How to Create a Secure, Fun Retirement with Simple Steps Started in Your 20s and 30s

Introducing Smart & Easy Retirement Planning for Millennials

“I can't save for retirement now...I have student loans, which I’ll be paying off until I’m 50.”

“I have a mortgage, my kids’ college funds, AND I help my parents with some of their expenses.”

“Where am I supposed to find the money?”

Have you ever asked yourself that question? Where are you supposed to find the money?

It’s funny, we all know we should save for retirement. Our parents tell us we should. We see the ominous stats: more than half of Americans aren’t prepared for retirement. 45% of Americans have nothing saved for retirement.

Think about how scary that is. The average Social Security check is only $1,341 per month—what will they live on? What will their quality of life look like?

And let’s face it: our generation has a lot more debt than theirs. Many of us graduated into the worst economy in decades.

You don’t need me to tell you that, though. You know: competing responsibilities are pulling your money in a million different directions, and you’re just trying to juggle it all.

What if you could stop just trying to keep all the balls in the air—and actually plan? Actually envision your life the way you want it to be in retirement, and then create a clear plan to get you there.

I’ve worked with hundreds of people who, like you, were worried about retirement. Who were tired of worrying without taking action. Who had a family member who hadn’t made the right choices...and was now counting pennies, living their “golden years” full of anxiety and disappointment.

It makes me so happy to be able to tell them—and you—that, yes, even if you have student loans, are saving for a down payment, and travel every year—you CAN save for retirement. You can gain the peace of mind of knowing that planning for retirement will mean freedom—not a downgrade to your lifestyle.

All it takes is understanding the fundamentals of retirement planning (and no, it’s not as boring and complicated as it sounds...I promise).

What Does Your Ideal Day in Retirement Look Like?

Picture your ideal day in retirement…

Maybe you’re lying on the beach in Mexico. Or rafting in Colorado. Watching your grandkids’ faces as you tell them their Christmas present is a trip to Disney World. Reading your second book of the week, because you have as much time to read as you want. Attending a matinee (to be fair, I do that now...so much less crowded). Practicing the guitar, because you finally have hours a day for hobbies.

Imagine how you feel as you go about this activity. You breathe in the ocean air. You flip a page. You smile. You listen to your grandkids’ enthusiastic screams. You think about dinner...cook or go out? You marvel that Star Wars is on its 25th sequel.

One thing you don’t do: worry about money.

Why? Because 30+ years ago, you took the simple steps to retirement security that I want to teach you today.

Before I get to that, though, I want to ask you something…

Why Haven’t You Taken More Steps Towards That Ideal Retirement?

We all know we should be planning for retirement. Many of us have relatives who are living in a retirement community they hate, or who are working a job in their 70s when they’d rather be a professional crossword enthusiast, or who are leaning on their children for help more than either they or their kids really want.

So where’s our game plan? Why haven’t we figured this all out?

Simple. Most retirement planning advice is complicated and outdated.

For a lot of baby boomers, the financial landscape was totally different when they were young: their companies had a pension plan. Wages kept pace with inflation. College debt was manageable and got paid off in their twenties, instead of accumulating interest for decades.

So baby boomers, given how far behind they are for retirement, aren't who we should be looking to for financial advice.

Given that, where do we turn?

To the experts, of course: blogs, books, news articles, magazine feature pieces that terrify the crap out of us by telling us that Social Security is bankrupt. “Tips” like skipping your daily Starbucks/Chipotle/juice bar habit...as if that would really make a difference to your quality of life in 30+ years.

Actionable retirement information that actually applies to the reality of our generation is hard to find.

You know why? Because a lot of financial planners think it’s pointless to talk to us! I worked in a traditional financial planning firm and all clients were in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. And you know what they’d say? “If only we’d gotten this advice when we were younger...if only we’d opened 401(k) plans 30 years ago.”

And I thought, “Why aren’t we helping people my age?”

Here’s why:

Most Financial Planners Don’t Think You Need This Information

When I launched my company, Gen Y Planning, in 2013, other planners thought I was foolish. “Young people don’t have money,” they said. “Young people don’t save.” Apparently, we’re all penniless instant-gratification seekers.

But you know what? The millennials I talked to thought it was a great idea.

And in the years since I started Gen Y Planning, I’ve worked with hundreds of people like you: smart, ambitious, career-driven professionals.

People who want a fun life now and a secure, comfortable, engaging retirement later.

Real people who have real bills and goals: the mortgage on the house they want their kids to grow up in, taxes as a small business owner, their dream vacation.

The results have been amazing. Not only are these people on the road to their dream retirements, but they’re so much less stressed and anxious right now.

Not knowing if you’re on track for retirement is like having a huge, black raincloud looming in the back of your mind...there’s always something more immediate to take your mind off it, but it’s always there.

And once you address it, it just dissipates, leaving you with peace of mind.

I created this course because I wanted more people to achieve that peace of mind. And when I announced the course, my wait list immediately filled up with hundreds of young people looking for real, smart, and simple advice they could use now to plan for a secure and fun retirement in the future.

So much for millennials not caring about retirement.

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Who Is This Course For?

As much as I’d love to help everyone with retirement, the truth is this course isn’t for everybody. Before we go any further, I want to make sure it’s a great fit for you.

If the following describes you, keep reading!

• You're ready to make retirement planning a priority. You may not have much to dedicate to long-term savings right now, but you’re ready to dedicate something. (Even $25 a month can be the perfect place to start).
• You don’t have time for or interest in reading 50+ retirement/financial planning books and learning through trial and error. You’re busy, and you want to get things right the first time—now! Because your retirement is too important for mistakes.
• You find this all a bit overwhelming—401(k)s, SEP-IRAs, HSAs, maximum contributions, vesting—and you want to find out how all these options work, so you can create your dream retirement. You want to see your savings start growing NOW.

On the other hand, if any of these statements describe you, you’ll probably want to stop reading now.

• You have trouble keeping up on your minimum monthly debt payments. If you’re swimming in debt and feeling overwhelmed, you might want to seek help from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. They can help you negotiate with your creditors and put a debt-management plan in place. 
• You’re 50+ years old. This guide focuses on strategies for people in their 20s and 30s but will also apply to most people in their 40s. There are so many fabulous financial planners focused on Baby Boomers. You can find a fee-only financial planner in your area here.
• You’re looking for the least expensive program. This course is worth at least double what you’ll pay for it, and working with me one-on-one would cost you 5x what I'm offering this course for. 
• You think you already know everything. There are plenty of people who seem to have all the answers. If you believe you already know everything there is to know about retirement planning, then you don’t need this course. You have nothing to learn and no room to grow—including when it comes to planning for your dream retirement in smart, effective, and savvy ways.
  
  

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I’m Offering You All the Information You Need to Set Yourself Up for a Comfortable, Stress-Free Retirement...So You Can Worry Less Now

Here's What You'll Get Inside The Course:

MODULE 1: Retirement Basics

• EXACTLY how much you need to contribute to get on track for retirement (even if you’re strapped for cash and have a lot of financial responsibilities). 
• The one simple rule you must know if you want to make sure you have enough money to last for 30 years.
• A simple step-by-step process that quickly (almost instantly) tells you which retirement account you should contribute to first, so you can get started saving for your future within 24 hours of joining the course.
• A visual on the effect of delaying your retirement savings and how it could cost you more than $3,000,000.

MODULE 2: Employer-Sponsored Retirement Accounts

• How to easily navigate the ins and outs of employer-sponsored retirement accounts, pensions, vesting, and profit-sharing. (If you don’t do this right, you could lose thousands of dollars of “free money” every single year until retirement.)
• The one key figure you need to look at to make choosing between a 401(k) and a Roth 401(k) so easy you’ll wonder why you didn’t start years ago.

MODULE 3: Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)

• Exactly what to do with your old 401(k) when you change jobs. (HINT: doing this incorrectly could mean you instantly pay a 10% penalty that could eat up a nice chunk of your retirement funds! And most advisors are telling you to do this!) 
• A $3,000 dollar mistake I’ve seen young people make (even the smart ones) when they transition to a new job. Fun fact: $3K invested well could be worth 10X more in retirement. Please don’t make this $3,000 mistake! 
• Everything you absolutely need to know (and nothing more) about IRAs: Roth, Traditional, Rollover.

MODULE 4: Other Ways to Save for Retirement

• How self-employed, freelancers, consultants, and small business owners can create a retirement as secure and fun as your employed friends! Even if you’re a full-time employee, knowing your options if you one day may want to create a side-hustle or full-time business is crucial to making smart money decisions for your long-term future.
• The alphabet soup of: SEP-IRAs, Solo 401(k)s, SIMPLE IRAs, HSAs—we go over them all, so you can find the surest path to a nest egg that will give you the life you want in 30+ years.

MODULE 5: Investing Basics

• What’s an asset allocation? Did you know your employer decides it for you, unless you decide otherwise? After this module, you’ll know how to make smart, effective fund choices yourself.
• The BIGGEST mistake that people overlook when signing up for their retirement accounts—and it has nothing to do with picking the investments.
• A quick reference guide for: “The 10 investment terms every newbie needs to know if you want to be savvy with your money.”

Plus... 

All modules are delivered in video format and are grounded in financial planning strategies that are current and applicable to our generation.

Each lesson is paired with easy-to-follow actions items and worksheets so you can quickly implement what you've learned.

We estimate it will take 3-5 hours to complete the course from start to finish. It designed to be done in half hour chunks, or if you're ambitious you can knock it out in an afternoon.

Shh, I Threw In A Few Bonuses...

I’m so excited about this course, I wanted to make it an even better deal for you. So I’m throwing in these bonuses for free!

BONUS #1: Borrow My Brain 1-on-1

For the next ten people who enroll you'll get a (30) minute 1-on-1 call with me (Value: $150). Are your finances complicated? Do you other pressing financial questions you would like insight on? Borrow my brain! The coaching call can be used at any time during the course or after until the end of 2016. 

BONUS #2: 25 Ways to Find 100 “Invisible” Dollars in Your Budget and Jumpstart Your Retirement TODAY

When we talk about retirement, most people say, “I don’t know where I’d find the money.” Well, guess what? I provide 25 savvy and unconventional ways to help you sniff out $100 invisible dollars in your budget every month.

If you take only that $100 a month and invest it using the simple steps I outline in the course, it could amount to $262,481 in retirement (40 years from now).

This bonus alone is worth the price of the course!

Normally, you’d have to be a private client of mine to get this info (for a minimum of $3,288 per year)...but you get it for free.

BONUS #3: The 3-Bucket Approach to Budgeting

Ah, budgets...the other “B word.” Do you feel like a budget is a grim burden that will suck the joy out of your life so you never get to have nice things again? Think again, because a simple budget that aligns with your values brings joy to your life—in the form of less stress about money.

Another plus: a savvy budget lets you spend money on the things you want (like vacations, travel, and weddings). And it helps you slash spending on the things you don’t care about but unknowingly spend boatloads of money on.

BONUS #4: "Never Get Stuck" Support

I don't just whack your credit card and leave you to fend for your own! Inside the course each lesson has a comment section that is a lifeline straight to me and my team. Have any questions or unsure how to apply what you've learned? Leave a comment and we'll swoop in and give you 1-on-1 feedback to your situation and questions!

 

100% Money-back Guarantee

I’m so confident about the content of this course and how it can help you get on track for a secure retirement that I’m offering a 30-day money-back guarantee. If, for any reason at all, you don’t like the course or don’t find the information valuable, simply shoot us an email, and we’ll refund your money immediately. No hassles, no questions asked.

The money you’ll accumulate for retirement will amount to many, many times your investment in this course, but I want this to be a no-risk decision for you.

To your secure, stable, and FUN retirement,

Sophia Bera, CFP®

 

P.S. This is normally the place where an aggressive salesperson would go hardball with you. But I’m not going to. It’s just not my style. I do know some of you just skipped straight to the end of the letter before deciding whether you’d go back and read more (I know that because I do the same).

So for you, and for those of you who read all the way to the end, I have one quick story:

I wasn’t always known as “the top financial planner for millennials.” In fact, as a Midwest girl who majored in theatre, I should (in theory) have ended up a starving artist in NYC.

The reason I’m not a starving artist is because I decided I wouldn’t be.

I decided to reject the “predetermined” path for a theatre major and look for something that would give me options.

Guess where I found it? Pouring over the books in the personal-finance aisle at Barnes & Noble after theatre classes ended. I was hell-bent on being savvy with money without having to sacrifice the fun and interesting things in life like travel and experiences.  

It took a lot of time, reading, and trial and error in my own life, but I acquired enough personal-finance knowledge that I started making noticeable strides in my finances. I started taking my CFP® classes and soon, all my friends were turning to me for savvy, easy, financial planning that made sense for our generation.

That translated into a career in financial planning, and here I am now: offering you this course.

Why do I tell this story? Because it all started with my decision that I had options. I didn’t have to be the starving artist.

And you have options, too.

If you read the news, doom and gloom is all over the place: Social Security is underfunded. Americans don’t save enough and most are living paycheck to paycheck. Millennials are supposedly condemned to working into our 70s.

But that doesn’t have to be true. Not for people who take action NOW to give themselves options in the future.

The most important thing you need to do now is make your own decision. A decision you’ll thank yourself for 30 years from now.

Friendly Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

A personal finance book costs $10 on Amazon. Why should I go with your course instead?

I’m the top financial planner for millennials on Google. I’m frequently quoted in the press on issues related to millennials and money. Why? Because I am a millennial, and I get our financial concerns. That personal experience combines with the formal training of a Certified Financial Planner into a pretty rare combination...someone who gets your money story and knows IRAs inside and out. This is your chance to get all that applied to retirement: a topic that will directly impact the last third of your life. I haven’t found a book like that yet. Have you?

How do I know this course is going to work for me? Why don't you have testimonials of past course students successes?

Excellent question. Unfortunately, due to compliance reasons we actually can't have testimonials or any quotes from Sophia's current or past clients saying how awesome it is to work with her. We are confident you'll love the course and how easy it makes your retirement planning. However, if you don't... we stand by our 100% hassle-free refund guarantee.

I’m looking at another program that’s a lot more comprehensive…

You’re right: this course isn’t the be-all and end-all of personal finance. I don’t cover how to ask for a raise, how to build an emergency fund, or how to pay off credit card debt. This course is laser-focused on the topic my readers most want: how to save for retirement. Think of it as one of those classes in college that only majors were allowed into...you loved it, because it was focused on something you wanted and needed to know.

Do I have to attend classes at certain times?

Nope, the video sessions are available for you to view anytime, 24/7. You could be viewing them five minutes from now.

Do I have to go through all the modules in a specific order?

No. You can jump around and skip the lessons that don’t apply to you. However, they are laid out in an order that we think will be helpful to most people.

I want more help than just retirement planning. I really want one-on-one advice where I can work with a financial planner on an ongoing basis. What are the next steps?

If you’re interested in becoming a client of Gen Y Planning, you can apply here. A member of my team will review your application and reach out to you about the next steps.

Got a question we didn't cover?

Email us at support@genyplanning.com