The plan you can stick to on one sheet
Complicated plans fail at the first surprise. A one-page retirement plan works because it forces four decisions you can actually follow in real life: goals, savings rate, asset mix, and guardrails. Put them on one printable page and pair it with a simple review rhythm so it stays current.
What fits on the page
Use this as your retirement planning worksheet. Write short answers you can read at a glance.
- Goal + date:target retirement age, annual spend (in today’s dollars), and any big one-time purchases
- Savings rate:% of gross income and where it goes each payday
- Asset allocation (simple):stock, bond, cash targets with 5% bands
- Guardrails:what you change when markets move or life changes
- Rebalancing rules:when and how you move back to target
- Review cadence:quarterly mini-check + annual deep-check
- One-line tax note:where bonds vs stocks live, and the accounts/beneficiaries list
Fill the boxes in this order
Keep each section to two lines. Numbers beat adjectives.
1) Name the goal—and price it
Write your annual retirement spending target in today’s dollars.
Add one line for known one-time costs (e.g., new roof, helping family, major travel).
2) Set a savings rate you can keep
Pick a % of gross income that survives real life.
Split it across 401(k), IRA, and taxable so your monthly cash flow stays smooth.
3) Choose a three-part asset mix
Write targets for Stocks / Bonds / Cash that match your timeline and sleep level.
Keep it broad and simple (index funds, not a fund zoo).
4) Define retirement guardrails
Write the triggers that tell you what to do when things change.
Keep thresholds round and easy to check (e.g., “down 15%,” “savings rate below 18%”).
5) Lock rebalancing rules
Pick either:
- Calendar-based:rebalance quarterly or annually, or
- Band-based:rebalance when any sleeve drifts 5 percentage points
Also decide where new money goes first (usually: the sleeve that’s below target).
6) Add a one-line tax note
Keep this short:
- Where possible, hold bonds in tax-advantaged accountsand broad stock funds in taxable
- List your accounts + where beneficiaries are set
Keep it alive (so it doesn’t become “a sheet you never open”)
The plan fails when it lives only in a spreadsheet you don’t revisit. The simplest upgrade is turning the one-pager into something that updates automatically as deposits happen.
Build the worksheet in Nauma so your one-page plan stays current after each contribution and rebalance (and add your Nauma link in this mention).
A worked example you can copy (replace with your numbers)
Household snapshot
- Family:two earners, age 42 and 40
- Target date:retire at 60
- Annual spend target (today’s dollars):$110,000
- Savings rate:22% of gross
- Account split:401(k) 12%, Roth IRA 4%, taxable 6%
Asset mix on one page
| Sleeve | Target | Range | Funds |
| Stocks | 70% | 65–75% | Broad US + International index |
| Bonds | 25% | 20–30% | Short to intermediate index |
| Cash | 5% | 3–7% | HYSA or T-bill ladder |
Guardrails (example triggers)
- If portfolio falls 15%from last high, cut annual spend by 5% until recovered
- If portfolio rises 20%above last high, raise spend by 3% or pull a one-time goal forward
- If savings rate drops below 18%for two quarters, pause nonessential categories until back at 22%
Rebalancing rules
- Band-based:when any sleeve drifts 5 percentage points, rebalance using new contributions first, then exchanges inside tax-advantaged accounts
- Calendar backstop:if no band breach occurs, rebalance each December
Review cadence
- Quarterly (20 minutes):savings rate on track, drift vs target, cash buffer
- Annual (60 minutes):confirm spend target, retirement age, major life changes
Mistakes that blow up simple plans
Owning too many funds to manage
Use two or three broad funds per sleeve. Complexity adds friction.
Rebalancing emotionally
Rebalance by bands or calendar, not headlines.
Ignoring taxes when placing bonds vs stocks
A one-line tax note prevents avoidable drag.
Changing allocation without rewriting guardrails
If you change risk, you need new triggers.
Letting the plan live only in a file you never open
If it’s not reviewed, it’s not a plan.
Fast answers before you print
How detailed should the goal be?
Keep one number for annual spend in today’s dollars, plus a short note for known one-time costs. Granularity belongs in the budget, not the plan.
What’s a reasonable rebalancing rule?
Many people use 5 percentage point bands with a yearly backstop. It limits churn while keeping risk stable.
How often should I change allocation?
Rarely—only after a major life change. If you change it, write why and set a date to recheck.
Do I need international stocks?
A simple global mix is fine. The key is writing the target and rebalancing to it—not obsessing over the exact split.
Where should new money go?
Send all new contributions to the sleeve that’s below target until the portfolio is back inside its bands.
