Contributing to a retirement account is great when it’s on autopilot. However, this doesn’t mean you don’t need to monitor your investments.
In a LinkedIn post, Suze Orman stresses the need to review your retirement portfolio at least once a year. She says this is important because investments change over time — something that can go unnoticed.
For example, she said your target portfolio may have been 70% stocks and 30% bonds/cash, but the mix may have shifted to 80% stocks and 20% bonds.
She said such things were normal. It just means you need to rebalance, which you can do within your IRA or 401(k) without paying taxes.
Of course, this is just Orman’s opinion. GOBankingRates asked two financial advisors to get their take on the matter. Here’s what they have to say about how often you should review your retirement portfolio.
Recommended for You: Big Changes to 401(k) Plans in 2026 Are Coming—High Earners Must Act Now
Explore next: 5 Smart Ways for Retirees to Make Up to $1,000 a Month from Home
“I generally agree with Suze Orman that retirement portfolios don’t need to be reviewed frequently,” said Hardik Patel, founder and financial advisor at Trusted Path Wealth Management. “For most investors, reviewing asset allocations once a year is sufficient and tends to be healthier from a behavioral perspective.”
Checking your retirement portfolio multiple times a year can lead to unintended consequences, such as over-trading, higher transaction costs and unintended tax consequences, especially in taxable accounts, he said.
“Frequent monitoring also increases the temptation to react to short-term market fluctuations, which can undermine long-term retirement goals,” he said. “The annual review allows investors to focus on strategy rather than market noise.”
Check out: I’m a Financial Expert: Here’s the #1 Mistake Americans Make with a Roth IRA
To simplify matters, he also prefers to focus on asset allocation ranges rather than absolute targets.
“For investors in the accumulation phase, rebalancing can be handled by directing new contributions or reinvesting dividends and interest in underweighted assets, thus avoiding unnecessary trades,” he said. “For those who are retiring or reducing their holdings, there may be money being withdrawn from overweight assets, again reducing transactions and costs.”
Ultimately, he says, reducing the frequency of monitoring, coupled with conscious, disciplined adjustments, often leads to greater success than constant inspection and reaction.
Joseph Boughan, certified financial planner (CFP) and managing member of Parkmount Financial Partners, says that generally speaking, it’s ideal to check your retirement portfolio less frequently. Many people check their retirement portfolios every day or even multiple times a day, which can lead them to make emotional decisions based on market fluctuations.
