The Big Picture is web-based software that helps financial advisors build trust with investors by evaluating their down-market preparedness.

The software reconstructs the investment experience of nearly one thousand retirees, each retiring on the first of the month from January 1926 onward.

Would their portfolio have survived history’s worst conditions, such as 1970s “stagflation”? If so, it may survive whatever downturns yet await. Or did it fall short, even in the stock market booms of the 80s and 90s?

The software then lets you illustrate the tradeoffs associated with different asset allocations, withdrawal rates, fees, and lengths of retirement.

While many advisors use the Big Picture for planning, its central purpose is education and engagement. It adds an evidence-based, “real-life” perspective to conventional software’s hypothetical projections.

By providing a new angle on the retirement income question, the Big Picture will boost your credibility and foster trust.