September 2026

If I wanted zero market stress in retirement, I would start by deciding how much of my financial life I wanted tied to the stock market. Then I would compare annuity contracts designed for lifetime income, guaranteed fixed growth, or index-linked growth with protection from market losses. I like the stock market, and I use

If I had to retire tomorrow, my first priority would be figuring out how to replace my paycheck without running through my savings. I would want a retirement income plan that covers my bills today and provides income I cannot outlive. Sometimes retirement happens before you expect it. A layoff, a health problem, or a

If I wanted retirement income I could never outlive, I would start with one question: What income will keep coming for as long as my wife and I are alive? I can build a portfolio that produces income, but for this part of my retirement plan, I want a contractual lifetime guarantee. I always tell

If I was 65 years old with no pension, what would I do? My first goal would be to create a reliable stream of income that I could not outlive. I would not want my retirement lifestyle to depend entirely on what the stock market happened to do that year. That’s because although I am

If I was 60 years old with $1 million saved for retirement, my first question would not be, “Which investment will produce the highest return?” I would ask, “How can I turn this money into dependable income without sacrificing all my liquidity?” I would want enough guaranteed income to cover my lifestyle, protection against market

If I were building a retirement plan with $2 million today, I would not put all of it into one strategy. I would use part of the money to create contractual lifetime income with an annuity and leave the rest invested for potential growth. The goal would be simple: create enough dependable income to enjoy

People sometimes ask me a very fair question: “John, would you put your own retirement money into an annuity?” My answer is yes. My wife and I plan to use several of them as part of our retirement income strategy, not just one. I sell annuities for a living, so I believe I should be

If I were retiring this year, my goal would not be to choose between guaranteed income and the stock market. I would build a retirement income plan that uses both. I like being invested in the market because I want long-term growth and flexibility. But I also value guarantees, especially when I am depending on