For too long, retirement planning and independent fiduciary financial advice have felt reserved for the top 1 to 2 percent. In this episode of Fortunes of the Brave, Mary Kathryn Johnson sits down with Michael Scarpati, CEO and co founder of Retire.us, to unpack how technology and true fiduciary financial planning can finally open the doors for everyday Americans. Michael shares how his platform connects people with independent fiduciary financial advisors who focus on holistic retirement planning, not just selling products.
They dig into the mindset barriers that keep people with 50,000 to 150,000 dollars in savings from seeking help, and why believing "advice is only for millionaires" quietly sabotages financial freedom. Michael explains what fiduciary really means in the eyes of the law, how it differs from product driven advice, and why roughly 85 to 90 percent of licensed professionals are not required to put your best interest first.
From his early days driving a squeaky Chevy to client meetings to leading a tech enabled retirement platform, Michael reveals how perception, trust, and accessibility shape who gets high quality retirement advice and who gets left out. He also breaks down how to calculate and revisit your personal "retirement number" every year so you can stop flying blind and align your saving, investing, and risk with your real life goals.
Finally, Mary and Michael explore how AI and human advisors can work together, why Retire.us offers free education and their Rethinking Retirement workshop series, and how you can start getting fiduciary level guidance without massive asset minimums or high retainers. If you have meaningful savings but no clear plan, this conversation will help you rethink what is possible. Listen to Fortunes of the Brave to start building your own path to financial freedom.
Key Takeaways:
Break the "only for millionaires" myth and claim your right to fiduciary advice
Understand what a fiduciary is in legal terms and why most advisors do not qualify
Learn how technology plus human advisors can make retirement planning more accessible
Use a simple yearly habit to track your retirement number and course correct early
See how Retire.us is redesigning trust, pricing, and access for middle class investors
Chapters:
00:00: Meet Michael Scarpati, CEO and co founder of Retire.us
01:47: From independent planner to building a new kind of platform
03:55: The mindset gap that keeps everyday investors on the sidelines
12:04: Why 50,000 to 150,000 dollars still deserves high quality advice
14:39: AI, emotions, and why human guidance still matters
16:36: Fiduciary explained in plain English and why it is so rare
19:32: The squeaky Chevy story and the power of perception
27:45: Designing Retire.us around trust, simplicity, and accessibility
30:51: How independent fiduciaries really get paid and why they move up market
39:45: The one annual habit that can change your retirement trajectory
42:14: Inside the Rethinking Retirement workshop series and free tools
44:06: Shared missions, future fundraising, and democratizing financial freedom
Resources Mentioned:
Retire.us platform and free mindfulness tier
Rethinking Retirement workshop series for pre retirees and retirees
Free retirement planning tools and education inside Retire.us
Connect with Michael:
Website: retire.us
LinkedIn: Michael Scarpati
Other: Rethinking Retirement workshop series via retire.us
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