The 7-Point Retirement Harness
Real insurance
isn’t one
isn’t one
isn’t one
thing.
It’s
It’s
It’s
seven.
seven.
seven.
A racing harness has several straps because one isn’t enough. Retirement is the same. Here are the seven things every retirement dollar should have — and most plans only have two or three.
A racing harness has several straps because one isn’t enough. Retirement is the same. Here are the seven things every retirement dollar should have — and most plans only have two or three.
01
01
01
Insured Principal.
Insured Principal.
Insured Principal.
Your balance can’t go backward because of the market.
Your balance can’t go backward because of the market.
Your balance can’t go backward because of the market.
Why it matters: In a year the market drops, protected principal credits zero — not negative. Zero is the floor. Five years either side of retirement, not giving back what you’ve built is the single most valuable thing your money can do.
Why it matters: In a year the market drops, protected principal credits zero — not negative. Zero is the floor. Five years either side of retirement, not giving back what you’ve built is the single most valuable thing your money can do.
Why it matters: In a year the market drops, protected principal credits zero — not negative. Zero is the floor. Five years either side of retirement, not giving back what you’ve built is the single most valuable thing your money can do.
02
02
02
Market-Linked Growth, Without Market Exposure
Market-Linked Growth, Without Market Exposure
Market-Linked Growth, Without Market Exposure
Participate in the good years without sitting in the line of fire during the bad ones.
Participate in the good years without sitting in the line of fire during the bad ones.
Participate in the good years without sitting in the line of fire during the bad ones.
Why it matters: You don’t have to choose between growth and safety. There’s a structure that shares in up years and simply credits zero in down years — so you’re not starting every recovery from a hole.
Why it matters: You don’t have to choose between growth and safety. There’s a structure that shares in up years and simply credits zero in down years — so you’re not starting every recovery from a hole.
Why it matters: You don’t have to choose between growth and safety. There’s a structure that shares in up years and simply credits zero in down years — so you’re not starting every recovery from a hole.
03
03
03
Insured Against Volatility.
Insured Against Volatility.
Insured Against Volatility.
Smoother ground, so the swings don’t dictate your timing.
Smoother ground, so the swings don’t dictate your timing.
Smoother ground, so the swings don’t dictate your timing.
Why it matters: Volatility isn’t just stressful — right before retirement it’s expensive. When the floor is insured, a rough stretch in the market doesn’t force you to delay retirement or change your life.
Why it matters: Volatility isn’t just stressful — right before retirement it’s expensive. When the floor is insured, a rough stretch in the market doesn’t force you to delay retirement or change your life.
Why it matters: Volatility isn’t just stressful — right before retirement it’s expensive. When the floor is insured, a rough stretch in the market doesn’t force you to delay retirement or change your life.
04
04
04
Guaranteed Lifetime Income
Guaranteed Lifetime Income
Guaranteed Lifetime Income
Income structured to keep paying — even if the account reaches zero.
Income structured to keep paying — even if the account reaches zero.
Income structured to keep paying — even if the account reaches zero.
Why it matters: The number one fear in retirement isn’t a crash — it’s outliving your money. A person with a check they can’t outlive sleeps better than one with a bigger balance and no guarantees. Retirement is about income, not net worth.
Why it matters: The number one fear in retirement isn’t a crash — it’s outliving your money. A person with a check they can’t outlive sleeps better than one with a bigger balance and no guarantees. Retirement is about income, not net worth.
Why it matters: The number one fear in retirement isn’t a crash — it’s outliving your money. A person with a check they can’t outlive sleeps better than one with a bigger balance and no guarantees. Retirement is about income, not net worth.
05
05
05
Insured Legacy.
Insured Legacy.
Insured Legacy.
What’s left goes to the people you love.
What’s left goes to the people you love.
What’s left goes to the people you love.
Why it matters: When one spouse passes, expenses don’t get cut in half — but income usually does. An insured legacy means the surviving spouse isn’t left in a hole at the worst possible moment.
Why it matters: When one spouse passes, expenses don’t get cut in half — but income usually does. An insured legacy means the surviving spouse isn’t left in a hole at the worst possible moment.
Why it matters: When one spouse passes, expenses don’t get cut in half — but income usually does. An insured legacy means the surviving spouse isn’t left in a hole at the worst possible moment.
06
06
06
Tax-Efficient Growth
Tax-Efficient Growth
Tax-Efficient Growth
Letting your money grow on a tax-deferred basis.
Letting your money grow on a tax-deferred basis.
Letting your money grow on a tax-deferred basis.
Why it matters: When growth isn’t taxed every year along the way, more of it stays compounding for you. How that applies to your situation is part of what the Insured Money Check walks through.
Why it matters: When growth isn’t taxed every year along the way, more of it stays compounding for you. How that applies to your situation is part of what the Insured Money Check walks through.
Why it matters: When growth isn’t taxed every year along the way, more of it stays compounding for you. How that applies to your situation is part of what the Insured Money Check walks through.
07
07
07
Insured Against Panic.
Insured Against Panic.
Insured Against Panic.
The most overlooked protection of all — and often the most important.
The most overlooked protection of all — and often the most important.
The most overlooked protection of all — and often the most important.
Here’s the truth after 30 years of watching people: the biggest threat to a retirement plan usually isn’t the market. It’s the decision made in fear at the bottom of it. Someone sees their balance fall, panics, and sells — locking in the loss right before the recovery. Then they sit in cash, too scared to get back in, and miss it.
Here’s the truth after 30 years of watching people: the biggest threat to a retirement plan usually isn’t the market. It’s the decision made in fear at the bottom of it. Someone sees their balance fall, panics, and sells — locking in the loss right before the recovery. Then they sit in cash, too scared to get back in, and miss it.
Here’s the truth after 30 years of watching people: the biggest threat to a retirement plan usually isn’t the market. It’s the decision made in fear at the bottom of it. Someone sees their balance fall, panics, and sells — locking in the loss right before the recovery. Then they sit in cash, too scared to get back in, and miss it.
No spreadsheet protects against that. A structure does. When your principal has a floor, the panic decision simply has less to act on. You’re not watching your life’s work evaporate, so you don’t make the move that turns a temporary drop into a permanent loss. Insuring the money is really about protecting you from the worst version of yourself on the worst day.
No spreadsheet protects against that. A structure does. When your principal has a floor, the panic decision simply has less to act on. You’re not watching your life’s work evaporate, so you don’t make the move that turns a temporary drop into a permanent loss. Insuring the money is really about protecting you from the worst version of yourself on the worst day.
No spreadsheet protects against that. A structure does. When your principal has a floor, the panic decision simply has less to act on. You’re not watching your life’s work evaporate, so you don’t make the move that turns a temporary drop into a permanent loss. Insuring the money is really about protecting you from the worst version of yourself on the worst day.
The hard part
Of the seven,
Of the seven,
most plans
most plans
only have
only have
two or three.
two or three.
Most people are missing four or five and don’t know which — because nobody ever showed them the whole list.
Have: ~2–3
Missing: ~4–5
The gaps you can’t see are exactly what the Insured Money Check measures for.
Your next step
See which of the seven
your money
your money
already
already
has.
has.
15 minutes with Shawn. A straight answer — which of the seven you have, and which you’re missing.
Helping pre-retirees understand which of the seven kinds of insurance their money already has — and which it's missing. A free 15-minute Insured Money Check with Shawn. No products, no pitch.
Shawn Davis is a licensed insurance professional in the State of Texas (License #3503212). Fixed Index Annuities are insurance products, not securities. This website does not constitute investment advice.
© 2026 Greybeard Holdings LLC
Helping pre-retirees understand which of the seven kinds of insurance their money already has — and which it's missing. A free 15-minute Insured Money Check with Shawn. No products, no pitch.
Shawn Davis is a licensed insurance professional in the State of Texas (License #3503212). Fixed Index Annuities are insurance products, not securities. This website does not constitute investment advice.
© 2026 Greybeard Holdings LLC
Helping pre-retirees understand which of the seven kinds of insurance their money already has — and which it's missing. A free 15-minute Insured Money Check with Shawn. No products, no pitch.
Shawn Davis is a licensed insurance professional in the State of Texas (License #3503212). Fixed Index Annuities are insurance products, not securities. This website does not constitute investment advice.
© 2026 Greybeard Holdings LLC