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Retirement Resilience · Authority Guide

Building a Retirement Income Floor

A guaranteed income floor — Social Security + pension + annuity — covers essential expenses regardless of market conditions, freeing the portfolio for discretionary needs.

In this guide

  1. 1 · Executive summary
  2. 2 · Key takeaways
  3. 3 · Key strategies
  4. 4 · Pro-tips checklist
  5. 5 · FAQ
  6. 6 · Related guides & tools

Executive summary

A guaranteed income floor — Social Security + pension + annuity — covers essential expenses regardless of market conditions, freeing the portfolio for discretionary needs.

  • Social Security as the base layer
  • Pension or annuity to fill the gap to essentials
  • Portfolio drawdown for discretionary only

Key takeaways

  • Social Security as the base layer
  • Pension or annuity to fill the gap to essentials
  • Portfolio drawdown for discretionary only
  • Floor = essentials, not lifestyle

Key strategies

  1. Strategy 1

    Social Security as the base layer

  2. Strategy 2

    Pension or annuity to fill the gap to essentials

  3. Strategy 3

    Portfolio drawdown for discretionary only

  4. Strategy 4

    Floor = essentials, not lifestyle

Pro-tips checklist

  • Delay Social Security to 70 when feasible
  • Use a longevity annuity only after maxing SS delay

FAQ

Is delaying Social Security worth it?

Almost always for the higher-earning spouse if cash flow allows.