About Us
Last Updated: 27th July 2025
Hi, I’m Dan
At 45, and a proud grandad, I’m pretty much my own target audience for this site. As someone approaching 50, I’ve started thinking more seriously about retirement planning, and frankly, I got frustrated with what’s out there.
Most retirement calculators online aren’t really calculators at all. They’re thinly disguised lead generation forms designed to collect your details so someone can call you.
I wanted to create something different: genuinely useful tools that give you real answers without the sales pitch.
My background
I studied Business Management and Finance at Leeds Metropolitan University, which provided a solid foundation, but my real education came from over 15 years of working in financial services.
I started in hospitality management, but in 2010, I transitioned into finance, first with a motorbike finance company, where I learned about compliance and transparency – two concepts that became particularly important to me.
Since then, I’ve worked for a later life finance company focused on equity release, and I’m currently with one of the UK’s largest pension income specialists.
This hands-on experience has shown me firsthand how confusing retirement planning can be, and how much people need clear, honest information.
Why this site exists
Back in 2007, when I couldn’t find the training materials I needed for my hospitality staff, I taught myself web design and coding to create them myself. That old website is still running 18 years later!
Over the years, I’ve continued learning and staying current with web development and SEO.
This site is a passion project that combines everything I’ve learned about finance with my technical skills. The calculators are completely free to use, don’t collect your personal details, and are designed to help you explore your options, not to generate leads for someone’s sales team.
The goal
My aim is simple: to create the retirement planning tools that people need when they’re trying to understand their options. Tools that are transparent, genuinely helpful, and respect your privacy.
If these calculators help you understand your options a bit better, then I’ve done my job.
Why the owls?
Owls are wise. What other characters would I use? Well, maybe elephants. But owls felt like a better fit.
A site full of 3D owls feels a bit different. It doesn’t scream sales pitch. It doesn’t push urgency. It just lets you explore things at your own pace.
Even though most of the calculators cover complex topics, that doesn’t mean the site has to feel strict or serious. I thought adding these little fellas (and Olivia) would make it all feel a bit more welcoming.
