10/25/2026
A lot of clients have found themselves in this situation.
Your grandfather retired with a pension, Social Security, and a gold watch. He knew exactly what was coming in every month for the rest of his life. Here is where we are now.
As of March 2026, only 14% of private industry workers even have ACCESS to a traditional pension, and just 9% actually participate in one. Meanwhile 70% have access to a 401(k) style plan.
Look at what we did. We took the single biggest financial risk a human being faces, how long they are going to live, and we moved it off the company’s balance sheet and onto the kitchen table of a 67 year old who has never been trained for it. A pension said "here is your paycheck for life." A 401(k) says "here is a pile of money, good luck, let us know how it works out."
That is the whole reason my work exists. If nobody is going to hand you a pension anymore, you have to build your own. Cover your basic expenses with guaranteed lifetime income you cannot outlive, then invest the rest. Nine percent of workers still get a pension. The other 91% have to create one.