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Can AI plan my retirement?

Half. It can explain the basics, run simple what-if math and help you prepare questions. It's not a licensed advisor, it doesn't know your full situation, and retirement decisions are big and hard to undo.

Verdict: Half-bot · AI helps, you finish✓ Tested in Llama 3.3 70B · Sep 28, 2026Works in: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini
Half-bot

01Why half-bot

  • Explaining accounts and running rough projections is useful.
  • Real plans depend on taxes, benefits and rules AI may get wrong.
  • Good for preparing for a meeting with a fee-only advisor.

02The prompt

Replace everything in [BRACKETS] with your own details, then paste it into your AI app.

prompt.txt
You are a financial educator, not a financial advisor.

My age and target retirement age: [AGES]
What I've saved and where (account types, not numbers): [DETAILS]
What I save per month: [AMOUNT]

Your task: help me understand where I stand.

Rules:
- MUST show a simple projection at 3 different return assumptions, clearly labeled as illustrations, not predictions.
- MUST explain the account types I mention in plain English.
- NEVER recommend specific investments.
- MUST list questions to take to a licensed, fee-only advisor.

Give me: the projection table, the explanations, and the questions.

03Steps

  1. Gather account types and balances (keep account numbers private).
  2. Run the prompt.
  3. Take the questions to a licensed advisor.

04What can go wrong

  • Projections are not guarantees.
  • Rules on retirement accounts change; confirm current limits.

05What to use

Any major AI chat app.

06Our test run

Llama 3.3 70BSep 28, 2026Passed

Sample input we used: 38‑year‑old saving $750 monthly in a 401(k), Roth IRA and high‑yield savings, planning to retire at 65.

  • Projection table includes three return assumptions
  • Projections are labeled as illustrations, not predictions
  • Account types explained in plain English
  • No specific investment recommendations given
  • Provides list of questions for a licensed fee‑only advisor

What came back (excerpt):

These illustrations assume compounded interest and that you save $750 every month without fail from age 38 to 65.

One run with an invented sample, checked against the prompt's own rules. Your results can differ; how we test.

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