security is a fantastic foundation for retirement," Fink said in an interview with Bloomberg last March. "But if that’s all you have when you retire, you’re going to be living below the poverty line. It’s supplemental, but it’s not meant to be the totality of what you have in retirement."
With the combined reserves of old-age and survivors’ insurance projected to become depleted in 2023, relying on social security alone might not be feasible.
Planning for retirement isn’t easy, and it’s natural to have lots of questions about how much you should save per month and how to ensure you have a healthy income after you leave your career behind. If you want expert advice on planning your retirement, seeking a financial advisor is a smart first step.
If you’re unsure which path to take amid today’s market uncertainty, it might be a good time to connect with a financial advisor through Advisor.com.
This online platform connects you with vetted financial advisors best suited to help you develop a plan for your new wealth.
Just answer a few quick questions about yourself and your finances and the platform will match you with an experienced financial professional. You can view their profile, read past client reviews, and schedule an initial consultation for free with no obligation to hire.
You can view advisor profiles, read past client reviews, and schedule an initial consultation for free with no obligation to hire.
Social Security likely won’t come close to covering your needs in retirement. In order to live the retirement you want, you’ll need to save up a separate nest egg to supplement your benefits. One of the ways you can do that is by consistently contributing to a retirement account like a 401K or IRA.
Social Security likely won’t come close to covering your needs in retirement. In order to live the retirement you want, you’ll need to save up a separate nest egg to supplement your benefits. One of the ways you can do that is by consistently contributing to a retirement account like a 401K or IRA.
Diversify your IRA
With the inconsistent performance of the markets in the last few years, many of those close to retirement may be worried about putting their hard-earned dollars into stocks and bonds.
However, alternative assets can help you reduce your reliance on the stock market to grow your retirement fund.
Gold
A traditional hedge against inflation is gold. Unlike fiat currencies, precious metals can’t be printed in unlimited quantities by central banks. And because its value isn’t tied to any one currency or economy, gold could provide protection during periods of economic uncertainty. This unique characteristic has earned it the reputation of being a “safe haven” asset.
In 2024, gold has lived up to its reputation, soaring by over 25% and surpassing $2,600 per ounce. It now sits around $3,300 per ounce.
A gold IRA is one option for building up your retirement fund with an inflation-hedging asset.
Opening a gold IRA with the help of Goldco allows you to invest in gold and other precious metals in physical forms while also providing the significant tax advantages of an IRA.
With a minimum purchase of $10,000, Goldco offers free shipping and access to a library of retirement resources. Plus, the company will match up to 10% of qualified purchases in free silver.
If you’re curious whether this is the right investment to diversify your portfolio, you can download your free gold and silver information guide today.
Read more: How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you’ll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement
Real estate
Many Americans consider buying investment properties for income in retirement, but the current market — plus the work associated with finding and managing tenants — may make buying property less appealing. But new investing platforms are making it easier than ever to tap into the real estate market, without the headaches of being a landlord.
For accredited investors, Homeshares gives access to the $36 trillion U.S. home equity market, which has historically been the exclusive playground of institutional investors.
With a minimum investment of $25,000, investors can gain direct exposure to hundreds of owner-occupied homes in top U.S. cities through their U.S. Home Equity Fund — without the headaches of buying, owning or managing property.
With risk-adjusted target returns ranging from 14% to 17%, this approach provides an effective, hands-off way to invest in owner-occupied residential properties across regional markets.
If you’re not an accredited investor, crowdfunding platforms like Arrived allow you to enter the real estate market for as little as $100.
Arrived offers you access to shares of SEC-qualified investments in rental homes and vacation rentals, curated and vetted for their appreciation and income potential.
Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived makes it easy to fit these properties into your investment portfolio regardless of your income level. Their flexible investment amounts and simplified process allow accredited and non-accredited investors to take advantage of this inflation-hedging asset class without any extra work on your part.
Another avenue is commercial real estate. For years, direct access to the $22.5 trillion commercial real estate sector has been limited to a select group of elite investors — until now.
First National Realty Partners (FNRP) allows accredited investors to diversify their portfolio through grocery-anchored commercial properties, without taking on the responsibilities of being a landlord.
With a minimum investment of $50,000, investors can own a share of properties leased by national brands like Whole Foods, Kroger and Walmart, which provide essential goods to their communities. Thanks to Triple Net (NNN) leases, accredited investors are able to invest in these properties without worrying about tenant costs cutting into their potential returns.
Simply answer a few questions – including how much you would like to invest – to start browsing their full list of available properties.
Invest as you spend to save for your future
"We need to really educate our citizens about the need for savings," said Fink — though not via vanilla bank accounts. Investing, he stressed, allows people to take advantage of capital markets and compounding.
Thankfully, there are ways to invest for retirement, no matter the size of your income or portfolio, so you don’t need to be reliant on Social Security benefits alone.
If you want to boost your nest egg over time without having to think about it, you can use Acorns to start saving and investing for retirement with just your spare change.
When you make a purchase on your credit or debit card, Acorns automatically rounds up the price to the nearest dollar and places the excess into a smart investment portfolio. This way, even the most essential spending translates to money saved for the future.
For those looking to enhance their investing strategy as well, Acorns offers different tier memberships, including a gold tier that allows you to customize your portfolio by adding individual stocks and includes a retirement account with a 3% IRA match.
If you sign up for Acorns today, you can get a $20 bonus investment.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.