How to Not Run Out of Money in Retirement

A 5-step system to protect, grow, and maximize your retirement savings

Dear friend,

Are you worried about outliving your retirement savings?

You're not alone.

In this mini-book you'll learn exactly how to make your money last in retirement.

And I'm going to keep this pretty brief for you and get straight to the point.

In case we've never met, I'll give you the mercifully short, mandatory, self-aggrandizing introduction.

My name is Ryan Hart. I'm not some fancy Wall Street guy. Heck, I don't even like wearing suits.

I just like showing people how to make their retirement savings last a lifetime.

I'm a licensed insurance agent. And I work with clients in over 10 states.

Most of the people I talk to are successful doctors, lawyers, home builders, real estate investors, or business owners.

And I have enough sense to know that the last thing they want in retirement is to have to learn complex investing strategies in order to not run out of money.

When they retire they want to stop working so much and finally start living. And they don't want to spend their free time worrying about the stock market.

Which leads us to the first secret of making your money last in retirement.

Here it is:

Secret #1: Don't lose money.

If you want to NOT RUN OUT OF MONEY after you stop working, the first step is that you've gotta stay rich.

And you stay rich by not losing money.

And what's cool about this is if you really think about it for a minute, it takes a lot of pressure off of you and me.

Because we don't have to understand what's happening with the economy or keep up with the latest stock market news, or whatever. (Which is awesome, if you ask me.)

And to really prove that point, think about what got you here, right?

You didn't spend your entire career chasing "get rich quick" schemes.

You just put in the work day after day, you saved a little bit of each paycheck, and now you have a little nest egg that you're proud of. Nothing fancy.

But now you want to figure out how to make your money last a lifetime. So let's talk about that and how to actually do it.

If you're here, there are four roadblocks that are preventing you from not running out of money that I bet you have experienced or are currently experiencing. Either one or a combination of these four.

So roadblock number one is that you don't know who to trust.

Once you have money, everyone seems to have an opinion about what you should do with your money.

And the tricky part is that now that you have a bunch of retirement savings, more opportunities are available to you than ever before.

In fact, research shows that the number one reason the rich keep getting richer is because they have access to more and better ways to invest their money.

But none of these investments are guaranteed, because if they were, everybody would be rich. So there's always a risk.

Which leads me to number two…

Roadblock number two is that you're not sure when the next stock market crash is going to happen or how the economy will change your retirement plans.

And the truth is that nobody actually knows.

Because if you did, this whole "don't lose money" thing would be easy.

Here's why this is such a big deal:

If you happen to retire right before the next recession, a decade's worth of savings could disappear in a flash.

And if the economy doesn't turn around quickly, your retirement savings might not last as long as you had hoped.

The fancy Wall Street guys call this the "Sequence of Returns" risk.

I call it the law of "you never know what's gonna happen, and it'll probably happen at the worst time."

I know this is a real thing, because I've lived it. Maybe you have, too.

So if we don't know when the stock market will crash, then we should just keep our money under our mattress, right?

Well, that leads me to roadblock number three which is inflation.

We are living in a crazy time where everything just keeps getting more expensive. And every year you need more money to buy the same amount of stuff.

Inflation is basically a tax that no one votes for but everyone pays.

Even a little bit of inflation over time compounds into some crazy numbers in just 20 years:

• At 2% everything costs 33% more

• At 3% everything costs 45% more

• At 4% everything costs 56% more

What costs $1,000 today will cost about $1,486 in 20 years at just 2% inflation, and $2,191 at 4% inflation.

So one of the worst things you can do is keep all of your money under your mattress or in a low interest savings account.

Because in just a few years a dollar sitting in your savings account will only be able to buy 55 cents worth of stuff or less.

That means your savings might not be able to pay all of your bills later in retirement, like you might have expected.

But at least we'll still have Social Security checks coming in to help cover our expenses, right?

Well, the fourth roadblock is that we don't know what's going to happen with Social Security.

Social Security is the primary source of income in retirement for millions of people.

And it's not just for people that don't have retirement savings.

Even if you have $1 million saved for retirement, Social Security could still be over 50% of your monthly income.

But in a few years the Social Security Trust Fund will run out of money and benefits will have to be cut.

And we don't know exactly how Congress will fix this situation.

This is a big deal because if you were expecting Social Security to cover half of your monthly bills or more in retirement and it disappears, then you'll be forced to spend more of your savings just to pay your bills.

So we'll need to find another source of income in retirement that could make up for the loss of Social Security.

But the good news is that it might not be as difficult as it seems.

So, we're going to talk about how to fix all of these problems today.

And the very first step we need to take in order to solve these problems is to embrace secret number two which is that in order to make our money last we need a way to turn our money into more money.

Secret #2: Turn Money into More Money.

So, look, I know this probably isn't the only book you've read about retirement planning, and I respect that.

I know there's a lot of good stuff out there, by the way.

And I also know this, making your money last in retirement really has only two steps.

Step one, don't lose money.

And step two, turn your money into more money (without going back to work).

And that is really our entire system for never running out of money.

Now there's a little bit more stuff about that I will explain later, but that's really it. Those are the two main things.

And so, it's really a simple process. Don't lose money. And turn your money into more money. That sounds great.

So if it's so simple, then why is it so hard?

Why do we run into these four roadblocks all the time?

Well, the reason why is in something that I call the "Cycle of Doom."

I probably should come up with a better name for it, but it really kind of is a cycle of doom.

If your money gets stuck in this cycle, it's going to cause you a lot of problems in retirement.

It all comes down to a simple fact that one person's spending is another person's income.

And spending in the United States is controlled by interest rates.

When interest rates are low, life is good.

People can afford to buy houses, cars, and other stuff at affordable prices.

And when people start spending more money, then other people are making more money. That's because one person's spending is another person's income.

So the trend continues going up.

And when people have more money, they are willing to spend more to buy things. But prices get out of control.

Kinda like what's happening now.

Then the government steps in before inflation goes crazy.

So interest rates go up and spending slows down.

Then people make less and spend less. And then they make even less and spend even less.

And the stock market usually drops too. Because when people spend less, companies can't make money.

Then the government steps in again to pick things back up. And they lower interest rates.

But when interest rates are low, it means you make less interest on your savings.

And the problem is that when interest rates drop, the price of stuff is usually still high from inflation going up.

So you start to lose money because your bills are larger than your retirement income.

When you're working, these cycles happen all the time.

You might complain about grocery or gas prices going up, but you always find a way to make ends meet. And eventually, things even out.

But in retirement it's not that simple.

Since you're not working, you need to earn money from your money, no matter what's happening with the economy.

Now what if you could turn your money into more money without being stuck in this cycle of doom?

And instead of watching your money go up and down with the stock market or making pennies in a savings account, what if you could just pick an interest rate that beats inflation and just watch your money grow without all the drama?

That's where a fixed annuity comes in.

It is a multi-year guaranteed contract with an insurance company. They promise to pay a set interest rate, like 4 to 5%*, for a set amount of time, like 3, 5, 7, or 10 years.

It helps you break free from this "Cycle of Doom" by offering a guaranteed return regardless of what the economy is doing.

Pretty cool, right?

(Side note: interest rates can vary and are not guaranteed for the entire duration of your retirement.)

So, what I'm about to walk you through are the four steps to making your money last.

These are the four "core pillars" you need to have.

And if at any time you decide you want some help, brainstorming ideas on how to implement what I'm about to show you totally happy to help you.

Okay, so I'm about to go through a lot of stuff, and I'm going to do it relatively quickly out of respect for your time.

Here's the deal:

In order to make your money last you've got to have what's called the "core four."

These are the four critical things that you absolutely must have in order to:

• not lose money,

• turn your money into more money,

• and to make your savings last a lifetime.

And so, I'm going to tell you what each one is, and then I'll tell you what each one means.

Okay, so you're probably going to want to write this down:

#1: Turn Your Money into More Money.

#2: Keep More of What You Earn.

#3: Turn Your Savings into Income.

#4: Get More From Every Dollar

And so this is your "core four."

So, let's talk about how to turn your money into more money…

How to Turn Your Money into More Money

There are three basic ways to grow your money without working in retirement.

[Side note: I'm going to skip talking about income generating assets like real estate or short-term rentals for now, because the goal of this little book is to show you how to make more money after you stop working. Dealing with renters is definitely work.]

So the first thing you can do to grow your money is to buy things like publicly traded stocks, shares of real estate investment trusts, or invest in private companies.

These are called equities, because you have ownership in a company.

The next category is fixed income investments. This is like lending money to other people for a set amount of time.

Some examples include bonds, Treasury bills, Certificates of Deposit, and fixed annuities.

You give someone some money and they agree to pay you interest on your money over a set period of time.

The last category is cash. These are investments that are easy to access but have low returns, like cash in savings accounts or money market accounts.

Now without a framework, it would be tough to know which one is right for you. But since I already gave you the rules, picking one is easy.

First, it should be low-risk because rule number one of making your money last is "don't lose money."

So stocks are out.

But the investment you choose should also grow faster than inflation.

So cash is out, too.

That leaves fixed income investments, like CDs or fixed annuities, as our best bet.

The next rule is to Keep More of What you earn.

How to Keep More of What You Earn

We can pick the best way to grow our money, but if we don't pay attention to taxes, all of our earnings growth could slowly disappear.

When and how your earnings are taxed can make or break your retirement plan. So it pays to learn the basics.

This is not a tax strategy book. And I'm not a CPA.

But we all have to pay taxes, so it's something we should learn about.

(Death and taxes, amiright?)

The big thing to figure out is where do you keep your money, how is it taxed, and when do you have to pay those taxes?

For example, if you put money into a 401(k) account while you were working, you didn't have to pay income tax on those contributions.

That's pretty cool because that money has been growing tax-free for a long time.

But when it's time to take some money out in retirement, you'll have to pay tax on all of the money in the account, including the contributions and the earnings.

The bummer is that there are not many tax deferred options available besides the 401k (or similar, like the 403b, etc.).

Most options like CDs or personal savings accounts earn interest each month. And you get a 1099 from your bank at the end of the year, and you pay tax on those earnings.

That's frustrating because paying tax on the earnings stalls out the power of compounding over time.

One cool thing about fixed annuities, that I mentioned earlier, is that they grow tax-free.

And you only have to pay tax on your earnings when you make a withdrawal or cash out at the end of the term.

That tax deferral can make a big difference in the amount of money you make over time.

Here's the cool part:

With a tax-deferred fixed annuity, you're essentially telling the taxman "not today!"

Your money grows protected from taxes until you need it.

And when retirement rolls around, you'll have more control over WHEN and HOW you pay those taxes.

Let's break this down with real numbers, because once you see this, you'll never look at retirement savings the same way...

Imagine you have $100,000 saved and you're in the 24% tax bracket:

Traditional CD:

• Earnings: 2% annually (~$2,000)

• Taxes due each year: ~$480

• Money actually growing: $1,520

• After 10 years: $116,282*

Tax-Deferred Fixed Annuity:

• Earnings: 5% annually ($5,000)

• Taxes due: $0 until withdrawal

• Money actually growing: Full $5,000

• After 10 years: $162,889*

That's a difference of $46,607 just by being smart about WHERE you keep your money!

But wait, there's more...

What if you made a little plan for your withdrawal strategy:

• Time your withdrawals during lower tax-bracket years

• Structure payments to minimize annual tax impact

• Coordinate with Social Security for optimal tax efficiency

Do you see why keeping more of what you earn is such a big deal in retirement?

*Numbers are illustrative and based on compound interest calculations, actual returns may vary.

How to Turn Your Savings into Income

Now comes the big question: how do you actually turn those savings into a regular income you can live on?

There are a few common ways people try to do this.

You might have heard of the "4% rule," which suggests you can take out about 4% of your savings each year.

Or, once you reach a certain age, the government requires you to take out a certain amount each year from some retirement accounts.

These are called Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).

Your RMD is calculated by dividing the value of your retirement account (as of December 31st of the previous year) by a life expectancy factor determined by the IRS.

The problem with these approaches is that they can be pretty stressful.

You never really know exactly how much you can take out each month, and you always have that nagging worry in the back of your mind:

Will my savings run out?

Market dips can shrink your savings, forcing you to cut back, and nobody knows exactly how long they'll live, making it hard to plan with certainty.

This is where a different kind of tool comes in: the deferred income annuity (DIA).

A deferred income annuity offers a unique way to create a reliable income stream that you can't outlive, potentially taking away that constant worry about your money lasting.

So, how exactly does a deferred income annuity turn your savings into that reliable future income?

Let's break it down into two main parts: the "deferred" phase and the "income" phase.

Think of the deferred phase as the time when your money is growing.

You put a certain amount of your retirement savings into the annuity. This money can potentially grow over time, and often, that growth happens without you having to pay taxes on it until later.

Then comes the income phase. This is where the magic happens!

At a time you choose in the future – maybe right when you retire, or perhaps a few years later – you tell the annuity company you're ready to start receiving income.

This is when your accumulated savings are converted into a regular stream of payments.

The really neat thing is that you get to decide when you want this income to start.

So, if you plan to work a few more years and don't need the extra income right away, you can set the "income" phase to begin in the future.

This gives your savings more time to potentially grow in the "deferred" phase before you start receiving your regular "paychecks" from the annuity.

Now, let's talk about what truly makes deferred income annuities stand out from the crowd – the possibility of getting income for the rest of your life.

This is where the real "magic" happens and why many people find them so great for retirement.

Think about the biggest fear in retirement: running out of money.

With a deferred income annuity, you have the potential to essentially solve that problem.

Once you start receiving income payments, those payments can continue for as long as you live.

This is what we mean by beating longevity risk. You don't have to constantly worry about your savings dwindling down to zero, because the annuity is designed to provide income no matter how long you live.

It's like having a financial safety net that lasts your entire retirement.

Another fantastic benefit is the predictable income. Unlike relying on investment returns that can go up and down with the stock market, the income from many deferred income annuities is consistent.

You'll know roughly how much you'll be receiving regularly, whether it's monthly, quarterly, or annually.

This predictability can make budgeting and planning your retirement expenses much easier and less stressful.

You can count on that income coming in, allowing you to enjoy your retirement with greater financial confidence, knowing you have a reliable foundation to build on.

How to Get More From Every Dollar

After you turn your savings into income in retirement, the next objective is to get more from every dollar.

Most retirement planners stop here and tell you to just spend less than you earn.

But I think they are missing the most important part of the equation. Let me explain.

I hope it's obvious that in retirement you should live below your means. After all, if you spend more than you earn, you are guaranteed to run out of money in retirement.

We don't want that.

But you've probably worked your entire life so you could finally retire and start enjoying your life.

The last thing you want to be doing is sitting on the couch watching TV because you're afraid of spending your money.

There's actually research that shows that retirees don't spend as much as they could.

And that the people who DO SPEND MONEY are actually happier than those that don't.

Plus, when you're on a fixed income in retirement, there's usually not much room to cut back expenses anyway.

So how can you afford to buy all the things you want without going broke?

It's not about spending less, but getting more.

The key is figuring out what you spend your money on.

And then maximizing how much you get for each dollar.

So let's break it down:

I believe there are only 3 ways we can spend our money.

Those are investments, commodities, and luxuries.

1. Investments

An investment makes you money, saves you money, or saves you time.

The goal of an investment is to get the most "bang for the buck" on each dollar spent.

Wall Street guys call this "return on investment."

The secret of investing is to figure out the value of something - and then spend a lot less time or money to get it.

In retirement, we need to get MORE from every dollar we invest, if we want our money to last a lifetime

However, when you were working, your investing options were more flexible.

For example, maybe you bought a house you could afford in an "up and coming" neighborhood because it was close to good schools and not too far from your work.

And that made sense because you had TIME.

You could wait 15 or 20 years for the neighborhood to get better while home prices to went up.

But now everything's different.

You can't just rely on time and luck anymore.

You need savings strategies that offer value sooner or provide more stability than just gambling on home prices.

So instead of just buying and hoping, consider two main paths:

One is seeking guaranteed returns where possible.

The other path is becoming a value hunter.

Let me give you some examples:

Instead of buying a second home in a new resort town that "might" get popular...

Look for houses in already established neighborhoods that are underpriced.

And instead of gambling in the stock market and hoping stocks go up...

Look for products with guaranteed interest rates like annuities

Here's the key difference in your retirement investment strategy:

The OLD WAY was buy and hope, waiting for time to maybe bring returns.

The NEW WAY is about finding 'investments' with instant value or guaranteed returns today.

In retirement you're not trying to predict the future anymore.

You're finding things that are already worth more than the price you paid.

2. Commodities

The next way we spend our money is on commodities.

I define commodities as stuff we buy that can be easily swapped out for a different brand, and we wouldn't notice.

These are things like toilet paper, gas, bread, milk, etc.

And basically anything you can buy on Amazon. ;)

This applies to services you pay for, too.

When we buy basic commodities our goal is to get the most amount of stuff per dollar.

Shopping at warehouse stores like Costco is a great example of how to get more stuff for less.

3. Luxuries

Remember how I said people that spend more money in retirement are actually happier?

Well if you're like me, and are someone who likes to get the best deals and save the most money, pay attention to this one:

Please don't forget that not everything you buy must be thought of as a commodity or an investment.

You also need to enjoy your retirement.

So it's okay to spend money on fun things like luxuries, too.

Luxuries are things you want.

They might make your life better in some way or make you happy. The goal is to get the most joy per dollar.

That could mean spending a little extra to stay in a nicer hotel on vacation because you will have more fun or hope to get more joy from the experience.

I like to call this making the shift from maximizing joy per day, to maximizing the most days of joy in retirement.

But when you are on a fixed income in retirement, not everything can be a luxury or you will run out of money.

So, the tough part is figuring out which dollar goes in which bucket.

Because in retirement we need all three:

We need our money to grow, so it doesn't run out.

We need to afford to buy groceries on a fixed income, even though prices keep going up.

And we need to be able to get the most joy out of the limited years we have left on this earth.

What to do next

Before you go, let me ask you something that might shock you:

What if I told you that RIGHT NOW, some fixed annuities are paying more than they have in the last 15 YEARS?

No joke.

Here's the crazy part...

Most people are leaving THOUSANDS of dollars in retirement income on the table because they're not comparing rates from different companies.

But here's the thing...

These rates change WEEKLY. Sometimes DAILY.

And if you're not comparing ALL your options, you're basically throwing money away.

Want to see the highest rates available RIGHT NOW?

👉 Click here to compare today's best fixed annuity rates

(No obligation, no pushy sales calls - just pure, raw numbers you can use to make smart decisions.)

WARNING: These rates won't last forever.

The Fed is talking about cutting rates up to 4 times this year, which means these incredible returns could disappear FAST.

Don't leave money on the table.

👉 Click here to see today's highest fixed annuity rates

The information presented here is not a representation of the suitability of any concept or product(s) for an individual and is not tax or legal advice. You should always consult your own financial planning, tax, and legal advisors to determine if a fixed annuity, fixed indexed annuity, or immediate annuity is suitable for your financial situation.