Retirement Stress Test

A Comprehensive Financial MRI

Am I on track to reach my retirement goals?

Our proprietary retirement portfolio risk analysis, which we’ve coined our Financial MRI, reveals hidden risks that could derail your retirement. Just as a medical MRI provides the clearest picture of what’s happening inside your body, a Financial MRI delivers the most detailed view of what’s happening inside your portfolio. This in-depth diagnostic uncovers tax inefficiencies, hidden fees, market vulnerabilities, and income gaps that most advisors miss.

A Complete Retirement Portfolio Risk Analysis

A retirement portfolio risk analysis, or a Financial MRI, is a proprietary diagnostic tool that examines every aspect of your retirement strategy. Many retirement plans look solid on the surface, but the details reveal a different story. Hidden fees slash returns. Tax inefficiencies drain income. Market exposure threatens principal. Income strategies fail to account for longevity.

The Financial MRI uses a systematic approach to evaluate:

  • Current holdings and asset allocation: Are your investments properly positioned for retirement?
  • Fee structures: What are you really paying in management fees, expense ratios, and commissions?
  • Risk exposure: How vulnerable is your portfolio to market downturns?
  • Tax efficiency: Are you minimizing tax burdens on withdrawals and income?
  • Income sustainability: Will your money last throughout retirement?
  • Long-term care planning: Are you prepared for potential health care costs?

What a Retirement Stress Test Reveals

Our analysts examine multiple data points across your financial situation to uncover:

retirement financial advisor

Income Gaps

We calculate whether your projected income sources will cover retirement expenses. This includes evaluating Social Security timing, pension payments, withdrawal strategies, and other income streams. Many retirees discover their income plan leaves significant gaps that force them to deplete principal faster than planned.

Market Risk Exposure

Traditional portfolios loaded with stocks, bonds, and mutual funds can expose retirees to devastating losses. The 2008 Market Crash proved that securities-based investments can wipe out decades of savings when you can least afford it.

We quantify your exposure to market volatility and show you exactly how much you could lose in the next downturn. For retirees who cannot afford the loss of principal, this analysis is critical.

how long will my money last in retirement

Tax Inefficiencies

While we are not CPAs nor tax accountants, we know that hidden tax burdens reduce retirement income dramatically. We analyze your withdrawal strategy, required minimum distributions (RMDs), Social Security taxation, and investment tax consequences. Most retirees pay thousands more in taxes annually than necessary.

Our analysis reveals opportunities to restructure accounts, time withdrawals more efficiently, and utilize tax-advantaged vehicles that reduce your lifetime tax burden.

retirement stress test

Fees & Costs That Erode Returns

Management fees, expense ratios, 12b-1 fees, and other hidden costs silently drain retirement savings. A seemingly small 1-2% annual fee compounds over decades, costing tens or hundreds of thousands in lost growth.

We calculate your total fee burden and show you exactly how much these costs will reduce your nest egg over time. Many clients are shocked to learn they’re paying thousands annually in fees they didn’t know existed.

Longevity Risk

Living longer than your money is a retiree’s biggest fear. We stress-test your plan against various life expectancy scenarios so you know whether or not your current portfolio is putting you at risk of outliving your savings. 

retirement portfolio risk analysis

Asset Allocation & Diversification

Many retirees hold portfolios designed for wealth accumulation rather than wealth preservation. We assess whether your current allocation matches your retirement phase needs or exposes you to unnecessary risk.

True diversification is not spreading money across different securities because when the market drops, stocks, bonds, and mutual funds all go down with it. We show you alternatives outside the stock market that protect principal while maintaining growth potential.

Learn more about our safe alternatives to traditional wealth management approaches that prioritize protection.

Why Traditional Retirement Plans Fall Short

Generic retirement plans treat everyone the same. They use cookie-cutter asset allocations based on age formulas that ignore your specific situation, risk tolerance, income needs, and personal goals.

Traditional plans also fail to address:

  • The retirement phase: Strategies that work for wealth accumulation often fail during retirement when you’re drawing income and cannot afford losses.
  • Hidden fee structures: Commission-based retirement financial advisors rarely disclose total costs or how much those fees reduce your returns over time.
  • Market timing risk: Retiring into a bear market can devastate traditional portfolios through sequence-of-returns risk.
  • Tax optimization: Generic plans miss opportunities to reduce lifetime tax burdens through strategic account management.
  • Income longevity: Traditional 4% withdrawal rules often prove insufficient or unsustainable depending on market conditions.

The retirement stress test provided through our Financial MRI reveals these problems and provides solutions tailored to your needs.

how long will my money last in retirement
retirement stress test

Who Should Get a Retirement Stress Test

Get a retirement stress test if you:

  • Are approaching retirement and want to know whether or not your plan will work
  • Are already retired and concerned about whether your money will last
  • Are working with a broker and want an objective second opinion
  • Have experienced recent life changes such as inheritance, job loss, or health events
  • Want to minimize taxes and fees that reduce retirement income
  • Are concerned about market volatility and preserving your nest egg
  • Need to analyze your retirement plan objectively without sales pressure
  • Haven’t reviewed your strategy in over a year

This Financial MRI is particularly valuable for retirees who suspect their current retirement financial advisor prioritizes commissions over their client’s financial security. Our analysis reveals opportunities to restructure holdings, time withdrawals more efficiently, and utilize tax-advantaged vehicles that reduce your lifetime tax burden. 

Many clients discover they’re paying excessive fees for mediocre results while being exposed to risks inappropriate for their age. Armed with this knowledge, they can make informed decisions about their financial future.

After your analysis, we continue supporting you through annual performance reviews that ensure your system stays on track as circumstances evolve.

retirement portfolio risk analysis

“Before going through Crash Proof®, I didn’t know what the fees were in my mutual fund. They’re much greater than I thought.”

— Tom McIntyre, CPR Client Since 2009

“Crash Proof Retirement® was able to explain to us a lot of the risk and a lot of the fees that were in my portfolio that I didn’t quite understand.”

— Kathy Driscoll, CPR Client Since 2015

retirement stress test

“Crash Proof Retirement® started to call the companies that I had invested in, and I was amazed how much money I was paying.”

— Elaine Gleaves, CPR Client Since 2012

retirement financial advisor

“I didn’t realize until I was educated by Crash Proof Retirement® that with my variable annuity I had been paying thousands of dollars in fees, and exposing myself to market risk.”

— Robert Smith, CPR Client Since 2017

“The Crash Proof® team performed an MRI on what we had and was able to show us some of the little hidden fees that the brokers don’t tell you about.”

— Kathleen Rauchut, CPR Client Since 2017

Real People. Real Results.

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Frequently Asked Questions

A retirement stress test is a detailed analysis that simulates how your existing retirement plan holds up under various conditions, such as market downturns, rising taxes, unexpected healthcare costs, and longer-than-expected lifespans. Our retirement stress test (also known as a Financial MRI) is a proprietary and detailed analysis that examines your plan in full to identify vulnerabilities before they become crises.

A financial plan is a forward-looking blueprint for achieving goals. A Financial MRI is a diagnostic tool that analyzes your current situation in depth. While traditional plans often use generic assumptions and cookie-cutter strategies, the Financial MRI provides a detailed retirement risk analysis specific to your portfolio. It reveals problems that generic planning overlooks, including hidden fees, market vulnerabilities, and tax inefficiencies. Think of it as the diagnostic step that happens before creating an effective treatment plan.

Anyone approaching or living in retirement should get a Financial MRI, especially if you’re working with a commission-based advisor, haven’t reviewed your plan recently, or are generally concerned about fees and market risk. The analysis is critical if you’ve experienced life changes like inheritance or job loss, want to minimize taxes, or simply want to analyze your retirement plan objectively. Even if your portfolio appears healthy, the Financial MRI often uncovers issues that could derail your security.

The initial consultation typically takes 60-90 minutes, during which our analysts gather information about your financial situation, goals, and concerns. We then conduct the detailed analysis and prepare your personalized report. The follow-up meeting to review findings and recommendations usually takes another 60-90 minutes. The entire process is designed to be thorough without consuming excessive time.

Absolutely. Every Financial MRI is customized to your specific situation. We don’t use generic formulas or one-size-fits-all recommendations. Our analysts examine your actual holdings, fees, risk exposure, tax situation, income needs, and goals to provide a retirement income analysis tailored to you. The evaluation adapts based on your retirement picture, whether you’re still working, recently retired, or years into retirement. You receive personalized insights and actionable recommendations specific to your financial health.

How long your money lasts in retirement depends on your withdrawal rate, your exposure to market risk, your income sources, and factors like healthcare costs and longevity. Our Financial MRI stress-tests your specific plan against multiple scenarios to give you a projected timeline and identify exactly where your income durability is at risk. The goal is to ensure your nest egg lasts as long as you need it to.

Get a Financial MRI from Trusted Retirement Planning Advisors

Don’t leave your retirement security to chance. Let us show you what your financial strategy is really made of with no pressure, no obligation, and no fees. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain

Our Financial MRI delivers the diagnostic analysis you need to make informed decisions about your retirement. You’ll receive detailed insights into your current plan’s strengths and weaknesses, along with actionable recommendations to improve your financial health.

Whether you’re concerned about hidden fees, market risk, tax inefficiencies, or income sustainability, the Financial MRI provides clear answers. This is your opportunity to analyze your retirement plan with objective experts who put your interests and financial security first.