Retirement Planning Software - Professional User Testimonials

"This is Steve Hayden. I am calling from Atlanta, GA. My company is Investors Capital Corporation, a division of Atlanta Planning Group and I purchased the software. I really like it because it is so simple, it gives me...it gives just enough information to the client to communicate the concepts and illustrate the importance of it without making their eyes glaze over. I haven't been using it that long, I have been procrastinating about making the purchase for over a year and then I finally took the plunge, used it twice in the first day with great results and I can see how I can leverage this to help me with long term care as well as increasing contributions to retirement plans. So it has been very helpful, very successful and very easy to use. The graphics are very strong and that is what the clients walk away with is the rememberance of the green lines versus the red lines and my favorite game is playing, "What if?" After we set it up and play with it for a few minutes, we get to play "What if?" What if we raised our income?, or what if we retired early?, or what if we donated money? or what if we sent a third child to graduate school? So we get to play with that as well... So that's it, thank you very much!" "

- Steve Hayden, Atlanta GA, Mar 17, 2010

"I'm getting great use out of it. I love the program. This really does the job. The clients love it. It's a very good program."

- Stan Anderson, Mar 11, 2010

Yes, it has been a great asset gathering tool. Thank you!"

- Carol OVerby, Sept. 18, 2009

"This is incredible software - thinking about buying it for some larger clients so they can have copy of my work - include it in the fee charged. Awesome stuff - used on two, million plus asset cases recently."

- Steve Eisele, Aug 19, 2009

"Hi I'm Bill Pfadt with Semler Financial in Carmel Indiana and I've been using Retirement Savings Planner software for about three years....I find it very helpful in getting the message across about a very complex issue that has a lot of variables and that's "retirement planning". I plan on using the software forever!"

- Listen to entire audio from Bill Pfadt, June 18, 2009

"We have a couple of income planning programs that are provided free through IMO's that we do business with, but want you to know that after comparing them with Torrid's software - There is no comparison. We are able to use your software in our 2nd client meeting and believe me it allows us to separate ourselves from the competition. I require everyone that I work with to know and use your software. If I sound like a commercial, it's because your software gets results. I am no spring chicken in this business and know that in order to be successful you have to sell something. This means doing the best job for the client, not just talking a good game. I just got a call from Knoxville, TN and Pat Thompson, my partner there, just closed a roll over for $1 million for a Dr. and his wife. She also is getting another $3.5 million in other assets and she attributes this to her use of Torrid and the ability to simplify their lives and put everything they are doing into the software and print it out for them. I could give you numerous testimonials but will spare you here. This would be about a $40,000 commission."

- Richard Howard, Jan 12, 2009

"I absolutely adore the program. I've written about it in my column "The Investment Edge" which appears monthly in Life Insurance Selling magazine. I'm kind of a missionary for the company in that I tell everyone about it."

- Listen to Richard Hoe, Sept 18, 2008

"I love this program. The reason it's wonderful is that the client can follow it without having to do a lot of thinking. It's a sixth grade picture that anyone can understand."

- Listen to Greg Franklin, AAMS, Nov 12, 2008

"I just wanted to share with whoever is considering using this software that it has been such a wonderful tool for my financial planning business...[With this one couple in their mid-sixties], I didn't want to be the bearer of bad news so I just let the program... let the graphs show them that it looked red and ugly in about 10 years. I was then able to show them a proposal of how we could fix that problem. And it was a big homerun for me..."

Listen to Sandra Newman, Financial Planner, Sept. 12, 2008

"I've been using the program for little over a year. Clients really like it. I find it to be the most effective planning tool for retirement planning that I have used for clients in a long time."...

Listen to John Shipley, CPA, Financial Planner, Sept. 11, 2008

"This tool has been a life saver for me...I've certainly expanded my business exponentially in the last 3 years since I've been using this software"...

Listen to William Sheehy, LPL, August 25, 2008

"The reason I selected your program is because it's so user friendly. It's a good visual aid that my clients can understand."

Mark Lobdell, June 28, 2008

"This is incredible software - thinking about buying it for some larger clients so they can have copy of my work - include it in the fee charged. Awesome stuff - used on two, million plus asset cases recently. Appreciate the help."

Steve Eisele, CFP(r),CLU, February 6, 2008

"I think it's an awesome program. If I can do it than anyone can do it."

Richard Curnow, January 8, 2008

"Hey all, just finished up an appointment where all the client wanted to know was if he could retire. Will his assets last a lifetime. As you all know this can be difficult to determine unless they just have a ton of money. I entered his financial information into the torrid retirement planning software and in less that 5 minutes we had a picture of his retirement income and how long it would last. This software is so simple to use, even I can use it and I can't tell you how many times this program has helped me close really big business and with very little effort. It really is a good program and you all know I don't endorse things very often, but I would encourage all of you to go the website and check it out. It really is a great tool and worth every penny we pay for it. I will be going over this program in the upcoming Mastery Program for those of you that are coming. Anyway, I guess that's all for now."

Craig Randall, NPC and Randall Marketing Group

"I love the program and so do our clients. I use it on a big screen in our conferance room and play the "what if" game until we have an agreement as to how we are going to go forward. It almost always results in more and increased contributions".

Tom Holmes, Woodland Park, Colorado

"I bought it! I am happy! I have used the program with several clients and by showing them the reality of what can happen to them in retirement, confidence has been built and I have already closed cases. Believe it or not one for $700,000 after one session with the software demo and then the second filling out the paperwork. Thanks."

Jay Jones

"I do love the new look of the software. Great job with that."

Michael Pultro, RFC, CSA

"Already upgraded and the new product looks great. Good job! I just finished up with a client and I did his retirement calculations in about 15 minutes and he said he has never seen anything as simple to look at but with such dramatic results as when the red area appears showing when client runs out of funds. Very easy to use but with dramatic results."

Dan Engelhardt

"By the way I love the new look! Really enjoy the program. It is amazing to be able to get timely correct answers from any software company today, but Torrid Tech has always been right there."
Thanks

Dean St. Marie, CFP

"I love the program and it works great with clients. I'll go further to say that I've been in business for 14 years. I've looked for a long time for a QUICK, EASY, and "USER-FRIENDLY" program which clients can understand. Very few of my clients want huge financial plans with 100 pages of "boiler plate" which often answers questions that the clients don't even have!! What most of them want now is a simple program to answer the questions of "What do I really have in retirement?" and "Do I have enough?". I use [Retirement Savings Planner] righjt in front of the client, orient him/her to the visuals, and go through the "What Ifs" such as higher inflation, lower returns, retiring later, etc. Clients LOVE it!... and it gives instant credibility to the broker. Thanks for a GREAT program!!"

Allen C. (Al) McLellan
LUTCF, CLTC, CLU, ChFC, CSA, CASL®, CRFAT, CFP®

"The Retirement Savings Planner from Torrid Technologies has been the most exciting innovation we’ve come across in a long time. It has generated a lot of excitement and energy since we discovered it (thanks to you!) in May or June of this year. We just completed a very strong September of issued business and a good portion of that business was generated using the Retirement Savings Planner software.

We have developed and are using a flyer as a mailer and prospecting too. We are in the process of developing a seminar and complete marketing program based on the software. We now introduce the software to every new agent as their first useful prospecting tool.

The success stories we have been hearing range from much easier life insurance and long term care insurance sales to all types of retirement planning sales. I am thrilled that you will be able to be a presenter at NEC so that the entire field force of OneAmerica, including the Home Office and field force of the Retirement Services division, will have a chance to see the software up close and grasp its power."

- David D. Braun, ChFC, CLU, CSA, LUTCF

"I like the Retirement Savings Planner software very much and use it frequently. Recently I sat down with a woman in a rush situation - I really only had a few minutes to spend with her. In 5 minutes we quickly inputted her information and showed a shortage and inadequate retirement funds, and I closed a Roth IRA right on the spot."

Martin O. McCann IV, LUTCF, CSA
Financial Advisor, OneAmerica Career Agent

"...I am excited about it. It's easy to use. I'm not about long meetings but I'm about "effective" meetings. This software helped me accomplish so much more because the client was driving the meeting. She saw scenarios that she was interested in seeing. As a result, she expressed her financial concerns, goals, and aspirations.

In the LTCi situation, this system will help me graph out how much LTCi benefit a person might need in the future. You might buy a $190 a day benefit but will that cover them 30 years from now? Most people that I talk to think that if my investments do real well I'll use that. The RSP software will show them how well their investments will really have to do."

William L. Pfadt, CLU, ChFC, Semler Financial

"I met with a couple in their 30’s who planned to keep the wife’s $100,000 life insurance as it was with no additional coverage. They came in because they thought it would be best to increase the husband’s coverage from $200,000 to $400,000. After putting their numbers into the Retirement Savings Planner and using the Life Insurance Needs tool, they decided that indeed they were underinsured. We wrote an additional $400,000 on the wife and $1.5 million on the husband. There is no doubt in my mind that I would have never been able to do that without the Retirement Savings Planner.

Clients like being part of the planning. Looking at different options is quite fast and easy for the client to understand. A couple that was 4 years from retirement was especially excited to throw different “what-ifs” at me to input and to see the results. It was very easy to understand yet vivid; it definitely got their attention."

Another Career Agent

I have been very impressed with how the objection of LTCi premium being too expensive never comes up when I show what happens to retirement funds when a long term care event is illustrated. I show the diffence between cost of the event and the premium for LTCi. If the wife is present, I get the go ahead to present a LTCi quote.

Lance Nystrem, CSA, Broker

Click to View Screens Showing LTCi SALE SUMMARY >>

"This is a marvelous program, in fact it has changed how I do business. A primary reason why I use this in every client presentation is that it forces clients to "come clean" with all their investable assets. Sometimes there is some subterfuge in that prospective clients don't always come clean with all their assets. However, when they see the projections that I am illustrating fall short of their expectations suddenly they remember other existing assets or potential assets. For example: "Gee, my Mom is age 86 and in a nursing home, she probably won't make it another year. She has an $800,000 estate." This tool has given me the opportunity to "discover" a potential investment source that needs to be included into the retirement plan. It serves as truth serum, "I'm not really this poor ... let me tell you the real story." This program is great because it is simple enough to use quickly, complex enough to tell a story, and compelling enough to flush out additional cash. It has changed my whole business.

Bill Sheehy, CFP, CFS, CRPS, AAMS, CLU, CEBS

"I used to spend 40 hours or more using other software to do retirement planning. They were all unnecessarily complex and the extra time added nothing to the process. With your software its quick and easy. Most important the program is completely intuitive. This program is too good to be left in a box. Everyone who tries it will want to buy and use it. It reminds me of the early version of Quickbooks!"

Patricia Mull, CPA, PFS

"I recently purchased the Pro edition, and I am very pleased with how user friendly it is. I send out an email requesting the client information, and once I get it back I can load the data in 10-15 minutes. This software is easy to explain to clients with the visual charts, and it is so quick to do "what if scenarios". I recently showed it to a Schwab Private Client Financial Consultant, and he said he wished he had something like it. Torrid has delivered on everything that is has promised."

Jock Meeks

"Thanks for your help in my getting the 2006 upgrade installed and running. Everything went fine, just as you outlined. By the way, I'm a Florida CPA and have been doing financial planning both at the Corporate and individual levels for a number of years. Your software is top notch. I have told a number of my partners and colleagues about it, especially those individuals who are within 3-5 years of retirement. You'll probably see a bunch of Naples, FL folks signing on in the very near future. Thanks again for your help."

Gary Danca, CPA

"I used to use Naviplan. It took all afternoon to enter the data and then it would print out a 160 page report. When we would meet with our client we would lose the sale after a few pages through the report because the clients were lost. So we then would put post-it notes on the color graphs to try to steer them just to the graphs... Problem was our client file would weigh 8 pounds because we would run the Naviplan once a year and put a copy in their file. We decided to try the Retirement Planner software because it takes a lot less time and is very colorful and easy to understand."

Randall Schumacher, Financial Advisor

"I am a Registered Stockbroker and a licensed Insurance Agent. I hold a CMFC and a CSA. My clients are generally 55 of age and above. I spent several years as a financial planner and I use the Professional Planning software in my initial discussions with my prospects so we can make informed decisions about Life Insurance needs, LTC coverage, and coupled with my asset allocation software the kinds of investments the prospect should have. I recently completed a plan for a couple that gives them an excellent idea of when they can retire and maximizes their investment cashflow. This is a great software-- simple to use and easily understandable by the clients/prospects."

Arnold Kern

"When I used other financial planning programs - My clients would see those full featured colorful reports of 200+ pages and suddenly go into a trance. I felt I was becoming the world's greatest Hypnotist!
Finally, a financial planning program that "gets it". Quick, easy and powerfully interactive for the client. The important thing is the client will understand immediately what needs to be done to make their dreams come true. The result will be a happier client and planner."

Peter O'Neill

[NOTE: Here at Torrid we give 200+ page planning reports their own classification that we call "Planning by the Pound" and we avoid it like the plague that it is. Please save the trees and use our software instead. Thank you.]

"Just wanted to let you know that I am having great success with the Retirement Planner software. My clients have been very impressed with it and it is wonderful how I can quickly show them multiple scenarios "on the fly". After seeing for themselves that their retirement will be successful they have such a sense of relief and great appreciation for my help. It has been essential in positioning me as an advisor/consultant instead of a salesman and it has made the transition to closing easy and seamless. Not to mention how easy and fast it is to input data."

Ron Braun, CFPR

"I am very pleased with the software and have used it several times with clients. It is very helpful in helping them to see the challenges that they face. Thanks again."

James Bergman, Morgan Keegan Financial Advisor

"I immersed myself all day Saturday learning this software. IT IS WAY COOL!! So is your support. Thanks."

Jim Heinrichs, Financial Advisor

"The Retirement Planner program is very intuitive, and it is graphically very rich. So my clients can see very quickly where they stand as far as their retirement assets are concerned... they can see if they have enough money to retire on, and if not, what they have to do to reach their goal!

For 80% of my clients, the 8-9 page Retirement Planner Report is all they need to get started, they don't need a 120 page report... and for the few that do need more detail I will arrange for that.

The Computer laptop presentation that we make for clients just 'wows' them, and then we do 'what ifs' for different scenarios and the graphs change before their eyes, so they can see what happens with different situations..."

Rusty Scheewe, Financial Advisor

"I just took the time to explore the Torrid [RSP] software website and WOW! This IS exciting software because it is easy, fast and exciting to use with clients ! Instead of fact finders completed, and then leave client and go back to the office to spend time inputting everything, looks like I can do it all right when the prospect/client is at my office (or their home) for the first time. They can see it on screen, and I can print it out on my color inkjet printers (have a portable Canon color printer for my laptop when in the field). Thank you so much for turning us on to this sales resource. Take care."

Bill Robinson
Palm Canyon Insurance Agency
Palm Springs, CA

"I have been using the professional version of the retirement planner for more than 4 years. They have consistently listened to their users and continually improved the product. I have found their service to be excellent. I can actually speak to them about software issues and recommendations. I use the program with clients to show them their aggregate returns as well as yearly future projections of income and assets. The graphics are superb. This program enhances a professional's image, when the results are viewed with the client. It gives a client the big picture and helps close sales. I highly recommend it."

Mark Rosen, CLU, ChFC

"My clients love the graphic elements - easy to understand - no smoke and mirrors! I let them input their own numbers in an interview so they feel like they own the process. Works VERY well. I believe it is the very best visual retirement planning tool on the market. I will highly endorse your product with my peers."

David B. Cole, CLU, ChFC, CIC, CLTC, CRPC - Lifetime Benefit Concepts

"I have been looking for an easy-to-use financial planning/retirement planning tool for well over 6 months and couldn't find anything that would do what I needed. I tried other software but it just didn't do what I needed. Once I tried the Retirement Planner demo, I could easily tell that this was the perfect software for me. I am delighted that the price is so reasonable and the people are incredibly helpful."

Deborah Owen, CPA

"I love the Retirement Savings Planner software. It is so colorful and consumer friendly. I've looked at MoneyTree, Profiles and other tools and the Retirement Savings Planner is the best software for me. It is a fantastic door opener no matter what you are selling. It's very user friendly for the sales person and the consumer. People today want something that's quick, catches their interest and gets them to do something right away... Torrid's Retirement Savings Planner is a great tool for me to do that with clients."

Robb Soria, CLU,ChFC,CSA,CRPC,AAMS,CSFP,CEA

About the Professional Edition: "Torrid's Retirement Planner is an excellent tool for advisors at any level. It provides support for experienced advisors who desire illustrations to drive home a specific point. And it can also provide the actual structure for a plan where the less experienced advisor desires a 'skeleton plan' to flesh out. Torrid's Retirement Planner is one of the best independent software values available to financial professionals."

Wallace Smith, Independent Financial Advisor, Senior Finance and Health

"As for the use of your [Retirement Savings Planner] program, I do like it. It is simple to use and shows results well. I usually use it for clients who want a detailed plan listing of their assets, as well as to show them growth at different ages."

Mark Rosen CLU, ChFC, Professional Edition user

"A picture is worth a thousand words. With the new Cash Infusion and Special Expense options, I was able to clearly show a client that his otherwise perfect retirement plan will be destroyed by an uninsured 3-Year Long-term care claim. I used $60,000 as the current annual cost, and inflated it at 8% which I believe is the current LTC inflation rate. I also was able to clearly demonstrate that a $6,000 annual LTC premium would have no impact on the client's lifestyle. He got the picture."

Bob Coady, Sr.
WealthMark Financial & Insurance Services, Inc.
Santa Ana, CA

"Thanks for your follow-up. I have just begun doing a few cases so I need another few days to work through all aspects of the app. So far I LOVE the simplicity - easy graphics communicate the big picture which is exactly what I wanted. ... Thanks very much. "

David B. Cole, Lifetime Benefit Concepts

"I like this software because it is so simple to use and in just 5 minutes I can let someone know how much money they will have at retirement. It's great!"

Debbie Scalise

"The planner is very robust, much more so than the standard planning calculators that are on every retirement firm and financial planning website in the world. The idea that a small company -- or a large company for that matter -- would have this capability to do group employee retirement planning training is feasible with the Retirement Savings Planner.
I used it as an integral part of an around-the-country retirement planning tour I did last fall and got [1] rave reviews and [2] the best improvement in 401(k) participation we've ever had. From the selfish company perspective, that participation allows for your HCEs to maximize their deferral opportunity. From a more altruistic perspective, employers owe their employees this type of training and education so that they can make good quality decision about their financial and retirement planning."

Dennis Buster
Vice President, Human Resources
Everett Charles Technologies

"My boss is a stock broker and his interest in retirement planning software is to -- (1). assist in calculating what type of savings are needed to meet a client’s retirement needs and (2). to answer client’s questions as to when they can retire based upon the assets they have...

We have comprehensive retirement planning software from another company that is so complex we can’t understand it, and have stopped using it because we cannot figure out if we are using it correctly. When I started searching around for something else, I was especially impressed with the straightforwardness of your program. When I played with the download I could easily see how the information I was inputting affected the output, and had confidence in the program. Something I do not have with the more complicated program I have."

"The Retirement Planner from Torrid Technologies Inc. provides an excellent tool for working with our retirement plan participants in helping them to understand what they need to save for their retirement. The feature I like most is its simplicity. All the key variables are on one screen along with the graphic of the accumulation period and the distribution period so the user can see how changes in the variables affect the graph. They quickly gain an understanding as to the primary factors involved in the financial planning for retirement process and realize how changes in their individual situation might affect their retirement accumulation.

There are many other financial planning software offerings on the market, but most of them are so powerful and sophisticated that the typical user won’t take the time and make the effort to learn how to use them and maintain the data base that many of them require. The Retirement Planner from Torrid Technologies addresses the major factors in an easy to understand and easy to use format. We encourage all of our user clients to utilize this product."

John Bogard, Bissonett & Associates (now part of Stanton Group), employee benefits consultants

Why do you like the Retirement Savings Planner (RSP) software?

"RSP is a great down and dirty way to get a quick look at a person's retirement savings picture when you have only 10 or 15 minutes to spend with them. It's a simple tool that people need. I can quickly get a snapshot "thumbs view" of the persons' retirement picture. "

How do you use the software in your practice?

"As an example, say someone came in and had a small IRA. I'd use RSP to show them a quick snapshot of their retirement picture. I do this for my clients for free because it builds rapport with my clients and gives them a quick perspective on where they are and where they are going. I can also print them a "what if" analysis that illustrates some options for improving their situation. If they want to pay for a comprehensive retirement plan, then we have a more complicated piece of software that we use for that purpose. Retirement Planner is a wonderful stepping stone to get a quick picture of a client before trying to do a more elaborate plan. "

Can RP help you with 401k or other retirement plans?

"I use the software with 401k plans when I have only a few minutes to meet with clients. Using RSP I can give somebody a quick idea and quick look.... HR people like that level of service. There is no other product out there that you can punch in the data so quickly and get a reasonable picture of a clients retirement savings.

RSP is indespensable because it puts things into perspective for clients. Most clients don't have a full grasp or even a reasonable perspective of their retirment picture. RP puts it in simple terms. The client can see it visually and understand it better. It helps my clients grasp the ideas and visualize the concepts. RP does this very effectively."

We have advisors that occasionally ask us to add Monte Carlo simulation to RP. Should we do that?

"No, not for the quick retirement picture. Try to explain Monte Carlo analysis to a client and their eyes are going to glaze over and they will ask you if they can go home now. Monte Carlo is too complicated for a quick retirement estimate. RSP gives people a great perspective. It gets them 70-80% of the way. I get the most bang for my buck on the level that RSP offers."

Can RP be useful when meeting with clients about IRA rollovers?

"Yes. I think RSP is essential for IRA rollover work. It's a great tool for anyone considering an IRA rollover."

- from an actual Financial Advisor