The retirement rules you've been following are broken. Here's what actually works in 2025. For decades, retirees relied on the 60/40 portfolio—60% stocks for growth, 40% bonds for safety. But when 2022 hit, both stocks and bonds crashed together, leaving millions of retirees watching their "safe" money disappear. If you're approaching retirement with $250,000 to $2 million saved, you need to read this book. The problem isn't your portfolio. It's your strategy. In Beyond Safety and Risk , CPA and retirement specialist Phil Gaudiano reveals why the traditional approach to retirement planning no longer works—and shows you a better way forward. You'll discover: Why bonds are no longer "safe" and what should replace them in your portfolio - The hidden danger that destroys retirement plans even with good average returns (and how to eliminate it) - How to create guaranteed lifetime income without giving up growth potential - The Income-Growth framework that separates your spending money from your growth money - Why the "4% rule" is dangerously outdated—and what withdrawal rate actually works today - Real case studies showing how retirees with identical portfolios end up in completely different situations This isn't theory. It's math. Drawing on years of experience preparing tax returns for retirees and witnessing firsthand what the 2020 COVID crash did to "well-planned" retirements, Phil Gaudiano makes a compelling case for rethinking everything you thought you knew about retirement security. Here's the uncomfortable truth: The biggest risk in retirement isn't market volatility—it's running out of income. And the tools designed for wealth accumulation don't work for wealth distribution. But there's good news: when you shift from thinking about "risk vs. safety" to thinking about "income vs. growth," everything changes. Your anxiety drops. Your confidence soars. And your portfolio actually performs better because you stop making emotional decisions. This book will show you how to: ✓ Build an "income floor" that covers your essential expenses—guaranteed—for life ✓ Let your growth assets actually grow (instead of forcing you to sell during downturns) ✓ Sleep through market crashes because your bills are already paid ✓ Leave more money to your heirs by preventing forced withdrawals ✓ Retire with confidence instead of fear Who this book is for: Pre-retirees and retirees ages 55-70 - Anyone with $250K-$2M saved who's skeptical of annuities but worried about their plan - People who are tired of watching their "safe" bonds lose money - Anyone who wants to stop checking their portfolio every morning - Retirees who want to actually enjoy retirement instead of worrying about outliving their money What makes this different: Unlike most retirement books that focus on accumulation, this one focuses on distribution —how to turn your nest egg into reliable income that lasts as long as you do. Written in plain English by a practicing CPA who's seen thousands of tax returns and knows what actually works in the real world. No hype. No sales pitch. Just honest analysis of why the old rules are broken and what to do about it. The goal of retirement isn't to die with the biggest balance. It's to live with the deepest peace. If you're ready to stop guessing and start designing a retirement plan that actually works—no matter what the markets do—scroll up and click "Buy Now."