✅ Their Financial Picture at Age 60

• Frank: $550,000 in his 401(k), contributing $31,000/year with a $10,000 employer match
• Estelle: $200,000 in her 401(k), also contributing $31,000/year with a $10,000 match
• Estelle’s IRA: $750,000 currently in low-yield assets (ripe for reallocation)
• After-tax brokerage account: $350,000, fully invested for growth

📊 Total Assets: $1.85M+ and still growing

🔑 The Strategy: A Bear-Market-Proof Income Plan

The cornerstone of their plan was reallocating Estelle’s $750,000 IRA.

Instead of leaving it in underperforming holdings, we shifted it into a joint lifetime income annuity with:

• Guaranteed 8% compound growth
• Zero market risk
• The security of lifetime monthly income

This move turned stagnant dollars into a predictable income engine.

📅 What Retirement Income Looks Like at 65

When Frank and Estelle retire at 65, their guaranteed income streams will look like this:

• $6,347/month from the annuity
• $2,300/month from Frank’s Social Security
• $2,500/month from Estelle’s Social Security

💥 Total: $11,147/month of guaranteed, bear-market-proof income

This income not only replaces the yield their assets weren’t producing but also creates peace of mind — no matter what the market does.

🚀 What If They Delay to 67?

Here’s the upside if they choose to work two more years and let everything grow:

• $7,320/month from the annuity
• $2,800/month from Frank’s Social Security
• $3,000/month from Estelle’s Social Security

🤯 Total: $13,120/month of guaranteed lifetime income

By waiting, they significantly increase their monthly paycheck, while their portfolio and brokerage accounts continue compounding for the long haul.

📉 Worst Case vs. 📈 Best Case

• Worst Case: If the market stumbles when they retire, their annuity + Social Security already cover their lifestyle. No sequence-of-returns worries.
• Best Case: If markets perform well and they delay income, they supercharge their retirement paychecks while their growth assets keep working.

Even in a poor-return environment, projections show they’ll still have ~$600,000 left at age 95.

 With average returns (8%), their portfolio could exceed $9 million.

💡 The Big Lesson

Frank and Estelle turned fear of a bear market into confidence in a guaranteed plan. By pairing:

• Guaranteed lifetime income (Safety First)
• Long-term market growth (Bucket 2)

…they’ve created a retirement blueprint that’s both resilient and opportunistic.

📲 Want a strategy like this for your retirement?

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