Everything we teach our 230,000 followers, free in one place: build a guaranteed income floor first, then invest the rest — so your bills get paid no matter what the market does.
Three ways to turn savings into a paycheck — and the math the 4% Rule never shows you. Annuitize everything, or cover just the gap (BIID), or annuitize your age as a percentage (BID Theory) — never more than 65% of the portfolio. The rest stays invested at market growth, and that's what pays your cost-of-living raises. Run your own numbers:
Educational illustration only — not financial, tax, or legal advice and not an offer of any product. Hypothetical figures: assumes the income gap is funded from pre-tax accounts, 2.5% annual inflation on 4% Rule withdrawals, and illustrative single-life annuity payout rates by age (actual quotes vary by carrier, product, state, and rate environment). The invested remainder is illustrated at a 9% average annual return — hypothetical, not guaranteed, and subject to market risk; actual returns vary and may be negative. Cost-of-living increases are modeled as withdrawals from the invested side (structured tax-free via Roth in Viking plans) and therefore do not appear as taxable income. Annuitization is capped at 65% of the portfolio under the BIID/BID framework. Annuity guarantees are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company and are not FDIC insured.
Dustin built Viking around one idea: retirement isn't a pile of money, it's a paycheck that has to show up every month for 30 years. He teaches the same income-first strategy to 230,000 followers that he builds for clients — in plain English, written for smart people who aren't licensed professionals.
When you put an insurance or annuity product in place through us, the insurance company pays us a commission. It doesn't come out of your deposit and it doesn't reduce your rate. If we recommend something, it's because the math works for you — and we'll show you that math before you sign anything. No advice on this site costs you a dime.
The same advice we give away across five platforms — organized so you can find your exact question in seconds. Read everything free. Download the full guides if you want them to keep.
Nothing matches that search — but that doesn't mean we don't have the answer.
MYGAs, CDs, and high-yield savings side by side. Bank products link straight to the bank. Annuities are licensed products — those route to us, because we have to be involved in the paperwork.
MYGA = Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity. MYGA rates shown are guaranteed for the stated term; surrender charges apply for early withdrawal. Annuity guarantees are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurer — not FDIC insured. Bank CD and savings rates are FDIC insured up to applicable limits and link to the institution's own site; Viking is not affiliated with and receives no compensation from the banks listed. Want a second opinion before you lock anything in?
Nothing. It's a real conversation with a real person about your situation — not a webinar replay, not a sales script. You'll leave knowing more than you came with, whether or not we ever work together.
No. The first call is discovery — understanding your income, accounts, taxes, and what you're worried about. If something we offer fits, we'll show you the math and you decide. If it doesn't fit, we'll tell you that too.
No — we're independent. The rate board on this page shows multiple carriers side by side because that's how we shop for clients: the contract that wins on math wins the case.
A rough idea of your account balances, your Social Security estimate if you have it, and the monthly number your lifestyle actually costs. Don't stress about precision — clues are enough to start.
The five years before retirement are where the most expensive mistakes get locked in — and where the best moves (Roth conversions, pension elections, repositioning) still have time to work. Earlier is cheaper. Always.
One plain-English email when we publish something new — the same breakdowns 230,000 people follow us for, minus the algorithm deciding whether you see it.