The Retirement Readiness Checklist

Retirement readiness isn’t a feeling — it’s a set of specific, checkable facts. Work through the five pillars below and check every box that is genuinely true today. Be strict with yourself: a box you can’t check isn’t a failure, it’s your to-do list, in priority order. Most people can finish this in fifteen minutes.

Pillar 1 · Income & Spending

I know my expected monthly spending in retirement, separated into essentials and extras.I know every income source I’ll have (Social Security, pension, rental, annuity, portfolio) and roughly what each pays.My essential expenses are covered by guaranteed income — or I have a plan to close the gap.I know my planned withdrawal rate from savings, and it’s one I could sustain for 30 years.I have a written plan for which accounts I’ll draw from first — and I’ve stress-tested it against a bad market early on.

Pillar 2 · Investments & Risk

My portfolio’s mix of stocks, bonds, and cash was chosen for this stage of life — not left over from my 40s.I know how much my portfolio fell in the last major downturn, and I could live with that number now.I hold one to three years of planned withdrawals in stable assets, so I’m never forced to sell in a bad market.Every account (401(k)s, IRAs, brokerage) follows one coordinated strategy — not a collection of past decisions.I know what I’m paying in total investment fees, in dollars.

Pillar 3 · Taxes

I know roughly what share of my savings is pre-tax, Roth, and taxable — and what that means for future tax bills.I have an estimate of my required minimum distributions (RMDs) and their tax impact.I’ve evaluated whether the low-income years between retiring and claiming Social Security are a Roth conversion window.I understand how my retirement income will affect taxes on my Social Security and my Medicare premiums.My withdrawal order (taxable vs. pre-tax vs. Roth) was chosen on purpose, with taxes in mind.

Pillar 4 · Social Security, Health & Insurance

I’ve checked my earnings record and benefit estimates at ssa.gov within the last year.My claiming age was chosen by analysis — longevity, taxes, spousal and survivor benefits — not by default.If married: we’ve coordinated our two claiming decisions and know what the survivor’s income would be.I know how I’ll be covered for health care from retirement day to Medicare, and what it costs.I’ve made a deliberate decision about long-term care — insure, self-fund, or a hybrid — and priced it.

Pillar 5 · Estate & Protection

My will — and, where appropriate, trusts — are signed, current, and reflect my actual wishes.Every retirement account and insurance policy has correct, current beneficiaries (checked within 3 years).Someone I trust holds durable financial and health-care powers of attorney for me.My spouse or family knows where the accounts, documents, and passwords are — and who to call.My insurance coverage (life, umbrella, property) matches what I actually need at this stage — not what I bought decades ago.

Whatever you checked — we can help

Here’s the honest truth from two decades of these conversations: almost nobody checks all twenty-five. The boxes you couldn’t check aren’t a verdict — they’re an agenda, and most of them take one working session apiece to resolve. Mountain View Wealth Management is a comprehensive financial planning firm in Arlington, Virginia, led by Brandon Lloyd, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. Every pillar on this checklist — income, investments, taxes, Social Security, insurance, estate coordination — is work we do daily, as one connected plan.

BRING THIS CHECKLIST TO A COMPLIMENTARY REVIEW — UNCHECKED BOXES AND ALL

We’ll walk through it together and map the fastest route to checking them. guide.mvwmllc.com/book · (571) 368-6178

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This checklist is provided for educational purposes only and is not investment, tax, or legal advice, nor a recommendation of any strategy or product. Your responses stay in your browser — nothing you check is transmitted or stored by us. Mountain View Wealth Management, LLC is not affiliated with the Social Security Administration or any government agency. Rules for Social Security, Medicare, RMDs, and taxation change periodically — confirm current figures with official sources and consult qualified tax and legal professionals regarding your situation. Advisory services offered only where the firm and its representatives are appropriately registered or exempt. CFP® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ are certification marks owned by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. © 2026 Mountain View Wealth Management, LLC.