4 Retirement Moves You’ll Regret Not Making in 10 Years

One of the biggest challenges of retirement planning is making financial sacrifices today so that you can live comfortably many decades into the future. It’s not always easy to look too far ahead, but doing so will help you avoid regrets later.

This applies to the near future as well as the distant future. Not making the right decisions now means you could be second-guessing yourself in a decade or so.

Here are four retirement moves you should make today so you don’t regret making them 10 years down the road.

One of the best ways to increase your retirement savings is to contribute the maximum amount to your tax-advantaged accounts. According to Melissa Murphy Pavone, a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) and founder of Mindful Financial Partners, not doing so is something you’ll regret in a decade because you’re missing out on an opportunity to grow your savings faster.

“Ten years from now, people often wish they had taken full advantage of their 401(k). [plans]IRAs, HSAs and catch-up contributions,” she told GOBankingRates. “Time, not time, is the most powerful asset.”

The maximum annual contribution you can make to a 401(k) account will increase from $23,500 in 2025 to $24,500 in 2026, according to the IRS. The annual contribution limit to an IRA will increase from $7,000 to $7,500, while the IRA catch-up contribution limit for people 50 and older will increase from $1,000 to $1,100.

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Another important step is to make sure your 401(k) contributions are eligible for a matching contribution from your employer. That match essentially means you’re getting free money – and if you don’t take advantage of it now, you’ll regret it in the future.

“People should do whatever it takes to participate in their company’s 401K plan to get a full employer match,” said Dr. Robert Johnson said.

Losing the opportunity to not choose to participate in an employer matching program “is enough,” Johnson told GBR.

“If you have a 100% employer matching program, you’re essentially choosing to forego the equivalent of 100% of your own contributions increase,” he added.

Regardless of what type of retirement savings accounts you have, it’s always a good idea to automate your contributions and grow them over time. Think of it as a regular budget item that will pay off well in the future.