Retirement life has its own sets of perks and downsides. While you get to spend more time with your loved ones and enjoy life, in general, there is also a constant fear of running out of money. Ideally, everyone should start saving money for their retirement life in their 20s. However, it doesn’t always happen. Several surveys and research reports show that a large number of Americans are not saving enough to fund a comfortable retirement life.

If you belong to this group, your best bet to achieve financial security is to create a passive income stream. Following are some investment ideas for retirees and those close to retirement that do not involve many risks but will provide a decent return:

1. Fixed Income Investments

Fixed income investments do not provide great returns. But, they are considered safe investments because there is zero to very low risk of loss involved. Some of the most common fixed income investments include certificates of deposits, treasury bonds, municipal and corporate bonds, and government and agency bonds. Many companies also offer mutual funds, annuities, and other insurance products specifically tailored for seniors.

2. Dividend-Paying Stocks

These are basically well-established companies that disburse a part of their earnings among their shareholders. Since these are stocks, there is a bit of risk involved. However, returns on them are higher than fixed income investments. They also generally perform better in bear markets than growth stocks.

3. Real Estate Investment Trusts

As evident from the name, real estate investment trusts (REITs) are groups that invest in the real estate market, in mortgages or equity positions, and pay regular dividends to the investors. REITs are considered good investments because they are low-risk and provide good returns, higher than dividend stocks and fixed income investments.

These are three good low-risk investment ideas for seniors. While you can choose to invest in any one of them, it would be wise not to put all your eggs in one basket. A smart approach would be to divide your finances among multiple schemes.  

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