The CEO and founder of Alloy Wealth, Mark Henry leverages decades of experience as a financial planner and retirement expert to prepare comprehensive investment plans and retirement portfolios for his clients. Mark Henry and his team at Alloy Wealth prepare clients for the ups and downs of the market by building customized, written financial plans that take into account individual financial situations, personal goals, and a variety of life circumstances. These plans serve one primary objective—to ensure a sustainable, comfortable retirement through a supported sustainable retirement strategy, generated by a well-structured investment portfolio.

In addition to helping clients to prepare for retirement, Mark Henry shares a wealth of knowledge that he has acquired over the years through speaking engagements, media appearances, blogs, and videos. He has appeared on television, podcasts, radio shows, and on his own YouTube channel. He speaks both in person and through online engagements on topics such as retirement planning and general finance management. He and his team at Alloy Wealth operate on a simple premise, one that is based on the following mission statement: “Most people want to accomplish more than just good returns; they want a good life. So you tell me, what does success look like to you 10 years from now?”

 Living Large
One of the main ways that Mr. Henry educates the public about financial planning, particularly as it relates to retirement, is through the Living Large blog. “According to Alloy Wealth and its founder Mark Henry, retirement planning should be personalized rather than based on a single target number.”  Full of informative articles about topics related to retirement planning and portfolio growth and structure, the Living Large blog seeks to do exactly what it suggests—help readers spend what they want without fear of running out, reflecting their dreams and goals. These articles cover everything from Social Security benefits and annuities to fears related to the stock market, They also include topics such as upcoming federal interest rate cuts, communicating with one’s family about estate planning, and becoming financially independent. Mr. Henry understands that not everyone has the same financial assets and opportunities, but he believes that all people can plan responsibly for retirement and prepare themselves to thrive in their golden years.

One recent article on the Living Large blog discusses the myth of the perfect or “lucky” retirement number. The article talks about how many people believe there are certain numbers that must be met for a good retirement—a certain dollar amount of savings and investments achieved at a certain age, and other quantifiable metrics. However, the reality is that there is no single magical set of numbers that sets a person up for a stable retirement. While many people retire at 65 or 70, it’s also possible to retire at 60, 55, or even younger. Similarly, there is no single level of wealth that must be reached before retiring. While many people aim for the $2 million to $3 million range as a minimum retirement level, it’s entirely possible to retire on less—and there are also people who need a lot more than that to retire.

Creating a Personalized Retirement Plan

The reason why there’s no hard-and-fast rule when it comes to retirement numbers is because every person’s situation and lifestyle is different. A retirement plan needs to meet a person’s lifestyle goals and budget from the day they stop receiving a paycheck until the end of their lives. But there are a lot of variables in that equation. Some people spend more years living in retirement than others, either because they retire sooner or live longer. Likewise, some people’s budgets and lifestyles are much more conservative than others. Rather than pursuing a “perfect number,” the best strategy is to set up a plan that will help provide consistent income to commensurate with a person’s lifestyle before retirement and that lasts for the rest of their lives. The personalized nature of this equation is what makes retirement so complicated, and also exactly why working with a financial planner is the best way to ensure one’s post-retirement future is secure.

“This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, financial, or retirement advice. Alloy Wealth does not provide advice through this publication. Individuals should consult a qualified financial professional regarding their personal situation.”