How a Protected Retirement Income Master Strategy can provide stability & peace of mind no matter what the future brings
A Conversation With Brady Schmidt
We spoke with Brady Schmidt, President and CEO of Harvest Income Solutions & Insurance Services, who was recently voted Best of the Best in Los Angeles for Retirement Income Planning, about how he helps people 55–75 create a drama-free retirement.
Q: Why does retirement feel more stressful than it should?
Schmidt:
Stress stems mainly from uncertainty, information overwhelm, conflicting advice, and fear of making a mistake. Pensions, IRAs, 401(k)s & Social Security each have their own set of rules requiring choices that may be permanent. Making wise choices is very crucial at this stage. I help retirees understand those rules and options for safely maximizing income without having problems down the road.
Q: Who do you typically work with?
Schmidt:
I work exclusively with people between 55 and 75 who are within 5 years of or in retirement & prefer safety over speculation. Retirees more often are seeking greater clarity, there’s so much complexity. I have devoted the last 20 years as a retirement specialist helping create a financial blueprint retirees can feel confident and secure about.
Q: How did your approach to retirement planning develop?
Schmidt:
I’ll answer that with a true story: In 2005, a woman in her mid-70s was referred to me after losing her husband. Like many couples of her generation, he had handled all the finances. After months of grieving and quietly adjusting to life on her own, she reached a point where she knew she needed to understand her money—and feel safe again.
What she discovered was unsettling.
Their savings had been split between a CPA and a broker. Her husband had been comfortable taking risks. She was not. Yet no one had ever stopped to review the portfolio through her eyes or adjust it to reflect what she needed as a widow. When she finally looked closely, her account was already down $150,000.
She didn’t realize how much risk she was exposed to. When she asked her advisor about it, she was told to “stay the course”—that the market would recover. What no one had prepared her for was the emotional weight of watching her life savings fluctuate when she no longer had her husband beside her, and no clear plan to follow as a surviving spouse.
She also had no continuity plan. No clear roadmap. No assurance that her income would simply continue, no matter what happened in the markets.
Over the course of several meetings, we slowly and carefully brought everything into order. We simplified her finances, clarified where her income would come from, and designed a strategy that aligned with her comfort level—not someone else’s. Together, we put an Income Master Strategy in place—one focused on stability, predictability, and peace of mind.
Today, she is 96 years old. She’s like family to me. And she continues to live comfortably on the income plan we created all those years ago.
That’s how my approach to retirement planning evolved.
Stories like hers are the reason I do this work. They reinforce my belief that retirement should not be a time of anxiety or second-guessing. With the right strategy in place, retirees can move forward with confidence—knowing there are thoughtful, proven ways to reduce stress and create security in every season of life.
Q: Is that what led to the Protected Income Master Strategy?
Schmidt:
Yes. The idea is very simple: understand where income will come from, how reliable it is, and how it’s designed to hold up over time. It’s not about complexity or speculation. It’s about confidence. It’s very reassuring to know your income will always be secure and dependable in good times and bad.
Q: Is retirement planning about more than investments?
Schmidt:
Great question. I’ve worked with hundreds of people in my career. The majority of those I met with had investments and possibly multiple sources of income, but very few had a true retirement blueprint. Without a personalized, well-thought-out plan, people leave their financial future to chance. Without a definitive financial roadmap one might end up where they don’t want to be. As Zig Ziglar once put it, “people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan.” Confidence and peace of mind come from a clear strategy. I place a high priority on relationships and on the principle that a retirement blueprint should be in place before investments are decided on.
Q: What challenges do retirees face when transitioning into retirement?
Schmidt:
Finding the right advisor to work with can be a challenge. General practitioners far outweigh seasoned specialists in retirement planning for people 55 to 75. Procrastination is often a hurdle. Google search “retirement” and you’ll get millions of options. Trust, complexity & fear of making a mistake can lead to indecisiveness & without clarity, people can get stuck though they sincerely want to have a clear path forward. My role is to slow things down, simplify the picture, and help people clearly understand their options, because clarity leads to confident action, less stress and that wonderful feeling of accomplishing a very important task at this important phase.
Q: Education seems central to your approach. Why is that important?
Schmidt:
People shouldn’t feel pressured into decisions they don’t understand. When people are given the time they need to know how their income works, in an environment where questions and concerns are addressed, and respected, they feel more confident in their decisions and more in control. Education, communication & understanding eliminates the unknown. That confidence reduces stress and leads to better, more informed and accurate financial decisions.
Q: Is retirement planning a one-time event?
Schmidt:
No. A Drama-Free Retirement is built on a combination of expertise, strategy alignment and relationship. It’s a roadmap to successfully navigate the three phases of retirement. It’s a certainty that health, economies, markets, legislation & family circumstances will change. The strategies I implement, though free of stock market risk, do need regular review. It’s important to work with a retirement professional who is committed to the journey with them. It’s a very important relationship.
Q: What principles and values guide your work?
Schmidt:
There are three. Principle number one: Safety First, meaning principal protection from stock market risk. Second, a reliable and predictable income that will last for life & Third, simplicity. Retirement plans should be understandable and manageable, not complicated. Values that accompany these principles are respect, transparency, ethics & putting the clients’ best interest first.
I also place a high priority on providing exceptional service and remaining accessible after a new client comes on board.
Our Drama-Free Retirement Harbor Cruise aboard the Scarlet Belle, Oxnard, CA
Q: What does a successful retirement look like to you?
Schmidt:
A successful retirement is one where people feel confident and at peace, regardless of the headlines. There’s no fear of the bottom falling out or unpleasant surprises. That’s what I call a Drama-Free Retirement, and it’s been my passion to help retirees enjoy retirement with true financial security.
This is what a successful retirement looks like, in the words of an actual client:
“After losing my husband, I felt overwhelmed by financial decisions. Brady explained everything clearly and helped me get my finances organized and safe during a difficult time. What matters most is knowing I have someone I trust to guide me, and I’ve always felt secure in my retirement over all these years.”
— Marianne M., Northridge, CA
The Bottom Line
With the right income strategy, retirement can become what it was meant to be: a time to enjoy life and to reap an abundant harvest from years of dedication and disciplined saving.
Brady Schmidt, President and CEO of Harvest Income Solutions & Insurance Services, helps people aged 55 to 75 who prefer a safer approach to retirement planning.
CA DOI License #0632846
Learn More:
Brady Schmidt on LinkedIn
Harvest Income Solutions BBB Profile
Best of Best Review
Disclosure
This is for informational purposes only. It is not an offer to buy or sell securities or to invest or purchase any investment product. Brady does not provide securities, legal or tax advice; for these services, refer to your respective professional.
