How do I know if it’s time to increase the risk in my retirement portfolio?

A 76-year-old drawing a modest income from his RRIF worried he might run short, and wondered whether taking on more investment risk was the answer. This piece treats that as the real question many retirees face: when does a cautious portfolio start working against you, and how do you tell the difference between prudent caution and leaving needed growth on the table. The thinking weighs time horizon, how essential the money is, the role guaranteed income like CPP and OAS already plays, and the emotional side of watching a portfolio swing late in life. More risk is not automatically the fix, and neither is staying put. It is a thoughtful read for older investors second-guessing a conservative mix, with the reminder that the right amount of risk follows from the plan and the spending it needs to support, not from worry alone.