The uncertainty of knowing when to stop.
Gary was not wrestling with identity or purpose. His challenge was simpler and sharper. He did not know if he could afford to retire. The numbers suggested he should be fine, but he had no real confidence in that. Should he go early? Should he wait? Would he risk running out if life did not follow the neat projections he kept seeing?
What he needed was not more spreadsheets or calculators. He needed clarity. He wanted to understand whether the future he and his partner imagined was genuinely possible. Their hopes included travelling, supporting their children and making memories while they still had the health and energy to enjoy them. But the averages told him little about what his life would actually look like.
Traditional planning left him cold. The idea that he needed a fixed annual amount from age sixty never felt realistic. Gary knew his life would not run in a straight line. There would be seasons of higher spending, quieter years, opportunities he did not want to delay and moments he did not want to miss. Through deeper conversations, Gary was able to explore these questions properly.
Using our TrueWealth Roadmap™, he was shown a picture of his financial life that reflected reality, not a simplified model. It showed the natural rises and falls in spending, the choices that would matter most and the impact of different timings. It was not a perfect prediction, because life never is, but it was a true reflection of what his future could look like.
With that clarity, the uncertainty lifted. Gary could see that he already had enough to retire well and that staying in the office each morning was now a choice, not an obligation. He understood that life is not a rehearsal and that the years ahead were his to make the most of. With confidence, he chose to step into retirement and begin the next chapter on his own terms.
Retirement is about confidence, not averages.
With that clarity, the uncertainty lifted. Gary could see that he already had enough to retire well and that staying in the office each morning was now a choice, not an obligation. He understood that life is not a rehearsal and that the years ahead were his to make the most of. With confidence, he chose to step into retirement and begin the next chapter on his own terms.
Gary's story
Finding clarity in the retirement decision.
Gary had built a successful career, a comfortable home, and savings that looked strong on paper. Yet retirement still felt uncertain. He did not want averages or hopeful assumptions. He wanted to know for sure whether he had enough to step away and live fully.
