About Retirement Buddy
Making retirement planning accessible, affordable, and anxiety-free for everyone.
Our Story
Retirement planning has traditionally been available in two forms: pay thousands of dollars annually for a financial advisor, or navigate complex DIY tools on your own. For most people approaching retirement, neither option feels quite right.
We built Retirement Buddy to fill this gap. By combining advanced AI technology with genuine empathy for the retirement transition, we've created a tool that feels like having a knowledgeable, supportive coach available 24/7—at a fraction of the cost of traditional alternatives.
What started as a mission to make retirement projections more accessible has evolved into something deeper: a platform that recognizes retirement isn't just a financial milestone, it's a profound life transition. We address both the numbers and the emotions, the spreadsheets and the anxiety, the planning and the purpose.
We believe everyone deserves access to high-quality retirement planning guidance, regardless of their net worth or financial sophistication.
Our Mission
“Make retirement planning accessible, affordable, and anxiety-free for everyone.”
We're committed to democratizing retirement planning by providing professional-grade tools, personalized guidance, and emotional support at a price point that makes sense for real people—not just the wealthy.
Our Values
The principles that guide everything we build
Transparency
We believe in honesty. No hidden fees, no conflicts of interest, no pressure to buy products. Just straightforward guidance when you need it.
Empathy
Retirement is more than numbers—it's a life transition. We combine financial planning with emotional support to help you navigate both aspects.
Simplicity
Financial planning shouldn't require a finance degree. We make complex concepts understandable through conversational AI and clear explanations.
Empowerment
We give you the tools and knowledge to make confident decisions about your retirement, not dictate what you should do.
What Makes Us Different
Holistic Approach
We're the only platform that combines financial rigor with emotional intelligence. Retirement planning meets retirement coaching.
No Conflicts of Interest
We don't sell investments, insurance, or any financial products. Our only revenue comes from subscriptions, which means our incentives are aligned with yours.
Accessible 24/7
No waiting for appointments or business hours. Get answers and support whenever anxiety strikes or questions arise.
Truly Affordable
Professional-grade retirement planning for $0-$3/month. We believe cost shouldn't be a barrier to good planning.
About Chris McNeilly, Founder
I built Retirement Buddy because I was tired of watching smart, capable people feel paralyzed by retirement planning.
After spending 20+ years building AI and machine learning systems—most recently as VP of Machine Learning at Chegg, where I led the company's transformation into the age of generative AI—I kept hearing the same story from friends, family, and colleagues: “I know I should be planning for retirement, but it's so overwhelming. I just don't know where to start.”
The existing tools didn't help. They were either overly complex software that required hours to master, expensive financial advisors that demanded homework and meetings, or basic calculators that left you with more questions than answers. Worse, none of them addressed the emotional weight of retirement planning—the anxiety, the uncertainty, the fear of making costly mistakes.
I founded Retirement Buddy on a simple belief: retirement planning shouldn't require you to become a financial expert. Instead, AI should do the heavy lifting—creating your strategic plan, running the numbers, and proactively reminding you what to consider and when—so you can stop worrying and start living with confidence.
Whether you're 25 and just starting out or 65 and finalizing your plans, Retirement Buddy is designed to meet you where you are, support you through the journey, and give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing you're on track.
Let's plan your retirement together—without the stress.
Our Commitment to You
We promise to always:
- Be transparent: No hidden fees, no selling your data, no ulterior motives. What you see is what you get.
- Keep learning: We continuously improve our AI, refine our guidance, and stay current with retirement planning best practices.
- Listen to you: Your feedback shapes our product. We build features you actually need, not what we think sounds impressive.
- Respect your data: Your financial information is private. We never sell your data or use it for anything beyond providing you service.
- Support your journey: Retirement planning is ongoing, not a one-time event. We're here for the whole journey.
Your retirement deserves thoughtful planning.
We're honored to be part of your journey.
Ready to Start Your Retirement Planning Journey?
Plan your future with confidence and peace of mind.