The first Key of Retirement Safeguard, is to protect the principal of your retirement savings. “For most, retirement is about “How much can I keep, not about how much can I get”. You’ve worked hard to create your retirement savings. Keeping it safe becomes even more important the closer you get to retirement. There are many factors that can impact your retirement nest egg. Market declines, inflation, taxes, health care costs, and unexpected expenses can all take a major toll on your savings.