This book was written for the many people with whom we may never meet, who need help planning for retirement but don't even know where to begin. If that sounds like you, that's okay. You are not alone. While this book is in no way a comprehensive look at preparing for retirement, and may not speak to your specific circumstances, we hope it will provide some insight on how to lay the foundations of your retirement and develop your own "blueprints," so to speak. We call our five-step planning process the Cornerstone Retirement Blueprint because the approach is like the planning and work that goes into a well-constructed house. All parts must be soundly constructed in and of themselves but must also fit together and function properly as an integrated whole. The basic ideas and strategies we outline in this book are the culmination of our decades in the industry, our monthly public educational workshops/seminars, personal interviews, and years of broadcasting our message on the airwaves. Our weekly radio show, "The Cornerstone Retirement Hour," is also now available as a podcast where we have candid discussions about strategies and real-life financial issues facing Americans today. In this book we draw from actual client experiences as the various concepts and strategies are covered. We hope you will find value in the information provided which you can convert into a personal strategy as you begin creating your own foundations for retirement. Let's get started!