Frequently Asked Questions
Section 1: Is This Right For Me?
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This service is designed for individuals or couples who are considering retirement or a major financial decision and want clear, independent insight before taking next steps.
Typical clients:
Within 0–15 years of retirement, or recently retired
Accumulated meaningful assets (savings, investments, retirement accounts, real estate)
Asking “When and how can I actually do this?” rather than “How do I maximize returns?”
Want clarity on trade-offs, timing, and risk—not a sales pitch
Prefer a one-time, objective analysis instead of an ongoing advisory relationship
DIY investors or people in search of a 2nd opinion
This service is not a good fit if you’re seeking stock picking, investment management, or ongoing financial planning.
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Yes, and many clients come to us for exactly that reason.
A good financial advisor will assess your ability to meet your retirement goals. The question worth exploring is whether that assessment completely addresses the specific trade-offs and timing decisions you're wrestling with.
Most traditional planning starts with an assumed return and projects forward. NextPath Insights starts from the other direction: what return does your plan actually require, and how realistic is that assumption based on history? That inversion often surfaces trade-offs and sensitivities that a standard projection misses.
The analysis is designed to complement your existing advisory relationship. Many clients use it as an informed starting point for deeper conversations with their advisor, bringing better questions and a clearer understanding of what their plan actually depends on.Item description
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Traditional advisors are typically focused on:
Long-term asset management and portfolio optimization
Establishing investment products and allocation
Ongoing fees based on portfolio size
This service:
Has no product or asset-based incentives
Is a one-time, objective analysis
Exists solely to help you make better decisions now
You are free to take the output and use it however you choose.
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Most online tools are useful—but limited.
They:
Rely on generic assumptions
Provide little or no guidance to critical trade-offs
Rarely address taxes, timing, or real-world nuance
Don’t adapt well to complex or non-linear situations
This service is bespoke. Every assumption is transparent, adjustable, and tied to decisions you actually care about.
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That’s often where this service adds the most value.
Complexity might include:
Multiple income sources
Real estate decisions
Early retirement considerations
Irregular spending patterns
One-time events
Withdrawal timing questions
If your situation is unusually complex, we’ll discuss scope upfront so there are no surprises.
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We intentionally avoid collecting or storing sensitive personal data.
This means:
No Social Security numbers
No account numbers or login credentials
No credit card or banking details
No documents containing sensitive identifiers
All analysis is performed using aggregated values and assumptions, which significantly reduces risk while still producing meaningful insight.
Section 2: How Does It Work?
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Yes. The process is intentionally simple and transparent:
Introductory conversation - We discuss your situation, goals, and the decisions you’re trying to evaluate.
Submit forms - You complete a guided form that capture the financial inputs needed for analysis.
Scenario modeling & analysis - We build and test scenarios based on your inputs and priorities.
Results conversation - We walk through the results together, discuss implications, and answer questions.
Final delivery - You receive your final scenario outputs and summary.
There is no long-term commitment and no obligation beyond this engagement.
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Most clients complete the form in 30–60 minutes, often across multiple sessions.
The forms are:
Structured and guided with helpful tips (no financial jargon required)
Focused on estimates, not perfection
Designed to capture what materially impacts outcomes
If you don’t know an exact number, an informed estimate is usually sufficient.
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At a high level, We focus on:
Current investment and retirement account balances
Current spending and expected spending in retirement (if known)
Income sources (employment, pensions, Social Security estimates)
Major assets (e.g., real estate)
Key assumptions you want tested (timing, lifestyle, legacy, and risk tolerance)
We do not need account statements, passwords, exact investment holdings, or detailed transaction histories.
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You will receive a clear, structured multi-scenario analysis tailored to your situation. Depending on your goals, this typically includes:
A base-case retirement projection
Side-by-side comparisons of key scenarios (e.g., retire now vs. later, higher vs. lower spending)
Portfolio drawdown and sustainability views
Tax and withdrawal considerations at a high level
Key risks, sensitivities, and decision trade-offs
A concise written summary explaining what matters most and why
The goal is decision clarity, not overwhelming detail.
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Most clients receive:
One base case
2–3 comparison scenarios tied to real decisions they are considering
Examples include:
Retiring now vs. waiting
Different retirement spending levels
Portfolio risk adjustments
Timing of Social Security or major expenses
The focus is quality and relevance, not quantity.
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From the initial conversation to final delivery, most engagements are completed within 2–3 weeks, depending on:
How quickly input forms are completed
Scenario complexity
Scheduling availability
We prioritize clarity and accuracy over speed, but we respect that decisions often have timelines.
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We believe retirement planning isn’t about predicting the market, it’s about making confident decisions in an uncertain world.
Rather than relying on a single “probability of success,” our approach focuses on understanding what must be true for your plan to work and how realistic those assumptions are based on history.
How It Works
First, we define the hurdle.
We calculate the average return your plan requires based on your spending goals, timeline, and desired outcomes. This shows how demanding the plan is before relying on forecasts.Then, we add historical context.
We evaluate how often diversified portfolios have historically achieved that level of return. This isn’t a prediction or a guarantee. It’s perspective — a way to understand whether your plan is forgiving or tight.Finally, we focus on what you can control.
We make critical dependencies and trade-offs visible. Small changes in spending, timing, or risk often matter more than market forecasts.What This Means for You
Clear insight into what drives your plan
Realistic expectations grounded in history
Practical levers to improve outcomes
Confidence in the decisions you’re making
We don’t try to predict markets. We help you design a plan that doesn’t depend on being right about them.
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If anything changes after the initial analysis, you can request follow-up scenario updates. Note that additional work is scoped and priced separately, meaning you are never locked into an ongoing relationship.
If you need investment management or continuous planning, We’ll recommend that you work with a traditional advisor.
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This service is offered as a one-time, project-based engagement.
The standard engagement fee is $1,400, which covers the full end-to-end analysis and delivery of your initial scenarios.
In cases where additional complexity is identified and agreed to in advance, incremental work is billed at $210 per hour.
If you request additional or updated analysis after the initial engagement is complete, follow-on analysis is available for a flat fee of $700.
All pricing is discussed upfront. No work is performed outside the agreed scope without your approval.