By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning
“The goal isn’t to retire from life. It’s to retire into it—fully, meaningfully, and on your terms.”
When the financial services industry talks about retirement, it often frames the conversation within two narrow pillars: the State Pension and the Pension Fund. This framing, while familiar, is misleading—because it sells short the most valuable asset you have: you.
These conversations typically assume a sharp cliff-edge stop to earned income the day you reach your so-called “retirement date.” It’s as though on your 67th birthday, you’re meant to switch off your talents, passions, and ability to generate income. But we know that’s not how life—or people—actually work.
The truth is this: human capital doesn’t retire when your pension starts. Your knowledge, networks, skills, and creativity remain active long after you’ve stopped contributing to a workplace pension scheme. And yet, human capital has been conveniently left out of traditional retirement planning. Why? Because it doesn’t help sell financial products (i.e., the system is “rigged“).
🎯 The Real Question to Ask
When planning for retirement, the critical question is not:
“What kind of lifestyle can I afford based on the size of my pension pot?”
Instead, it should be:
“What kind of lifestyle do I want—and what blend of human and financial capital will support it?”
That single shift in mindset changes everything. The former confines you to a life of limitation, dependent on the performance of investments over which you have no control. The latter empowers you to create a future with purpose, using your skills, experiences, and values as key pillars in your life plan.
đź“Š So, What Does Retirement Really Cost?
According to the latest PLSA Retirement Living Standards, the minimum income needed for retirement has actually fallen, due to lower energy costs and revised public expectations. But “moderate” and “comfortable” standards have gone up, reflecting broader inflation trends:
| Standard | One-person household | Two-person household |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | ÂŁ13,400 | ÂŁ21,600 |
| Moderate | ÂŁ31,700 | ÂŁ43,900 |
| Comfortable | ÂŁ43,900 | ÂŁ60,600 |
To hit the comfortable tier as a single person, you’ll need:
- Full State Pension: ÂŁ11,975
- Additional pre-tax income: ÂŁ40,245
- Estimated pension pot: ÂŁ540,000 to ÂŁ800,000 (assumes cliff-edge retirement!)
These numbers lead many to despair—or worse, to panic-purchase financial products they don’t fully understand or need.
But there’s another way.
🧠Financial Capital Is Only Half the Equation
If you rely solely on financial capital—pensions, ISAs, property—you’re accepting a worldview in which retirement is something done to you, not designed by you.
At the Academy of Life Planning, we advocate a different path: holistic wealth planning that integrates both financial capital and human capital.
âś… Financial capital provides stability and security.
✅ Human capital—your time, talents, and ability to create value—brings meaning and flexibility.
The best financial plan starts with a life plan. It aligns your values, goals, and unique purpose with your income needs and available resources. This approach doesn’t just calculate how much you’ll need—it empowers you to create it.
🧠Planning for Life, Not Just Retirement
We challenge you to flip the narrative. Instead of asking how to retire from work, ask how to retire into the life you’ve always wanted.
A trustworthy adviser operating in a “structurally independent framework” won’t sell you products. They’ll help you:
- Understand the true role of human capital in retirement
- Empower you to master your own finances without intermediaries
- Align your money with your mission
- Build the financial architecture to support your ideal lifestyle
Because retirement shouldn’t be a retreat—it should be a renaissance.
đź’¬ Want to design your future with purpose?
Start your journey with us at the Academy of Life Planning. Discover how integrating human capital into your financial plan can radically transform your retirement.
Steve Conley
Founder, Academy of Life Planning
Empowering people to become their own financial planners
 steve.conley@aolp.co.uk |  www.aolp.info
Your Money or Your Life
Unmask the highway robbers – Enjoy wealth in every area of your life!
By Steve Conley. Available on Amazon. Visit www.steve.conley.co.uk to find out more.
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