Curtis Cloke has spent 30 years building income strategies most advisors have never been trained to offer. This course teaches you the four models he uses, so you can tell the difference between an income plan and a sales pitch.
(Enroll for just $197, or Included With Your All Access Pass)
For thirty years, you played by the rules. You saved, you invested, and you used market volatility to your advantage through dollar-cost averaging. But the moment you stop working and start withdrawing, the math completely flips. What was once your greatest asset—volatility—becomes your greatest danger. This module reveals the hidden trap of the “Red Zone” and explains why transitioning from accumulation to distribution requires an entirely new set of mathematical rules.
This opening module sets the foundation. Helping you see the full landscape clearly, and begin to understand why every decision that you’ll make in retirement affects the other.
Inside this module, you will discover:
The financial industry loves the “4% Rule.” They tell you that if you just keep your withdrawals to 4% of your total assets, you should be safe. What they don’t tell you is the massive cost of that strategy: for every $40,000 of income you need, you must hold one million dollars hostage to the market. This module exposes the inefficiency of traditional safe withdrawal rates and introduces a radically different approach to generating income. Why some of your money may be trapped in accounts working against you — and how to free it.
Most investors and advisors obsess over performance. But managing the drag of taxes and fees can actually double the net dollars you get to spend in retirement. If you have a traditional pre-tax account, you don’t own all that money—you have a split-dollar agreement with the IRS. This module shows you how to strategically manage your tax brackets, compress your required distributions, and keep more of your own money.
Moving Beyond Industry Hype to Mathematical Truth
If you ask three different advisors how to structure your retirement income, you will get three different answers: systematic withdrawals, bucket strategies, or income flooring. Each will claim their method is superior. As a researcher and academic, the instructor proves that none of these strategies is optimal on its own. This module breaks down the math behind each approach and reveals the superior hybrid model.
Building the 80/20 Retirement Foundation
When you ask retirees how much of their essential income they want at risk in the market, the answer is always the same: zero. Yet traditional retirement plans leave almost all income exposed to market volatility. This module introduces the fundamental difference between risk-based and promise-based income, and shows you how to build an unshakeable foundation for your lifestyle.
A retirement plan that works on day one is useless if it fails in year fifteen. You must account for the silent thieves of retirement: inflation and the devastating financial shift that occurs when the first spouse passes away. This module provides the precise mathematical tools to hedge against rising costs and protect the surviving spouse from the single biggest tax trap in retirement.
The Defense and Offense of Retirement
Retirement is not just about paying the bills; it’s about enjoying the wealth you spent a lifetime building. But mixing the money you need to live with the money you want to play with is a recipe for anxiety. This module teaches you how to separate your capital into two distinct teams—defense and offense—so you can weather any market storm while still taking the vacations of your dreams.
There Is a Number — and Now You Don't Have to Guess
Retirement isn’t a hope, a hunch, or a prayer you whisper and then walk away from — it’s math. Across this course you’ve learned that the question “Do I have enough?” has a real, calculable answer once you know which stakes you’ve planted in the ground. This final lesson ties every piece together — the strategies, the safeguards, and the discipline — so you walk away not just better informed, but genuinely confident about the road ahead.
You may not remember the exact day — only the moment you realized, “this feels different now.”
Nothing is wrong.
But suddenly, “I’ll figure it out later” doesn’t feel like a plan anymore.
It might be an unexpected drop in the market that suddenly has you watching the news more closely.
A birthday approaching — and the question you can no longer ignore: Should I take Social Security now, or wait?
Or a comment from your spouse that lingers:
“Don’t worry. If something happens to me, it’s all taken care of.”
And suddenly, a new question replaces the old:
Am I really prepared for what’s ahead?
It’s that, for the first time, you realize you have less time to “figure it out later” than you did when you were raising your family and building a career.
Until now, there was always more time.
More time to save.
More time to plan.
More time to talk about it later.
In retirement, time works differently.
Paychecks are replaced by Social Security and investments.
Market declines affect not just statement balances, but spendable income.
And each decision begins to carry more weight than the last.
That shift — from accumulation to reliance — is often what you’re feeling.
Instead, it’s shaped by a number of smaller transitions and decisions that tend to arrive quietly — often during distraction, transition, or change in circumstances.
You don’t need to know when these moments will show up — only how your plan will handle it when they do.
A market decline in retirement feels different in retirement than it did when you were still working.
It’s no longer about recovery on paper.
It’s about income — and how long your money will last.
When income needs and market corrections overlap, income stability matters more than your annual return.
Before retirement, Social Security is often treated like a simple decision to “take it early, or wait till full retirement age“.
In reality, it’s one of the most consequential income decisions you’ll ever make.
A choice that will shape income for decades — and once the decision is made, it’s often difficult to reverse.
A divorce later in life doesn’t just divide spouses.
It divides assets.
It reshapes income, housing, and long-term security — often all at once.
Even plans that once felt solid can feel suddenly fragile and uncertain.
Inflation rarely threatens retirement security today.
Instead, it slowly eats away at your income and savings — year after year — steadily compounding your need to draw down your savings faster than you had planned.
Retirement plans designed primarily for investment safety can often be impacted significantly by years of rising inflation, even when nothing appears “wrong.”
All women dread the day when they become the sole financial decision-maker. But statistically, 80% of women will become widowed at some point during retirement.
And when that happens, confidence and assurance matters more than numbers and spreadsheets.
The goal isn’t to solve for every one of these risks today.
The goal is to gain confidence and understanding.
Because with understanding comes clarity — and when things are clear, fear and uncertainty begin to fade.
This course exists to help you understand how retirement actually works, and the decisions and life events you’ll need to navigate — before those events become present day reality.
It’s designed to give you context first.
Clarity before action.
And confidence rooted in understanding.
Women in Retirement is a self-paced, on-demand course created specifically to help women navigate this transition thoughtfully — often while still juggling the day to day of work, family, and the other responsibilities you carry.
It’s designed for you to move through it at your own pace.
Pause when you need to.
And then pick it back up when life allows.
Because you don’t need more pressure.
You need support and clarity.
As women, we need education and clarity in order to gain understanding and confidence.
So the course doesn’t begin with numbers, charts, or spreadsheets.
It begins by providing context — helping you understand how retirement actually works, and why certain decisions carry more weight than others.
Each lesson is intentionally short and focused.
You’re not expected to “keep up.”
You’re not asked to make decisions as you go.
Instead, you’re guided through these topics the way they unfolds in real life — income first, then risk management, followed by longevity, healthcare, and life transitions.
It’s about giving you the confidence to trust yourself when the time to make these decisions arrives.
Inside Women in Retirement, you’ll explore the areas of planning that most often create the most uncertainty — income, risk, longevity, healthcare, and life transitions — explained clearly and without financial jargon.
You’ll learn how retirement income actually works, and how decisions like Social Security timing shape your future income needs.
You’ll also learn how markets and inflation affect your long-term planning, and why planning now for unexpected changes later leads to greater peace of mind.
You’ll also spend time clarifying what matters most to you — so decisions feel grounded and in alignment with your values, rather than simply a decision you made because someone told you what they thought was best.
The goal isn’t to cover everything.
It’s to help you understand deeply what matters most.
To help reinforce what you’ll learn in each lesson, Women in Retirement also includes a companion course workbook which mirrors the course lesson by lesson, giving you space to slow down, reflect, and connect what you’re learning to your own life and planning.
In it, you’ll also find guided questions, simple exercises, and visual examples that help you; clarify your income needs, identify real risks, and prepare for conversations — without turning learning into another overwhelming task.
Some women use the workbook to follow along as they watch.
Others return to it later, when questions surface.
There’s no right way to use it — only what feels supportive to you.
And You Don’t Have to Do It Alone!
As you move through the course, you’ll also have access to support thorough our on-demand chat, available to you 24/7.
That way, when a question comes up — either while you’re watching a lesson, reading through the workbook, or thinking something through later — you don’t have to spend hours Googling possible answers.
You just ask.
Get added clarity.
And needed reassurance — in real time.
This work isn’t meant to be rushed — or done alone.
Women in Retirement is offered for a simple one-time enrollment fee.
Your enrollment includes lifetime access to the complete course, so you can move through it at your own pace. Your enrollment also includes the course companion workbook, and access to our on-demand chat support, available inside the course 24/7 anytime you need it.
You’ll have lifetime access, so you can take your time, return to the course whenever questions — or life — changes.
This is an investment in understanding and long term peace of mind.
You don’t need to know today whether or not this program is right for you.
We want you to feel supported — not pressured.
That’s why you’re invited to enroll today and take your time exploring the course and companion workbook.
Watch the lessons.
Skim the materials.
Notice whether it feels clear, supportive, and relevant to you.
If, within 30 days, you decide this course isn’t what you expected, you can simply request a full refund.
No explanations required.
No questions asked.
This guarantee exists so you can begin with confidence — knowing you’re free to explore the course, without pressure or risk.
At some point, retirement stops being about numbers and spreadsheets — and starts being about how confident you feel navigating what’s ahead.
Taking the time to gain clarity now is a gift you give yourself — one that will last throughout retirement.
Women in Retirement exists to give you that clarity — so you can face what’s ahead with confidence.
Begin with clarity — and move forward at your own pace.
Reach out to us at support@theretirementinstitute.com
No — most of the strategies in this course are things you can put in place after you’ve already started taking income. The earlier planning window helps, but it isn’t required.
This course does not replace your advisor — it empowers you to be a more informed and confident client. Many retirees unknowingly leave their income strategy entirely up to an advisor without understanding the “why” behind the decisions. Inside, you will learn the core mathematical principles of income planning, so you know exactly which questions to ask and can actively participate in protecting your wealth.
Free content is fragmented by design. You get one person’s opinion on Social Security, another’s take on withdrawal rates, and a third video on taxes — none of it coordinated, none of it structured, and none of it accountable to your outcome. This course is a complete, sequenced curriculum taught by a subject-matter expert, where each lesson builds on the last to give you an integrated income strategy — not a collection of disconnected tips. You also get a companion workbook, a personalized assessment, and 24/7 access to our support team to answer your specific questions as you learn.
This course is taught by Curtis Cloke, RICP, CLTC, LUTCF — one of the most recognized retirement income specialists in the country. Curtis has spent over 35 years focused exclusively on solving the income distribution challenge for retirees. He is the creator of the Thrive Income Distribution System, helped develop the curriculum for the Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP) designation at The American College of Financial Services, and in 2025 was inducted into the Financial Hall of Fame with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He is not a generalist reading from a script — he is the expert other financial professionals go to when they want to learn income planning. And now, his strategies are available to you.
The course is designed to be completed at your own pace, with short, focused video lessons you can watch in as little as 10–15 minutes each. Most students complete the full course within a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on how quickly they want to go. But there is no deadline — you receive lifetime access, so you can revisit any lesson whenever your situation changes or a new question arises.
Not at all. We built The Retirement Institute specifically because the financial industry relies too heavily on confusing jargon and complex spreadsheets. This course is taught in plain English, and straightforward language. The lessons are self-paced, and designed to build your understanding one step at a time. If you can follow a conversation, you can follow this course.
Absolutely. The platform is simple and intuitive — you log in, click on your course, and press play. There are no complicated downloads, no software to install, and no confusing navigation. And if you ever get stuck, our support team is available 24/7 to walk you through anything you need. We will never let technology stand between you and the education you deserve.
Actually, our students find it does the exact opposite. Financial anxiety almost always stems from the unknown — wondering if your money will last, worrying about tax changes, or fearing a market crash. This course replaces that uncertainty with factual, mathematically sound strategies. When you understand exactly how to build a reliable income floor and manage withdrawal risks, the anxiety naturally fades. Replace your financial worry with confidence by understanding the math behind your money.
You will walk away with a clear understanding of how to transition your savings into a reliable, tax-efficient income stream. Specifically, you will learn how to sequence your withdrawals to minimize taxes, how to coordinate Social Security with your other assets, and how to protect your income from market downturns. You will no longer have to guess if you are making the right choices.
You carry zero risk. We offer a 30-day, 100% money-back guarantee. You can enroll today, watch the video lessons, download the companion workbooks, and even take the course assessment. If you decide the education isn’t exactly what you expected, simply email our support team within 30 days, and we will refund your enrollment fee in full. No questions asked.
This course isn’t designed to be something you skim or binge. It’s meant to help you understand the decisions that often carry long-term consequences. Many retirees spend far more on a single meeting, a seminar, or fixing a mistake they didn’t see coming.
We’ve priced it so it’s taken seriously — without requiring a big leap of faith. That’s also why we offer you an unconditional guarantee, so you can get started risk-free.
