HORIZON APP
From surviving retirement to designing it.
TL;DR
Discovered The Money Guy Show on YouTube during COVID.Brian Preston (host) + Bo Hanson (co-host) taught me to take retirement investing seriously.
Shifted from casually contributing to maxing out my 401(k) each year.
Their insight: retirement isn’t just leaving work — it’s about what you’re retiring to.
That gap (purpose, health, connection) inspired the idea for Horizon.
Key Takeaways
Traditional retirement planning is overly focused on money; Horizon addresses the lifestyle gap.
Four pillars of balance: Health, Social, Personal Growth, Finances.
AI-powered suggestions keep retirees engaged with flexible weekly plans.
Accessibility + friendly tone = supportive “companion,” not clinical planner.
Horizon extends financial wisdom (fund retirement) into lifestyle design (live retirement).
Introduction
When most people think of retirement planning, they think of money. But as Brian Preston — The Money Guy — often reminds his YouTube audience: “Retirement isn’t just about what you’re retiring from; it’s about what you’re retiring to.”
I first discovered The Money Guy Show during COVID, when my own investing approach lacked focus. For years, I contributed to my 401(k) but never maximized it. Listening to Preston (alongside his co-host and business partner, Bo Hanson) gave me the clarity and discipline to take it seriously. From that point forward, I committed to fully maxing out my 401(k) each year — a huge shift in how I approached my financial future.
But one of their insights stuck with me even more: once the portfolio is in place, the bigger challenge is how to fill all that new time with health, purpose, and connection. That question — “now what?” — planted the seed for Horizon.
If financial advisors like Preston and Hanson can help people reach financial readiness, then the next step is helping retirees design lives they’ll actually love living.
"From insight to interface: I translated ‘retire to something’ into a week you can actually live."
AI Tools Used
ChatGPT
Google Stitch
UIzard
UX Pilot
The Problem
Traditional retirement planning is almost entirely financial. Spreadsheets, calculators, and withdrawal rates dominate the conversation. But money alone doesn’t guarantee a fulfilling retirement.
Once people leave the workforce, many discover that free time, without structure, can be daunting. Golfing and traveling are enjoyable, but they can’t sustain decades of daily life. Without meaningful activities, retirees often face loneliness, health decline, or a loss of purpose.
There’s a clear gap in planning: who helps you design your lifestyle once the paychecks stop?
The Solution
That gap inspired Horizon, an AI-powered retirement lifestyle planner. Instead of focusing only on money, Horizon helps retirees design the next chapter of life itself.
The app blends AI personalization with simple, human-centered design to suggest balanced weekly plans across four pillars:
Health: walks, exercise routines, and wellness prompts.
Social: volunteering, family check-ins, and community activities.
Personal Growth: classes, hobbies, travel, and creative pursuits.
Finances: aligning activities with a realistic budget.
Horizon adapts to each user over time, offering structure without rigidity and guidance without pressure.
Core Flows & Screens
Onboarding: “What Does Retirement Mean to You?”
The experience begins with a conversational onboarding flow. Instead of overwhelming forms, Horizon asks reflective, simple questions:
“What does retirement mean to you?”
“What goals matter most right now — health, social, or personal growth?”
“What activities bring you joy?”
Accessibility was central: large fonts, high-contrast layouts, and friendly copy establish Horizon as a supportive companion, not a clinical tool.
Medium fidelity wireframes generated from ChatGPT
Weekly Planner: Your Balanced Week
The heart of Horizon is the AI Activity Planner — a weekly calendar blending structure with flexibility. Suggested activities appear across the four pillars.
If a suggestion doesn’t fit, users can reschedule or swap with one tap. Behind the scenes, AI ensures balance. For example, if too many solo activities stack up, Horizon nudges toward social engagement.
Community & Connection: Stay Connected
To combat isolation, Horizon recommends opportunities for connection. Local volunteer events, hobby clubs, or online classes are presented with gentle social proof:
“Woodworking class at the community center — 12 others nearby signed up.”
“Volunteer gardening group this Saturday — 5 people like you are going.”
The design avoids competitiveness, focusing instead on encouragement and shared experience.
Progress Dashboard: The Life Balance Circle
Retirees track their time across health, social, growth, and finances using a circular visualization — the “Life Balance Circle.”
Supporting stats keep it positive and simple:
“4 walks completed this week.”
“3 social activities logged.”
“6 hours of hobbies.”
The goal isn’t streaks or gamification; it’s gentle reinforcement that life is being filled with meaning.
AI Coach & Nudges: A Friendly Companion
Horizon delivers nudges that feel like caring reminders rather than notifications. Examples include:
“Haven’t called your grandkids in a while — want me to schedule a reminder?”
“Your health balance is slipping. Would you like to add a walk tomorrow morning?”
The tone is deliberately warm, conversational, and human. Horizon is not a planner that scolds; it’s a companion that notices and suggests.
Design Opportunties
Throughout Horizon’s design, I prioritized:
Accessibility: WCAG AA compliance, large type, simplified layouts.
Tone: empathetic, supportive, and conversational.
Devices: desktop for planning, mobile for nudges and reminders.
Why It Matters
Brian Preston’s Money Guy Show helped me sharpen my financial discipline, but it also revealed the next big challenge: living retirement with purpose. Horizon takes that philosophy further, turning insight into design.
Most apps focus on financial calculators or wellness trackers in isolation. Horizon combines all four pillars into a single, AI-powered companion that helps retirees not only prepare for retirement — but truly live it.
Where Preston helps you fund retirement, Horizon helps you design it.