Real Stories from People Planning Their Future
Retirement planning isn't about magic formulas or overnight transformations. It's about sitting down with someone who actually listens, understanding where you are right now, and mapping out steps that make sense for your situation.
These are stories from clients who came to us with questions—sometimes worries—about their financial future. Each person had different circumstances, different goals. What they share is taking that first step to get clarity.
How Julien Approached His Pension Transition
A recent example that shows the typical journey many of our clients experience when planning ahead
Initial Consultation
Julien reached out three years before his planned retirement. He wasn't sure how his company pension would work alongside his state benefits. We spent our first meeting just going through what he already had—documents, statements, old pension schemes he'd accumulated over 30 years.
Analysis and Options
After reviewing everything, we presented three different scenarios. Not predictions—just possible approaches based on his current trajectory. One focused on early retirement at 62, another on continuing part-time work, and a third on maximizing his contributions for two more years before transitioning.
Strategy Implementation
Julien chose the hybrid approach—he liked the idea of phased retirement. We helped him restructure his contributions, consolidated two old pension pots he'd forgotten about, and set up quarterly reviews to track progress. Nothing complicated, just organized.
Ongoing Adjustments
His situation changed twice this year—once when his wife decided to work another year, and again when they considered moving outside Paris. Each time, we adjusted the plan. That's the reality of retirement planning. Life doesn't stay still, so neither can your strategy.
Different Situations, Different Solutions
We work with people at various stages—some just starting to think about retirement, others already transitioning. Here's how different clients approached their planning with us.
Early Career Planning
Sophie started working with us at 38. She wasn't thinking about retirement yet, but wanted to understand how her freelance income affected her pension rights. We helped her set up a system that worked around her irregular income—some months contributing more, others less, but always moving forward.
Pre-Retirement Review
Marc came to us 18 months before his planned retirement date. He had multiple pension schemes from different employers and wasn't sure how they'd work together. We spent time untangling everything, explaining each component, and showing him what his actual monthly income would look like. No surprises when he finally stopped working.
Post-Career Adjustment
Brigitte had already retired when she contacted us. Her pension wasn't covering expenses as well as she'd hoped. We looked at her options—there weren't many dramatic changes available, but we found ways to optimize her tax situation and identified benefits she wasn't claiming. Small improvements that added up over the year.
Étienne Dubosque
A Teacher's Pension Perspective
I taught mathematics for 35 years and never really paid attention to pension details. The school system handled everything, or so I thought. When I started planning to retire at 63, I realized I had no clear picture of what my income would actually be.
Working with LR Patrimoine wasn't about them promising miracles or guaranteeing anything specific. They simply explained what I had accumulated, what the state system would provide, and where the gaps were. We identified one old supplementary pension from my first teaching position that I'd completely forgotten—that alone made a difference.
The most valuable part was the quarterly check-ins. My wife's health situation changed, which affected our plans. Instead of sticking rigidly to the original strategy, we adjusted. That flexibility mattered more than any initial projection.