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Tony Robbins, the famous motivational speaker, warns that the most popular approach to Social Security is also the most dangerous.
In his blog, he says that relying on the program as the foundation of your retirement plan is a “recipe for disaster (1)”.
Here’s why Robbins encourages people to look beyond this safety net, and why a growing number of working-age Americans are already leaning toward alternative strategies.
For Americans over age 65, the average monthly Social Security benefit of $2,000 is insufficient (2). Data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey Program show that retired households spend twice as much each month (3).
Note that Social Security has never been the only source of retirement funds—it’s only designed to replace about 40% of pre-retirement income, according to the National Council on Aging (4).
The sustainability of the program is also in doubt, meaning future retirees may see even lower benefits. Trust fund assets are expected to be depleted by 2033, according to the Social Security Administration (5), while the Trump administration’s tax cuts could deplete the funds even sooner—by 2032—according to the Committee on a Responsible Federal Budget (6).
In other words, Social Security may not be a solid foundation for your retirement plan.
“It’s time to pull your head out of the sand and do some easy math to find out where you are and where you want to be,” Robbins wrote in a blog post.
Read more: I’m almost 50 and have no retirement savings. Is it too late to catch up?
Read more: Non-millionaires can now invest in this $1B private real estate fund starting at just $10
Robbins encourages working-age Americans to build their own nest eggs. Instead of relying on Social Security, it’s a good idea to start building an independent retirement fund as soon as you can.
Robbins recommends targeting savings of around 20 times your annual expenses. This can be combined with the 4% withdrawal rule, which means you can safely use 4% of these assets (after adjusting for inflation) to meet your living expenses without draining your funds for the long term.
Need help crunching the numbers and creating a plan that works? Contact a qualified financial advisor.
Vanguard research shows that working with a financial advisor can add about 3% to net returns over time (7). This difference can be significant. For example, if you started with a $50,000 portfolio, professional guidance could mean an additional $1.3 million in growth over 30 years, depending on market conditions and your investment strategy.
Finding the right advisor is simple with Advisor.com. Their platform connects you with licensed financial professionals in your area who can provide personalized guidance.
A professional advisor can also help you determine how many years you have left to invest before retirement and assess your comfort level with market fluctuations — two important 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 planning.
The key to building a strong portfolio over the long term is spreading your wealth across different asset types. As you approach retirement, you will often sell assets to maintain your lifestyle.
But if all your investments are in one stock, and that stock is down when you want to retire, you’ll lose money if you buy it. That’s why diversity is key.
The dollar is falling, which may not sound like good news—unless you allocate a strong portion of your portfolio to assets such as international stocks, precious metals and commodities.
Consider this: JP Morgan predicts double-digit gains in developed markets by 2026 (8).
This means it could be a good time to consider investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which offer the benefits of built-in diversification – allowing you to buy shares in many companies around the world.
Another benefit of ETF investing? access Anyone, regardless of wealth, can benefit from this investment strategy.
Tools like Acorns, a popular app that automatically invests your spare change, allow even small ETF investments to grow over time.
Signing up for Acorns only takes minutes. Just link your card and Acorns will convert every purchase to the nearest dollar, investing the difference in a diversified portfolio.
With Acorns, you can invest in a dividend ETF with as little as $5. And, if you sign up today, Acorns will add a $20 bonus to help you start your investment journey.
The stock market has seen a dip in 2025 due to geopolitical uncertainty and shifting economic priorities, driven by US tariff negotiations.
This is one reason why considering an inflation-resistant investment for your retirement, such as gold, may be worthwhile. This precious metal is usually more stable than stocks during economic downturns and recessions.
Gold prices hit a record high of $5,602 per ounce in January (9) and could hit a record high of $6,000 this year, according to Deutsche Bank (10).
Gold Priority is an industry leader in precious metals, offering physical delivery of gold and silver. Additionally, they have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and a 5-star rating from TrustLink.
If you want to convert an existing IRA to a gold IRA, Priority Gold offers a 100% free rollover, as well as free shipping and free storage for up to five years. Eligible purchases will earn up to $10,000 in free silver.
To learn more about how Gold Priority can help you reduce the impact of inflation on your nest egg, download their free 2025 Gold Investor Bundle.
Then there is real estate. For many people, that means buying a home, but now there are ways to invest without putting together a significant down payment and taking out a mortgage.
Consider multi-family rentals – an investment opportunity with strong credit markets in 2026 according to JP Morgan (11).
If diversification into multifamily rentals appeals to you, you may want to consider investing with Lightstone DIRECT, the new investment platform from Lightstone Group, one of the largest private real estate companies in the country with over 25,000 multifamily units in its portfolio.
Since they cut out the middlemen – brokers and money laundering intermediaries – accredited investors with a minimum investment of $100,000 can get direct access to basic quality multi-family opportunities. This streamlined model can help reduce fees while increasing transparency and control.
And with Lightstone DIRECT, you invest in single-asset multi-family deals alongside Lightstone – a true partner – as Lightstone puts at least 20% of its capital into each offering. All Lightstone investment opportunities undergo a rigorous, multi-step review before being approved by Lightstone principals, including founder David Lichtenstein.
How it works is simple: just sign up with your email, and you can call a capital formation specialist to evaluate investment opportunities. From here, all you have to do is verify your details to start investing.
Founded in 1986, Lightstone has a proven track record of strong risk-adjusted returns over market cycles with a historical net IRR of 27.6% and historical net equity of 2.54x since 2004. All told, Lightstone has $12 billion in assets involved in industrial management.
As such, even if multifamily rentals don’t appeal to you, Lightstone can serve you well as an investment vehicle for other real estate verticals.
Get started today with Lightstone DIRECT and invest in gaming with experienced skin experts.
Another way to enter this market is by investing in shares of vacation homes or rental properties.
Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrival allows you to invest in vacation and rental property shares, earning the passive income stream that comes with owning your own rental property without the extra work.
To get started, simply browse their selection of appraised properties, each selected for its potential for appreciation and income generation.
Once you choose a property, you can start investing with as little as $100.
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Tony Robbins (1); Social Security Administration (2), (5); US Bureau of Labor Statistics (3); National Council on Aging (4); Committee on a Responsible Federal Budget (6); Vanguard (7); JP Morgan (8), (11); APMEX (9); Reuters (10)
This article provides information only and should not be used as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
