After 36 years in nursing, Lisa was ready to trade scrubs for shelter pets.

The 57-year-old widow, who recently sold her home to cut expenses, hoped her $828,000 nest egg would be enough to retire and pursue a lifelong dream: working part-time with animals. She called into Suze Orman's YouTube show for advice—and maybe a little validation. What she got was a sharp dose of Suze-style reality.

Orman asked Lisa to grade herself on her financial readiness. Lisa, hopeful but realistic, gave herself a B+. Suze gave her a C-minus.

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Suze Orman Breaks It Down

Lisa's financials weren't terrible. In fact, they looked solid on paper:

• $311,000 in retirement accounts
• $87,000 in emergency savings
• $430,000 in investments
• No mortgage, no consumer debt
• Monthly take-home pay of $3,000
• Monthly expenses of $2,707

But Orman was quick to point out that while Lisa's numbers add up now, they don't account for what's about to change. Leaving full-time work means losing employer-provided health insurance. Taking a part-time job—especially one with animals—might be fulfilling, but won't come with benefits.

That's where Suze's $4,000-a-month benchmark came in. According to her math, Lisa's assets would only safely generate about $2,000 a month after taxes. Add a modest part-time income—around $20,000 a year or $1,250 a month—and Lisa still falls $750 short of her target.

Lisa mentioned in her paperwork that she'd consider relocating to Oregon and possibly living with her sister to reduce expenses. Even then, Orman calculated a shortfall of $165 per month.

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The Plan for an "A" Rating

Suze Orman didn't just hand out a harsh grade—she mapped out a path to improvement. Her advice:

"Sounds good," Lisa said after hearing the plan. "Thank you very much."

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A Rare Position, but Not Quite There Yet

While Lisa's $828,000 puts her far ahead of most Americans nearing retirement, she's still just shy of the millionaire threshold many consider a safety zone.

And while $828,000 might feel like plenty, it has to stretch across potentially three decades or more, covering rising health care costs, long-term care, inflation, and the possibility of unexpected emergencies. Suze Orman's "C-minus" grade wasn't about scolding—it was a caution against stepping away too early and finding out too late that the math doesn't hold up.

For Lisa, the finish line is in sight—but reaching it on solid ground means staying the course a little longer.

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