Retirement Readiness Audit

A free 5-minute self-audit covering the five decisions most retirees never get walked through: Social Security claiming, Roth conversion windows, Medicare/IRMAA exposure, RMD pressure, and survivor planning.

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What this audit measures

The Retirement Readiness Audit is a free educational self-assessment tool published by the Retirement Literacy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. It walks you through the five most consequential retirement-planning decision areas — the same ones our public workshops cover — and gives you a written summary of the gaps it spots.

Social Security claiming timing — when you plan to file, your spouse's plan, the survivor-benefit decision tree. Filing decisions are largely irreversible after 12 months.
Roth conversion window — the multi-year bracket-filling opportunity between retirement and your Required Minimum Distribution start date. Most retirees have a 5–10 year window and never use it.
Medicare / IRMAA exposure — the 2-year lookback that converts your Roth conversions and capital gains into higher Medicare Part B premiums. Catches most retirees by surprise.
RMD pressure & sequence-of-returns risk — how Required Minimum Distributions interact with a down market in your first decade of retirement.
Survivor planning — what happens to your tax bracket, your Medicare premium, and your Social Security income when one spouse passes. The "Widow's Penalty" is one of the most overlooked retirement risks.

How the audit works

You answer a series of plain-English questions about your current retirement plan, the timing decisions you've already made, and any decisions still open. The tool flags each gap it identifies, explains in plain English why it matters, and shows you the math behind it.

What you'll need

Your approximate age and your spouse's (if applicable)
A rough sense of your retirement-account balances by tax-bucket (pre-tax / Roth / taxable)
Your planned (or actual) Social Security claiming age
Your approximate annual income from Social Security, pension, and withdrawals

How long it takes

Most people complete the audit in 5–8 minutes. You can pause and resume at any point — your answers stay in your browser session.

What you get

A written summary of the gaps the audit identified, plain-English explanations of why each one matters, and direct links to the specific free calculators on this site you can use to model the decision yourself. No follow-up sales call, no products being sold, no commissions earned.

Launch the audit

The interactive audit tool loads below. If it doesn't appear, please refresh the page or contact hans@retirementliteracyfoundation.org.

Frequently asked questions

Is the audit really free?

Yes. The Retirement Literacy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit (EIN 41-5062266). All of our calculators, audits, workshops, and case studies are free to the public. We do not sell financial products, accept commissions, or take referral fees from any financial-services company.

Do I have to give you my email to see results?

No. The audit shows your results in-browser as you complete it. You can optionally email yourself a copy of the summary, but no signup is required to use the tool.

Is this a substitute for a financial advisor?

No. The audit is an educational tool and is not personalized financial, tax, or legal advice. For personalized planning, please consult a qualified independent fiduciary financial professional, CPA, or estate attorney of your choice.

What happens to my data?

Audit answers are stored in your browser only and are not transmitted to RLF unless you choose to email yourself a copy. We do not sell, share, or use audit data for marketing.

I'd like to discuss my results with a person

RLF holds free public workshops at libraries across Southern California where you can meet other retirees working through the same decisions and ask questions in an educational setting. See the upcoming workshop schedule →

About the Retirement Literacy Foundation

The Retirement Literacy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit serving Southern California retirees with free workshops, interactive calculators, long-form case studies, and topic guides on Social Security, Medicare/IRMAA, Roth conversion strategy, the SECURE Act, and survivor planning. We accept no funding from insurance carriers, brokerages, or any financial-services company.

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