What should I do if the market crashes right after I retire?

A crash in your first few retirement years is the classic sequence-of-returns risk, and the key is having a plan that doesn't force you to sell stocks at the bottom. Lean on your cash and bond buffer — many FIRE retirees hold one to three years of expenses in cash and a bond tier specifically so they can ride out a downturn without locking in losses. Cut discretionary spending temporarily using preset guardrails, since trimming travel and big purchases for a year or two dramatically improves survival odds. Pause or reduce Roth conversions if your portfolio is depressed, and consider picking up some part-time income to lighten withdrawals. Avoid panic-selling your whole equity allocation, which converts a paper loss into a permanent one. Flexibility — variable spending plus a cash cushion — is what turns a scary start into a survivable one. Model crash scenarios at wealthserene.com/tools/wealth-simulator.