John, age 70, had just retired after a long career working in the insurance industry. His wife, Sue, age 66, planned to retire next year from her job as a librarian at their local Massachusetts town library. Together, they’d built a solid nest egg – around $2.5 million in saving – but now they were facing a new challenge:
“How do we turn this into income we can actually live on?”
They weren’t sure how much they could safely spend without risking their future, especially with rising inflation and market uncertainty. Like many couples in their shoes, they wanted to travel, enjoy time with their two grown children (ages 31 and 28), and make memories with their new 2-year-old grandchild – but they had no clear plan for how to confidently spend in retirement.
Creating Clarity with an Income Guardrails Plan
When John & Sue came to us, we helped them create a rules-based income plan designed to last throughout their retirement, no matter what the market brings.
We built their strategy around a proven income guardrails approach:
- We determined they could safely start retirement by spending $10,000 per month – without fear of running out of money.
- Together, we set clear, simple guardrails for when to adjust their spending if markets dropped or their portfolio performed unusually well.
- This gave them permission to enjoy retirement now, while knowing they had a plan for navigating future ups and downs.
Building Their “War Chest” for Peace of Mind
To protect against the risk of market downturns, we also built them a financial “war chest”:
- 2 years of living expenses in cash – to cover everyday spending no matter what happens.
- 3 additional years in safe, low-volatility investments – providing a cushion to avoid selling stocks in a down market.
This five-year “war chest” gave them the confidence to continue spending and enjoying life – even if the market took a temporary hit.
The Result: Confidence, Simplicity, and Freedom
Today, John & Sue feel relieved and empowered. They know exactly how much they can spend. They know they have a system in place to adjust if necessary. And they have a dedicated team behind them to help them monitor and refine their plan.
They’re no longer worrying about what the market will do next – they’re too busy traveling, spending time with family, and enjoying the retirement they worked so hard to build.
Could This Be Your Story Too?
If you and your spouse are wondering how to safely turn your savings into lifelong retirement income – or feel unsure about how market volatility could impact your future – we can help.
Just like John & Sue, we’ll help you build a plan that provides clarity, confidence, and flexibility, so you can focus on enjoying retirement – not worrying about it.
