In this opening module, you’ll get oriented to the course and begin exploring why retirement income planning is fundamentally different from investing during your working years. We’ll focus on uncertainty, longevity risk, and how annuities are designed to address those challenges. You’ll also be introduced to Jamal and Renee, a household you’ll revisit throughout the course. By the end of this module, you’ll be able to explain what annuities are designed to do and the risks they are meant to manage.

This module focuses on how annuities actually work. You’ll examine different contract structures, income options, and common features, and explore how changes in design affect income and flexibility. Rather than making recommendations, you’ll use tools and examples to observe patterns and tradeoffs. By the end of this module, you’ll be able to describe how annuity contracts function and why design choices matter.

In this module, you’ll begin applying what you’ve learned to a real household. Using the Jamal and Renee case, you’ll assess retirement income risks and priorities without selecting products or calculating exact income amounts. Expert perspectives will help connect guaranteed income to spending behavior and long‑term decision‑making. By the end of this module, you’ll be able to evaluate fit and explain key tradeoffs in retirement income strategies.

This final module shifts from planning to outcomes. You’ll see how earlier retirement income decisions play out over time, including survivor and liquidity considerations. You’ll also explore ethical and practical perspectives on using annuities and practice communicating a strategy in plain language. At the end of this module, you’ll complete the final assessment and earn your Coursera certificate.