Heading into retirement can raise a slew of scary questions. Will unexpected expenses throw off your retirement plan? Could a market crash decimate your carefully built nest egg? Most important, do you have enough money to last you through your golden years?

Taking a closer look at the risks of retirement can allay some of those fears. After all, financial service professionals spend their days studying the many retirement risks you face and finding clever ways to hedge against them.

"Far too many people focus on the main principal risk and the fear of losing money," says Casey Mervine, a Schwab financial consultant. "There are other risks that can be managed."

Learn how to protect yourself against seven of the biggest retirement risks you'll face.