But his projections had him landing closer to $2.8 million by age 70.

He wasn’t panicked. But he was asking questions.

The Numbers Were Good — So Why the Doubt?

Part of it came down to a conversation with his advisor. Roughly a third of Vikram’s assets sat in a guaranteed annuity. The advisor suggested moving that money into a different product offering 7% returns — from a company Vikram had never heard of.

He didn’t jump in.

“It’s offering 7%, but we’re skeptical,” he told us.

That skepticism mattered. It meant he wasn’t chasing yield blindly — he was weighing the risks. Still, the question lingered: If there’s a way to do better without gambling it all, shouldn’t I at least look?

It’s Not Just About Growth

As we talked, one thing became clear: Vikram wasn’t dreaming of yachts or Ferraris. He wasn’t looking to turn retirement into a second career in high-risk investing. He simply wanted to know that the next phase of life could be lived on his terms.

He wanted work to be optional.

That mindset is what led him to download our Retirement Readiness Guide. He wasn’t just curious — he knew the final stretch before retirement is critical. Every decision in these years can either accelerate the plan… or set it back.

A Shift in Perspective

One concept that caught his attention was the bucketing strategy — a way of organizing assets based on when you’ll need them.

- Short-term bucket: Cash and conservative investments to cover the first few years of retirement.

- Medium-term bucket: Moderate growth assets that can refill the short-term bucket over time.

- Long-term bucket: Higher-growth investments designed for legacy or the later decades of retirement.

For someone like Vikram — tempted to be more aggressive but mindful of the risks — this approach struck the right balance. It protected him from the nightmare scenario: a major market downturn just before his planned retirement date.

That’s when he had what he called his “ah-hah” moment:

“The risk isn’t just about losing money — it’s about losing time.”

If a crash happened in year four of his five-year runway, it wouldn’t just dent his portfolio. It could delay his entire plan by years. And when you’ve spent a lifetime building toward freedom, the cost of lost time can feel far greater than the loss of dollars.

From Uncertainty to Clarity

Vikram hasn’t made any drastic changes yet. But he’s already in a stronger position. He knows which questions to ask. He can spot the red flags when an advisor pushes a product that doesn’t feel right. And most importantly, he’s not relying on hope alone — he’s building a plan with both growth and protection in mind.

If you’re in that same stage — five, six, even ten years from retirement — now is the time to start asking these questions.

That’s why we created the Retirement Readiness Checklist, because hitting a certain number isn’t the end goal.

The real goal?

Knowing exactly what comes next — and having the confidence to move toward it.