John Becker founded Clearview Wealth Management on Florida's Space Coast and now runs a team of 11 planners covering clients across 22 states. His background isn't what you'd expect. He came up studying human behavior before pivoting to finance, and people laughed at him for it. That background is exactly why his approach works.

What I found most interesting talking to John is how he thinks about the retirement window. Most people treat retirement as a finish line. John treats it as the most dangerous stretch of the whole race. There's a concept called sequence of returns, and if you retire into a down market while drawing on your portfolio, the math gets brutal fast. It's not about averages. It's about timing you can't fully control.

He also makes a point I've seen play out after more than 1,200 books. Clients often only see one slice of what you do. John's clients call him their "investment guy" when he also handles their insurance, estate planning coordination, tax strategy, and more. That's not their fault. It's a depth-of-relationship problem.

John's got a book out called Countdown to Retirement, and this conversation covers the thinking behind it. If you work with clients who are five to ten years from retirement, or you're in that window yourself, this one's worth your time.

Show notes: https://mrstuartbell.com/podcasts/htb/202-retirement-planning-is-a-chess-game-with-john-becker/

About John Becker: Website | LinkedIn

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