It is easy to tell someone to “ride it out” when they have enough money to wait for the market to recover. But for everyday Americans balancing retirement savings with mortgages, student loans, credit card debt and medical bills, a badly timed downturn can change far more than an account balance.

Why do we normalize financial fragility? A chance conversation at a networking event exposes the massive blind spots in mainstream financial planning, and why the traditional advice you've been given might be setting you up for failure.

Most people were told $1 million was the retirement finish line. But that number doesn’t mean what it used to. The real issue isn’t just how much you save. It’s whether your money is structured to actually work when you need it.

Retirement has changed dramatically over the past 10 years. Here’s what’s shifted — and why modern planning requires more flexibility than the old 401(k)-only playbook.