The Silent Retirement Crisis

Book excerpt: Retirement does not have to be stressful and scary. With proper planning, Americans can not only retire comfortably: They can also prosper. ​Cindy Couyoumjian’s third book explores the silent retirement crisis that will impact millions of Americans. She uses the term silent to convey the idea that the majority of those who are about to retire, or are in retirement, share a common and unspoken fear—running out of money. Couyoumjian asserts that the anxiety people have about their retirement is not a misdirected emotion. We are led to believe that the fear (silent as it is) is due to our lack of financial literacy or not having a financial plan in place. While some of this is true, it’s not totally our fault: Her book addresses the big-picture, systemic problems that conspire against average Americans while favoring the wealthy few. The first third of the book explores how broken capitalism has contributed to our broken retirement system. The second third offers us a new way of thinking and investing, underscoring how university endowments have achieved extraordinary return by using a multi-asset class investment approach. Part III offers meaningful solutions to the retirement crisis. The author introduces us to her flexible and customizable REALM model designed to potentially protect clients from sudden market losses. Also included is other valuable information such as estate planning, tax strategies, 401(k) rollover options, life insurance, and long-term care initiatives. Couyoumjian shows us that retirement planning isn’t just savings and investing. With an umbrella of other planning items, we can take action to make the difference between an anxious retirement defined by uncertainty and a comfortable one, grounded in prosperity. Founder of Cinergy Financial, Cindy Couyoumjian believes financial literacy is a moral imperative and has dedicated her professional life to helping people understand the constantly evolving financial and economic landscape. With 37 years of industry experience, she is a leader in the financial industry, managing over $200,000,000 in assets. She is the author of two previous best-selling books, Redefining Financial Literacy, (2021) and The Rise of Women and Wealth (2022). She has appeared on NBC, CBS, FOX 40, talk radio AM870 and 790 KABC, and was a brand contributor to Forbes in 2020. Her dedication and commitment to empower with facts, not fear, are unwavering as she continues to educate and guide her clients toward their individualized financial goals and objectives.