Mike and Susan had spent decades building a strong financial foundation—diligently saving into their 401(k)s, living below their means, and avoiding major financial missteps. With retirement in the next few years, they were finally starting to ask: Are we really ready?

They weren’t looking for a dramatic change—but needed clarity. Mike had a gut feeling they were financially secure, but neither of them felt confident about how to turn their savings into a reliable retirement paycheck. They were worried about:

• Getting the timing wrong and retiring too early
• The fear of spending too much, too soon
• What would happen to their investments if (or when) the market dropped
  

What they wanted was a plan that could help them step into retirement with confidence, knowing how their finances would hold up not just in good times, but through inevitable market swings.

The Challenge

Mike and Susan’s situation wasn’t broken—it was unfinished.

Their investments were spread across multiple retirement and brokerage accounts, but there was no clear strategy for how or when they’d draw from them. They wanted to maintain their current lifestyle in retirement, travel more, and enjoy their time with kids and grandkids—without worrying if they’d regret the decision five years down the road.

They needed:

• A retirement paycheck that felt as stable as the one they had during their working years
• A tax-smart drawdown strategy
• Reassurance that their plan could adapt to market volatility or life changes
  

Our Approach

We began by building a custom retirement readiness roadmap—a plan designed to replace guesswork with guidance.

That included:

• A retirement paycheck system, showing exactly how they could turn their nest egg into reliable monthly income
  
• A drawdown strategy to help them know which accounts to tap and in what order—minimizing taxes along the way
  
• A revised investment allocation tailored to support consistent withdrawals and reduce risk in retirement
  
• A custom financial dashboard that consolidated their accounts into a clear, living picture of their retirement outlook
  
• Coordination with their CPA to explore Roth conversions and bracket management opportunities before RMDs begin
  

Together, we built a plan that supported their lifestyle goals—without guessing. Just intentional, informed choices backed by data.

The Results

Mike and Susan didn’t just get a retirement plan—they got peace of mind.

They now have a system that tells them how much they can spend, where it’s coming from, and what happens if the market takes a hit. They’re no longer wondering, “Can we afford to retire?” or “What if we’re making a mistake?”

Now they say: “We know we’re ready.”

They’ve already started spending more time with family and even booked their first extended trip to Europe—something they’d talked about for years but never felt fully confident doing.

And because their plan is monitored and updated regularly, they know they’re not alone when things change. They have a guide they trust and a strategy built to weather uncertainty—not avoid it.

Note: This case study is hypothetical and does not involve an actual Demars Financial client. No portion of this content should be interpreted as a guarantee of specific outcomes.