This book is not your typical book on retirement planning—this book is Kelley Slaught’s published manifesto, a public declaration of her motives and intention to help as many people as possible achieve something of great importance: a happy and successful retirement. Kelley’s philosophy is simple. She believes each individual is different and each deserves a customized retirement plan of his or her very own. Prepackaged or one-size-fits-all plans are like taking jigsaw puzzle pieces and pounding them to fit into the wrong holes. That may be acceptable at some large brokerages, but she refuses to do business that way.

Retirement is something you do once in your lifetime, and it is a major shift both in lifestyle and in financial thinking. Suddenly you are going from the accumulation phase of earning money and acquiring assets, into a new phase of living off the money you have saved by withdrawing from your savings for income. Your money has to last, and outliving your money is a nightmare Kelley never wants you to face!