What actually happens when you take the checkup

The three steps

1. 1

   Step 1 — The checkup (about 2 minutes).Eight quick questions about where you are: how close to retirement, where your savings sit, what worries you. No documents needed. Your answers come to one licensed agent — me — and stay here.

2. 2

   Step 2 — Your result (right away).You get a personalized read on your situation on the spot, plus a plain-English explanation of what it means. Not a sales page. An answer.

3. 3

   Step 3 — The 15-minute review (if it makes sense).If your result suggests these options are worth a look, you can book a free 15-minute call on my calendar. You pick the time.

What the review is

• What the review is:A conversation about your situation — your timeline, what your savings need to do, and whether an insurance-based option like a fixed indexed annuity even fits. If it does, I explain how, including the parts that are not flattering: the caps, the surrender periods, the tradeoffs.

• What the review is not:A pitch. A commitment. A fee. You do not need to bring statements, you are not asked to decide anything on the call, and nobody calls you again and again afterward. Some people find these options fit, some do not — and I tell you which one you are.

• What to expect on the call:I ask about your timeline, where your money sits now, and what you want it to do. You ask me anything — including how I get paid (the carrier pays me a commission if you ever choose a contract; the review costs nothing either way). If it is not a fit, I say so, and that is a useful answer too. If it might be, the next step is yours to take or not.