The Income Stack
L

Linda

Sample plan

Teacher · 59 · Raleigh, NC

married to Bob, a machinist with a full SS record

31 years teaching in a district outside Social Security — and a law that changed in 2025 means half the advice she'll find online is now wrong, in her favor.

Earns now
$121k
per year
Saved
$50k
nest egg
Spends
$103k
per year, incl. health
Retirement income
$75k
SS + pensions
The outcome as-is

Runs short in the 70s as-is — even with the pension, spending outruns it

Income streams

Teachingwork
active now → age 60
$63,000/yr
TRS pensionretirement
starts age 60 → for life
$42,000/yr
Bob — machinistwork
active now → age 63
$58,000/yr
Social Securityretirement
claim at 67 / 67
$33,000/yr

Savings — $50,000

Brokerage (taxable)$8,000
401(k) / IRA (tax-deferred)$42,000

Spending

Living budget$7,917/mo
Health bridge (pre-65)$667/mo
Total, pre-65$8,584/mo

The 12-month glide

  1. 12 months out

    Pension estimate and survivor-option election reviewed — the irrevocable one. And the retiree health plan priced to 65 as a real line item.

  2. 9 months out

    The 2025 check: spousal benefits off Bob's record used to be wiped out by her pension offset. The law repealing that changed the math — verify what she's actually owed now.

  3. 6 months out

    Run the mortality scenarios both directions. Her pension option and his Social Security survivor rules interact — the chart makes the asymmetry visible in one click.

  4. 3 months out

    The 403(b) sweep: teacher-plan vendor lists are annuity-salesman country. Check the fees and the surrender schedule on the old contract.

Now run Linda’s plan.

Open the What-If board with Linda’s exact numbers — drag a lever and watch the earliest age Linda can actually retire.

Explore Linda’s What-If →
← Read Linda’s full story