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Need More Income in Retirement? These 7 Moves Can Boost Your Cash Flow
Key Takeaways
Older adults have several routes to get more money to fund their retirement.
Still working full-time? Focus on catch-up contributions for those 50 and up and strategize Social Security timing.
Near retirement? Create a detailed income plan: Map out withdrawal rates, review your exposure and risk tolerance in any investments and research expenses that could change as you age, such as healthcare.
Want more cash flow without moving? Housing is the biggest source of older adults’ wealth. Consider tapping yours with a home equity loan, HELOC, mortgage refinance or reverse mortgage.
Ready for lifestyle change? Downsizing can give you an immediate influx of cash as well as lower ongoing costs like home maintenance and property taxes.
Some of us are blessed with the right combination of foresight, circumstance and high-paying careers so that we never have to worry about having enough money in retirement. But for the rest of us — 71%, to be exact — that’s a real concern, at least according to a recent survey by investment advisory firm Schroders.
It’s not an unfounded fear, either. As you enter your later decades, your earning potential typically shrinks while your healthcare expenses ramp up.
Combine that with a confusing network of tax laws and financial regulations, and planning for retirement often feels like trying to put a puzzle together in the dark.
Here’s the good news: There are several tried-and-true strategies you can use to boost your income in retirement — even if you’ve already entered that phase of life. Here’s what to do.
1. Create a retirement income plan
You wouldn’t start driving to your destination on a road trip without looking at a map first. But that’s the way many Americans approach retirement: More than 40% of retirees don’t have a plan for estimating their expenses, figuring out their post-retirement income or developing an investment plan, according to the Schroders survey.
Creating a financial plan — which is essentially a map showing routes that can help you reach your goals — is complex, especially when it comes to planning for all the unknowns that could happen in retirement. That’s why working with a financial planner can be worth the cost.
“I would advise folks to work with advisors who are transparent, very upfront and make very clear how much [you’re] paying and exactly what it is [you’re] paying for,” says Kevin Lam, a certified financial planner and retirement specialist with Age Wisely Financial.
Many people confuse investment services with financial services. Your investments are just one part of a bigger picture, Lam says. And because many advisors charge based on how much you have invested with them (a model known as “assets under management”), it can be harder to see how much you’re really paying. He suggests asking (and confirming you understanding) how your advisor is paid and whether that might influence the advice they give you.
Lam also recommends reaching out to the Foundation for Financial Planning to get connected with an advisor offering holistic planning services. And if you’re worried about affording the advice, know that many of these planners offer services on a pro-bono basis for certain populations.
2. Delay when you file for Social Security
You’ll have more flexibility with your income in retirement if you start thinking about it while you’re still working full-time.
“The decisions you make in your 50s and 60s will impact the flexibility you have in your 70s and 80s,” says Mark Van Drunen, a senior managing director with MAI Capital Management. Case in point: When you first file for Social Security.
“We’ve seen people say, ‘I just wanted money to come in,’ and they’ll sign up for it at age 62 or 63 because they want a paycheck,” says Van Drunen. You may get a paycheck sooner, but it can come at a big cost. Older adults who file for Social Security before age 70 will receive permanently smaller payments. Depending on how early you start filing, your payments could be reduced by up to 30%.
Delaying Social Security is one of the simplest ways to lock in more guaranteed income for life, but it works best if you have other income to cover the gap.
3. Take advantage of catch-up contributions
Workers 50 and older can make extra catch-up contributions to retirement accounts, and people ages 60 to 63 can save even more under ‘super’ catch-up rules.
This year, workers who are aged 50 to 59 can make an extra $8,000 in catch-up contributions. This means those workers can contribute a total of $32,500, not counting funds from an employer match. In a charge implemented last year, workers who are 60 to 63 are allowed a “super” catch-up contribution that raises the extra amount to $11,250, for a total of $35,750.
For individual retirement accounts, the 2026 limit for savers 50 and up is $8,600 — that’s the $7,500 limit that applies to everyone, plus $1,100 in catch-up contributions.
It probably sounds hard, if not impossible, to free up even more money to save for future expenses. One smart tactic is identifying a part of your budget that will shrink as you get older, and immediately redirecting that money into retirement savings before you get used to spending it elsewhere. For example, if you’ve paid off a car that you’re still planning to drive for a while, you can put the cash that had been tied up in car payments into your retirement bucket. Or maybe your financial responsibilities have shifted as your kids have gotten older, moved out and started paying their own bills, ultimately freeing up some cash in your monthly budget.
4. Consider options for working longer
Nearly one third of consumers aged 61 to 65 are considering delaying their retirement, according to a 2025 survey from the Alliance for Lifetime Income, the consumer education arm of insurance trade association LIMRA. The respondents cited concerns about inflation, stock market volatility and the viability of Social Security in the future as the top reasons why.
Working longer can look a few different ways. You can certainly just keep plugging along in your full-time career, and many people do. But you can also opt for part-time employment, possibly in a position you’d love to do but couldn’t in the past. If you’ve ever wanted to work in a baseball stadium, for example, but couldn’t swing the lower pay and later evenings with family demands, now’s your golden opportunity. Many older adults also start small businesses, consulting firms or a flexible side hustle like driving for Uber or Lyft.
If you haven’t reached full retirement age — that’s 67 for those born in 1960 or later — then working in retirement can reduce your Social Security benefits, though only if you earn above a certain limit. That earnings limit ticked up this year: It’s now $24,480, or $65,160 during the year you turn age 67.
5. Strategically manage taxes, withdrawals and investment risk
You know the basic principles of managing your money by now, such as keeping your taxes low and letting your savings grow for as long as possible. Those ideas helped you when you were younger, and they’re still broadly applicable.
But now that you’re nearing (or in) retirement, things can get turned on their head more easily when you have new factors to consider. Pulling money out of your carefully-tended retirement accounts can feel scary, for example. But it could be a smart move that frees up cash to put into different vehicles that will serve you better in the long run.
“A lot of people get wrapped around principal and income, meaning, ‘listen, I want my principal to stay put, and I just want to receive income,’” says Van Drunen. “And that artificially drives people into higher-yielding instruments, which may actually have higher risk tied to them.”
The problem is, you may not have enough time to recover from a big market swing if you’re invested in riskier assets. In another example, Van Drunen sees many people who are too focused on keeping their taxes low by not withdrawing from their tax-deferred retirement accounts — until the rules force them to start doing this when they get older, causing them to skyrocket into a higher tax bracket and lose out on income they’ve worked hard for.
It’s hard to offer any blanket advice about how retirees should manage risk exposure in their investment portfolio or minimize taxes, because there are so many moving variables. But the key is to think beyond the balance in your retirement accounts. You may need to weigh potential changes in your strategy over time to account for taxes, shifting market winds or even just living longer than you expected.
“We educate and train our clients to focus on the total return,” Van Drunen says.
6. Consider downsizing to lower costs, get an influx of cash
For empty nesters and those with larger homes, downsizing is one of the most obvious strategies to pursue to get a big influx of cash. But many people are understandably resistant to the idea.
“It’s difficult to detach yourself from all the stuff … that you’ve accumulated over time,” says Lam. “And just selling a house and figuring out where to move — I mean, that’s a lot to go through.”
You can get over some of these hurdles by ripping off the bandaid sooner rather than later. “I think people that moved early are the ones who did the best,” Van Drunen says. “If you do it early, you will land well. If you wait till you’re 80, 85, it’s way too late because it’s very hard to make decisions. It’s harder to part with items.”
If you’re in a position where it’s a good fit, downsizing to a smaller home can benefit your retirement income in many ways:
Immediate income from any home sale profits
Less spending on utilities, property taxes, insurance, etc.
Lower maintenance requirements, particularly as you age
Moving to a lower-cost-of-living area where your retirement income stretches further
It’s hard to overstate the importance of streamlining your home maintenance tasks, particularly as you age and need to hire people to do things you were once able to handle yourself. That’s especially true if you plan to use your home equity to supplement your income in retirement. Keeping your home in good shape is a stipulation for most lenders.
7. Use home equity to boost retirement cash flow
Many retirees tap into their home equity as a source of cash flow. Reverse mortgages, which had a bad rap earlier in the 2000s, now have more robust safeguards that make them more consumer friendly.
A reverse mortgage can be a tremendous help thanks to a unique perk: It’s a loan that you take out against your home equity, but you don’t have to make monthly payments. Instead, the loan comes due after you die, move out, or fail to meet the loan terms (which include keeping up with property taxes, insurance and home maintenance). When the loan becomes due, many homeowners (or their heirs) choose to sell the house and use the proceeds to repay the lender.
“You could set it up so that you receive the payment for as long as you live, even if your mortgage balance keeps growing,” Lam says. In that way, proceeds from a reverse mortgage could become almost like a secondary Social Security payment that continues as long as you hold up the terms of your loan.
Alternatively, you may want to explore a home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC), which both allow you to borrow against the equity in your property. Before you take out either, it’s worth your time to shop around — even if you’ve used one of these products before. Recently launched home equity options designed to meet the needs of retirees may be a good fit for you. These options, which offer terms with low monthly payments and a fixed-rate line of credit, may make particular sense for older homeowners looking to pay for renovations to make their home easier to live in as they age.
Finally, there are some other creative ways to use your home. Some older adults, for example, supplement their income by renting out a room or additional dwelling unit (ADU) in their home. Done right, it could open the door for tax breaks on rental income, to boot.
Editor’s note: This story was originally published in December 2024. We’ve updated it in March 2026 to feature current information and statistics.
More from Money:
Retirees’ Hidden Asset: Home Equity Options for Older Homeowners
Want to Cut Costs in Retirement? Here Are 8 Ways to Lower Your Expenses
Here’s How to Rebalance Your Investments Ahead of (and During) Retirement
Amazon is selling a boho-chic wicker patio set for $96 on the final day of its Big Spring Sale
TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealAs soon as spring rolls around, people start to spend more time outside. One of the most enjoyable ways to venture back into the great outdoors is to partake in some wonderfully unproductive lounging on a new patio set. Whether you opt for a foundational outdoor sectional or a small bistro set, your home’s outdoor space is where it’s at. Amazon currently has a deal on the latter of those two options, and we think it’s worth a look. However, this Big Spring Sale deal will be gone soon, so get your set while you can.The Tangkula 3-Piece Bistro Patio Set is on sale for only $96 at the moment, which is 20% off the regular price of $120. We can’t think of a better set to kick off spring than this beautiful wicker option.Tangkula 3-Piece Bistro Patio Set, $96 (was $120) at Amazon
Courtesy of Amazon
Shop at AmazonWhy do shoppers love it?This set is the pint-sized perfection, and we can’t get enough of it. With a powder-coated stainless steel frame, the base of this set is rustproof and corrosion-resistant. Each piece is then wrapped in lovely rattan wicker, adding a gorgeous rustic touch to an otherwise-industrial design. Included with the set are two ergonomic armchairs and a small bistro table. Each chair has a fun, bright red seat cushion that makes for an incredibly comfortable feel. The size of this diminutive set is one of its biggest selling points. It’s large enough to feel substantial, making it a wonderful option to fill a small balcony. However, it’s also small enough to be unassuming and fit perfectly as an accent piece in the corner of a large patio. The wraparound design of the chairs looks modern and stylish, while offering superior comfort to whoever may be sitting in them. The table has dimensions of 19.5 inches long by 19.5 inches wide by 19 inches high. Each chair measures 24 inches long by 20 inches wide by 31 inches high. The table has a shatter-resistant tempered glass top. It’s easy to clean with simple soap and water, and looks great next to the rugged rattan wicker wrapped around the table’s exterior. This set is available in 12 fun color options, so there’s definitely something for everyone’s tastes. Related: Amazon is selling a $160 charcoal grill for just $77 in time for Easter celebrationsDetails to knowMaterials: Powder-coated stainless steel wrapped in rattan wicker.Dimensions: The table measures 19.5 inches long by 19.5 inches wide by 19 inches high, and the chairs measure 24 inches long by 20 inches wide by 31 inches high.Tabletop: Shatter-resistant tempered glass.Colorways: 12 variants.Amazon shoppers were thrilled with this cute little patio set. One said it’s great “for my boho peeps,” adding that it’s a “very beautiful set. Stop your search here for a boho, affordable set…Super easy to put together and incredibly comfortable.”Shop more deals Yitahome 3-Piece Rocking Chair Bistro Patio Set, $103 at AmazonShintenchi 3-Piece Rocking Chair Patio Set, $90 (was $100) at AmazonVasagle End Table with Charging Station Set of 2, $40 (was $60) at AmazonThe Tangkula 3-Piece Bistro Patio Set is an incredible buy right now at just $96. If you want to dress up your backyard or patio without spending an arm and a leg, then this is the deal for you. Just be sure to put one in your cart quickly, as Amazon’s Big Spring Sale ends in a few hours.
Conference Board Confidence Unexpectedly Jumped Amid War In March
Conference Board Confidence Unexpectedly Jumped Amid War In March
Despite war (and rising gas prices) now on respondents’ minds (the survey period for preliminary results was March 1 to 24), it is perhaps surprising that The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence rose more than expected in March (from 91.0 to 91.8), considerably better than the 87.9 expected.
Even more intriguing, the Present Situation rose from 120.0 to 123.3 (118 exp) while Expectations fell from 72.0 to 70.9 (68.4 exp)
Source: Bloomberg
Among demographic groups, confidence on a six-month moving average basis continued to moderate in March for consumers under age 35 and 55 and over, and virtually unchanged after a multi-month decline for those aged 35 to 54.
Respondents under 35 remain the most optimistic and those 55 and over the least.
On a six-month moving average basis, Generation Z remained the most confident among all generations, but their optimism slipped in March along with the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, and Generation X.
Only Millennials cited improved confidence in the month. By income, confidence on a six-month moving average basis continued to dip in six of eight income groups.
Only consumers earning $25,000-34,999 and $125,000 and over were somewhat more optimistic.
Oddly, with the rise in optimism, inflation expectations surged higher…
Source: Bloomberg
And even more surprising, the weakening labor market trend continued…
Source: Bloomberg
“Consumers’ write-in responses on factors affecting the economy continued to skew towards pessimism. Comments about prices and the cost of goods suggest that the cost of living remained at the top of consumers’ minds. As the war in Iran overlapped significantly with the survey sample period, comments about oil/gas and war/conflict spiked, while specific mentions of trade and tariffs decreased notably,” noted Dana M Peterson, Chief Economist, The Conference Board.
Consumer confidence by political affiliation was little changed.
Republicans remained the most optimistic, while confidence was substantially lower among Independents and the lowest among Democrats.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 03/31/2026 – 10:14
Swalwell threatens FBI with legal action as Patel reportedly weighs ‘Fang Fang’ files release
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., is threatening legal action against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as it reportedly considers releasing potentially damaging files just weeks before he faces voters in California’s wide-open gubernatorial race.Lawyers for Swalwell sent a cease-and-desist letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, warning the bureau would violate federal privacy law if it moves ahead with releasing records regarding the congressman’s decade-old relationship with a suspected Chinese spy named Christine “Fang Fang” Fang. “[Y]our attempt to release the file is a transparent attempt to smear him and undermine his campaign for Governor of California,” Swalwell’s attorneys, Sean Hecker and Norm Eisen, said in a recent letter to Patel obtained by The Associated Press. “Your actions threaten to expose you, others at the FBI, and the FBI itself to significant legal liability. Indeed, disclosure of the investigative file would violate federal law in several respects.”The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.ADAM SCHIFF MAKES ENDORSEMENT IN CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL RACEThe letter comes as The Washington Post first reported that Patel is weighing the release of investigative records related to Swalwell’s past relationship with Fang, who is accused of cultivating ties with Swalwell and other California Democrats for espionage purposes. The suspected Chinese spy operative helped fundraise for Swalwell’s 2014 House re-election campaign and placed at least one intern in his office. Swalwell cut off ties with Fang in 2015 after the FBI alerted him to the suspected Chinese influence campaign.The Justice Department did not pursue criminal charges at the time and Swalwell has denied any wrongdoing. A probe launched by the House Ethics Committee also concluded in 2023 without accusing Swalwell of any violations.SWALWELL GOVERNOR BID HIT WITH RESIDENCY QUESTIONS AFTER COURT FILING ALLEGES HE DOESN’T LIVE IN CALIFORNIASwalwell’s lawyers also accused Patel of potentially violating long-maintained DOJ policy that prohibits law enforcement from taking any public investigatory action against political candidates in the two months prior to an election. Early voting for California’s June 2 gubernatorial primary begins in early May. Swalwell is vying to be among the top two vote-getters that advance to the general election after jumping into the race in late 2025.”It’s not lost on me that we’re 34 days until Californians start voting,” Swalwell told CNN’s Brianna Keilar on Monday. “We’ve consistently been in the lead in this governor’s race. And the president wants a Western White House.”Swalwell is a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and served as an impeachment manager during the president’s second impeachment in 2021, following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.The California Democrat has also been criminally referred to the DOJ for alleged mortgage fraud.Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., has also blasted Patel for reportedly advocating for the release of the so-called “Fang Fang” files. “What the hell does that have to do with law enforcement?” Raskin said Saturday. “This is plain weaponization of the FBI for partisan political purposes.”
I’ve seen the bodies on my block — and I know what really stops the killing
I have seen what violence does to a community.For over 20 years, I have pastored on the South Side of Chicago at my New Beginnings Church. I remember the first time I saw a dead body in the street, a pair of Air Jordans sticking out from beneath a white sheet. I have officiated at funerals for young men and women who should have had decades ahead of them. I have watched mothers bury their children and then walk back to the same block where the murder happened because they had nowhere else to go. I know what violence costs, not as a statistic or a public policy debate, but as a wound that never fully heals.Even the name of my block is a homage to violence, notoriously named O Block after a gunned-down gangster.AMONG RICHMOND’S GHOSTS, I DISCOVERED GRACE — AND A DEEPER FAITH IN FREEDOMSo when people ask me what the solution to violence is, I know they want a quick solution, an easy fix of sorts. They want politicians’ lies that something will be done, a momentary salve that numbs the pain of knowing that nothing will truly be done. The honest answer is never simple.The solution is opportunity.That is it. When there is opportunity, violence goes down. When there is opportunity, people are busy bettering themselves. When there is opportunity, people are aiming for the future instead of living in the past—a graveyard of grievances. When there is opportunity, people pick up the computer instead of the gun. When there is opportunity, people deposit hard-earned cash instead of withdrawing government dependency funds. Most of all, when there is opportunity, people walk with purpose, a smile on their face instead of hanging out on the corner or on porches.All the pity we have received since the 1960s is killing us and continues to do so. All those press conferences held by mayors and police chiefs have done nothing, absolutely nothing. All of the government interference in our lives has left us deadened and divorced from the American pipeline of opportunity.GOV SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS: HERE’S HOW WE CAN DELIVER CONSERVATIVE WELFARE REFORMThat is why the only solution is opportunity.And it is why I seek to rename O Block as Opportunity Block. There is nothing more self-defeating than romancing violence. It’s a weak man’s game. Anyone can worship the devil, but to truly follow God? Like the pursuit of faith, the pursuit of opportunity is one of the hardest things one can do and yet the most rewarding.As Shelby Steele says, “Opportunity follows struggle. It follows effort. It follows hard work. It doesn’t come before.” Opportunity is the embrace of freedom. Opportunity is the belief in oneself. Opportunity is the belief in America and her principles. Most of all, opportunity is the belief that hard work has its rewards.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONMy words here are not just talk. I have been walking across America to raise $25 million to finish our Leadership and Economic Opportunity Center. When complete, it will do nothing but provide opportunity pipelines through teaching trades, math and reading, financial literacy, and the Bible. We seek to make our youth whole — many of them come from broken homes and violence, but we will not allow them to use these tragedies as excuses.The path of opportunity is often merciless. It requires sacrifice. It requires leaps of faith into the unknown. It requires the strength to look past doubters and keep pressing forward. And most of all, the pursuit of opportunity requires the wholesale embrace of American values and principles, and it is this embrace that separates them from the world of violence and government dependency.If they succeed down this path of opportunity, they will likely achieve a standard of living that their family has never known. They will likely marry and stay married. They will have faith in God, for they know where they escaped from. And they will have children who will carry on the pursuit of opportunity. It will become tradition.When opportunity enters a neighborhood, violence leaves. When opportunity enters a neighborhood, the strong rise over the weak. When opportunity enters a neighborhood, the boards come off the windows of shuttered businesses. When opportunity enters a neighborhood, the language changes from bad faith to future plans. I’m betting my whole life on this. I know it is the truth, and you do too.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM COREY BROOKS
NEW: Police Seized Hydrocodone Pills from Tiger Woods During DUI Arrest After Flipping Car Per Arrest Affidavit
Tiger Woods mugshot 2026
It’s been revealed in arrest records that Tiger Woods was in possession of Hydrocodone pills, which were seized by police, when he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after a rollover car crash last week.
As The Gateway Pundit reported, Woods, 50, was involved in a rollover car accident on Friday afternoon in Jupiter, Florida, and subsequently arrested and charged with a DUI.
Despite blowing a 0.00 on a breathalyzer test, he refused to submit a urinalysis test and was arrested in accordance with state law, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said in a press conference.
Woods swerved and crashed into a “pressure cleaner truck” while attempting to pass at a high speed in his Landrover and rolled his car, according to the Sheriff. He also exhibited “signs of impairment,” police said.
He was taken into the Martin County Jail in Florida on Friday and released later that night.
Now, it’s being reported that he had two white pills, identified as the opiate and controlled substance, Hydrocodone, in his pocket during the crash.
Per Fox:
Police seized two hydrocodone pills from Tiger Woods, whose eyes were ‘bloodshot and glassy’ after wreck, arrest affidavit reveals
BREAKING: Police seized two hydrocodone pills from Tiger Woods, whose eyes were ‘bloodshot and glassy’ after wreck, arrest affidavit reveals pic.twitter.com/6XWLlJSfLP
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 31, 2026
Woods reportedly claims, however, that he was using his cellphone and was distracted during the accident.
According to the document, Woods was sweating profusely when officers arrived at the scene of the crash and exhibited “lethargic and slow” movements, TMZ reports.
His eyes were described as “bloodshot and glassy” with his pupils “extremely dilated.”
He also told officers, “I take a few,” when asked if he’s on any prescription medication.
More from TMZ:
During a search of Woods’ person, the deputy stated they located two white pills inside his left pants pocket with the marks “M367” — revealed to be hydrocodone, an opioid medication used to treat severe pain.
According to the report, Woods had a gnarly case of the hiccups throughout the investigation.
As for what caused the crash, Woods claimed he was busy looking at his cell phone and changing the radio station … and didn’t realize the car in front of him had slowed down until it was too late.
The damage to the truck and pressure washer trailer is estimated to be $5,000 … with the rear left fender and wheel of the trailer getting wrecked.
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An absolute Ocean of Freedom-Loving Iranians Against the Islamic Republic Marched in Washington DC. on Sunday
This headline on social media was the best – An absolute ocean of freedom-loving Iranians against the Islamic republic marched in Washington DC. A huge crowd assembled on Sunday in … Read more
The post An absolute Ocean of Freedom-Loving Iranians Against the Islamic Republic Marched in Washington DC. on Sunday appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
New Formula 1 Regulations Equate To Making The Soccer Goal Bigger
New Formula 1 regulations are antithetical to the core principles of the sport (braking and driving on the limit) and don’t constitute actual racing
Global wine slump worsens with another Chapter 11 bankruptcy
People around the world don’t drink wine in the same amount they used to.”Global wine consumption has dropped sharply over the past seven years, according to a recent report from Gordon Brothers, with worldwide demand falling from 245 million hectoliters in 2017 to 214.2 million hectoliters in 2024,” Vinteur reported.This marks the lowest level of wine consumption since 1961. “The United States, one of the world’s largest wine markets, is experiencing a similar trend. U.S. wine consumption is projected to decline by 7.2% in volume and 6.3% in sales by the end of 2024, continuing a four-year streak of falling sales,” the data shows.In 2026, there has been a recovery, but it has created a sort of split market, according to Silicon Valley Bank’s State of the US Wine Industry 2026.”Wineries in the top quartile reported 8% sales growth and 11.9% operating income, while the bottom quartile saw a 10.2% sales decline and -10.5% operating margin. These results reflect fundamental differences in how they are repositioning in response to demand,” the SVB study showed.Now, another major wine brand, Pacific Rim Winemakers, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.Pacific Rim Winemakers files Chapter 11 bankruptcyPacific Rim is best known for its Rieslings.”At Pacific Rim, we celebrate ‘Sweetology,’ crafting Rieslings that range from dry to dessert sweet. Our sustainable winemaking in Columbia Valley, WA, balances vibrant sweetness and fresh acidity for unmatched quality,” the company shared on its website. Its wines include:Pacific Rim; The company’s signature line or Rieslings.Rainstorm Made from Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris from Willamette Valley.Thick Skinned: Made from sun-ripened, thick-skinned grapes. Wine Enthusiast has most Pacific Rim Rieslings rated in the high 80s or low 90s. It was very positive on the brand’s 2021 vintage.”The aromas provide plenty of appeal, with notes lime leaf, herb, peach and jasmine. Off-dry-drinking stone-fruit flavors follow. There’s pleasing acidity throughout,” Wine Enthusiast shared.Related: Award-winning brewery closes facility after Chapter 11 bankruptcyPacific Rim Winemakers Chapter 11 – Key PointsThis bankruptcy is part of a structural shift in the wine industry as consumption falls and younger drinkers abandon wine.“This is not a cycle you can wait out. The wineries still demonstrating growth are not betting on a return to normal – they are fundamentally altering how they engage with the consumer, manage inventory, and are redefining their brand’s value proposition,” said Rob McMillan, First Citizens Bank’s Silicon Valley Bank Wine Division founder and author of the report.Pacific Rim Winemakers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to restructure its finances while continuing operations, according to Pacer Monitor.The filing allows the winery to continue operating while addressing debt obligations under court supervision, according to USCourts.gov.Wine producers have also been hit by rising costs for inputs like glass, grapes, and shipping, according to Wine Business.Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York, according to Pacer Monitor.
Case No.: 8-24-73763 (Chapter 11)
The company listed estimated assets of $10 million to $50 million and liabilities in the same $10 million to $50 million range.
Pacific Rim was sold to Banfi Vintners’ Mariani family of New York in 2015, according to Decanter.
Younger Americans are drinking less wine. Shutterstock
Recent Winery Chapter 11 Bankruptcies – Key Examples”America’s wine industry is grappling with one of its most painful downturns in decades as younger consumers cut back on drinking and baby boomers age out of the market — reshaping alcohol habits nationwide,” according to Fox News. It’s a situation that has led to multiple bankruptcies in the industry.”The trend has contributed to more than $1 billion in lost U.S. wine revenue last year and a roughly 6 million-case drop in production, according to industry data and reports,” Fox News added.The Chapter 11 bankruptcies include:Sran Vineyards LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2026 to avoid a public auction after defaulting on a loan, according to TheStreet.Aloria Vineyards, a California-based winery, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2026 to reorganize while continuing operations, according to filings on PacerMonitor.Vintage Wine Estates, one of the largest U.S. wine companies, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2024 with more than $400 million in liabilities, according to PacerMonitor.The SVB study shows that the industry may have already hit bottom and that some companies will rebound.“We expect the decline in total market demand to improve in 2026, with the market bottoming in 2027 through 2028 before returning to modest growth rates,” said McMillan.Related: Troubled pizza restaurant franchisee files Chapter 11 bankruptcy