How Much Do You REALLY Need to Retire Early (and Not Work Past 60)?

Do You Really Need $3 Million to $5 Million to Retire Early? Not Even Close.

We’ve exposed the three biggest retirement lies that you’ve been told and keep people working past 60, 65, and even 70.

We’ll also discuss how you can retire confidently with a guaranteed income strategy using Hybrid Pensions. These create guaranteed lifetime income paychecks of 10% – 20%. Easily retire early with a guaranteed retirement income of $100,000 – $300,000 or more per year for life! Yes, your very own, self-funded retirement pension.

The Million-Dollar Question

Remember that old ING commercial where everyone carried around their “number”? People are still asking the same question today:

“How much do I REALLY need to retire, and retire early?”

Back when pensions were common, nobody chased a number. You simply retired and received your paycheck for life, a guaranteed income that replaced your salary 100%. Wouldn’t it be nice if retirement worked that way again?

The Problem: Chasing a “Number” That Doesn’t Exist

For decades, retirement planning has been focused on accumulation. That means saving more, spending less, and hoping it’s enough. But that mindset comes with a cost.

• More stress
• More uncertainty
• Less time doing the things you actually retired for

And even with millions saved, many retirees still lie awake at night asking,

“Will my money really last?”

Because the truth is, no online calculator can predict your future lifestyle, health, or market conditions. Real retirement security comes from income planning, not just saving.

The #1 Lie Keeping You Working: The 4% Rule

You’ve heard it a thousand times: “Withdraw 4% a year, and you’ll be fine.” But here’s what most people don’t realize: the 4% Rule was never designed to make your money last for life.

Its goal was simple: Make your portfolio last about 30 years, and then end with a balance of zero.

Why the 4% Rule Makes Retirement Feel Impossible

Let’s say your lifestyle costs between $100,000 and $300,000 per year. Following the 4% Rule, you’d need:

• $2.5–$3.75 million to generate $100K–$150K/year
• $5–$7.5 million to generate $200K–$300K/year

No wonder people feel like retirement is out of reach. Even those with $3–5 million aren’t living extravagantly; they’re just maintaining what they’ve built over decades.

Remember, your salary created your lifestyle. Why should retirement mean cutting back?

The Hidden Dangers of the 4% Rule

The 4% Rule ignores sequence of returns risk. Retiring right before a market drop can devastate your portfolio.

It also ignores low-interest-rate environments. From 2009 to 2022, CDs and MYGAs averaged just 1–2%, forcing retirees to spend their principal just to survive. That’s why so many die with large balances they never used, still living frugally, still worrying, never truly enjoying retirement.

The #2 Lie Keeping You Working: “Annuities Only Pay 6%–8%”

When retirees realize the 4% Rule doesn’t work, they start exploring annuities, and that’s where the next myth begins. You’ll read online that annuities only pay 6–8%. And yes, if you Google it or ask ChatGPT, that’s what you’ll find. But here’s what they don’t tell you:

Strategically structured Hybrid Pensions can generate 10%–20% guaranteed lifetime payouts, not just 6–8%.

If annuities only paid 6%, we wouldn’t buy them either.

And with 3% inflation, even that 6% payout loses half its value in 20 years. That’s why the right type of annuity and the right structure make all the difference.

The #3 Lie Keeping You Working: “Never Buy an Annuity”

You’ve heard the talking heads such as Suze Orman, Dave Ramsey, and Ken Fisher say it: “Never buy an annuity.” But they never say which kind. Ironically, those same experts don’t bash pensions, even though every pension is technically an annuity.

The truth is, not all annuities are created equal. The ones we design for clients are what we call Hybrid Pensions. These plans combine:

• Growth
• Guaranteed lifetime income
• Inflation protection

All in one strategy.

Structured correctly, these can deliver the 10%–20% guaranteed lifetime payouts that make early retirement possible.

The 4% Rule Is Dead — Welcome to the 10%+ Rule

Instead of following the outdated 4% Rule, we use what we call the 10%+ Rule.

With this approach, retirees can build Hybrid Pensions that pay 10%–20% for life, completely independent of market performance. These aren’t interest rates. They’re payout rates, like a pension or Social Security check. So instead of chasing returns, you can finally build a retirement paycheck that never stops.

Is Your Retirement a Trophy or a Tool?

Here’s an honest question: Do you treat your retirement savings as a trophy or a tool?

• A trophy sits on a shelf, something you admire but never use.
• A tool works for you, something that helps you enjoy life.

Too many retirees are afraid to touch their savings because they fear running out. But if your retirement plan produces 10%–20% guaranteed income for life, you can finally stop worrying and start living.

Example: Joe’s Hybrid Pension Plan

Joe is 60 and has $2.35 million saved. His goal: $150,000 per year in retirement income.

He plans to take Social Security at 65 for $50,000/year, leaving a $100,000 gap.

Using the 4% Rule, he’d need $2.5 million invested and still face market risk.

Instead, Joe transfers $1 million from his IRA into a Hybrid Pension.

By deferring for 5 years, he locks in a 10% guaranteed lifetime payout: $100,000/year for life, starting at 65.

His remaining $1.35 million covers living expenses, taxes, and future flexibility.

That one decision gave Joe freedom, stability, and peace of mind.

Building Your Hybrid Pension Strategy

There are several ways to structure a Hybrid Pension, including our proprietary:

• Staging & Laddering Strategy
• Laddering OUT & IN Strategy

These allow your income and cash value to grow together while planning for inflation, Roth conversions, and long-term care. These strategies are how many of our clients achieve 10%–20% (and sometimes even 30%) lifetime payouts.

The Bottom Line: You Don’t Need Millions to Retire Early

Before 401(k)s, nobody chased giant retirement numbers; they just relied on pensions. The difference wasn’t the cost of living. It was their income structure.

So ask yourself:

Would you rather keep chasing an impossible number or design a plan that pays you what you actually need for life?

At KCIIS, we specialize in Hybrid Pension strategies that help retirees live confidently, comfortably, and often retire years earlier than they ever thought possible.

Reminder About OUR Proprietary Strategies

At KCIIS, we don’t just offer these strategies; we are the ones who innovated them. Other firms may try to copy them, but no one implements them like we do, because we built them from the ground up. That’s why our clients can retire earlier and more confidently than they ever imagined.