Retirement Compass, Navigating a successful retirement journey

Our Client Commitment, Serving with Integrity

We Are Here for You

The reason why Don Wales has dedicated his life to helping retirees navigate their retirement income journey is very personal to him. He often tells clients a story that is near and dear to his heart.


As a young boy, he witnessed a woman named Dorothy, who was widowed with two children, ages 10 and 11 struggle to work and raise her family. She worked for more than 25 years as a bank teller and then head teller. One day while at work, she even had a brush with violence and was marched to the vault at gunpoint by a gang of bank robbers. She was ultimately awarded $100 bonus for her bravery! Eventually, that bank was acquired by another bank and Dorothy retired with a pension of about $490 a month. Unfortunately, the successor bank failed and Dorothy’s pension was reduced to $169 a month. Dorothy Wales was Don’s mom.


Watching his mom’s life unfold the way that it did has had a huge impact on Don’s career path and gave him a first-hand glimpse into the importance of securing a solid financial and retirement future.

Our Client Commitment, Serving with Integrity

At Retirement Compass, our vision is to serve a prospective or actual client in a way that is in the best interest of the client. Our goal is to always assist those we meet in a way that helps fulfill their retirement goals and results in a successful retirement journey.


Our client pledge:


  • We will never forget who owns and has the right to make decisions pertaining to their money.
  • We will never stop serving our clients’ needs including the needs of their family and beneficiaries.
  • We will, whether required by law or not, always serve in a manner that is Suitable and in The Best Interest of our Clients.
Compass icon from logo

Why the compass?

The team at Retirement Compass chose the company name and compass logo to illustrate the services we provide to our clients.


Most people we meet have an idea of their income goals for retirement years, but many ask for our help in attaining those goals or destinations. We like to say that we meet our prospective clients where they are and help guide them to where they want to be. In that process we act as the compass to point the correct way forward to achieve their unique goals.


Many of our clients tell us that they want protection of their retirement savings with little to no risk. Most also have a concern that they may, without careful planning run out of income during their retirement and some have a strong desire to “leave something for the kids.” At Retirement Compass we have the tools, expertise, and professional approach to help with all these concerns. Let us be your Retirement Compass.

Don Wales

Retirement Compass founder Donald Wales has more than 40 years of experience in the financial services industry as a tax accountant, marketing director of a Fortune 500 Company and owner of his own financial services firm. 

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    Don was born and grew up on Long Island, N.Y. After graduating high school, he attended college near his home in New York for two years while also serving his community as a member of the fire departments Hook and Ladder Company. Donald then enlisted in the United States Air Force and served four years earning the rank of Staff Sergeant.


    After his military service Don completed his college education with bachelor’s degrees in Business and Political Science, minoring in accounting.


    After graduation from college Don worked for a national accounting firm in Illinois before being promoted to a Director of Marketing in Kansas City. In 1987 Don started his own accounting firm in Overland Park, Kansas and in 1988 added insurance services to the firm. Don frequently saw the need for his clients to prepare for their financial needs in retirement.


    In 2009 Don sold the accounting practice and has since focused entirely on helping clients plan for their retirement income and legacy needs and is the founder of Protecting Your Retirement, LLC. In Prairie Village, Kansas. In August 2022, Don sold the Prairie Village firm to longtime associate, Joy Peterson. Don remains retained by the firm as an independent agent.


    Don has recently formed a Financial Professional firm in Shell Knob Missouri and specializes in helping clients protect, grow, and enjoy their retirement assets without exposure to stock market risks. The new firm is officially registered as Protecting Your Retirement and is also advertised as Retirement Compass. Don has traveled to Washington, D.C four times representing insurance companies to talk to Members of Congress and Senators. The topic of these conversations centered around the advantages of citizens using fixed annuities for stability of premium, potential growth and lifetime income.


    Don has three adult children and they have blessed him with twelve grandchildren of which three are adopted from foster services and four from South Korea.


    Don has owned a home in the Crystal Beach Community of Shell Knob Missouri since 2006 and with his family and friends spends time enjoying his lake home and activities at Table Rock Lake. Don also likes to travel and enjoys being active with memberships in The Sons of the American Revolution, The Heartland Miata Club of Kansas City and is a Lifetime Member of the National Rifle Association. Don is also a Season Ticket Holder of the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS.


    Professionally, Don ranked 33 out of more than 101,000 appointed agents in total premium deposits into fixed annuities for one of the largest issuers of fixed annuities, as ranked in 2010 by Allianz Life. Don is known and respected by his peers nationwide and is often consulted by other annuity professionals as they contemplate their own business strategies.

Professional Organizations and Recognitions

Individual Memberships

Don Wales has several times qualified for membership in Million Dollar Round Table, The Premier Association of Financial Professionals and has attained both Court of the Table and Top of the Table the two highest levels of MDRT.

NAFA

National Association for Fixed Annuities

Don Wales is a member of the National Association of Fixed Annuities and has participated in educating members of The House of Representatives and United States Senate in Washington D. C.

ethics.net Registered Member

National Ethics Association

Don Wales and Joy Peterson are both members of The National Ethics Association. National Ethics Association conducts background checks on all applicants for membership.

Protecting Your Retirement Affiliations

IRI

Insured Retirement Institute

The Insured Retirement Institute is an organization promoting financial choices for retirement that are insured by large life insurance companies. The institute distributes well researched articles and publications that share how the choice of safe financial products enhances consumers guaranteed lifetime income. The Insured Retirement Institute has academic as well as industry members.

Alliance for Lifetime Income

Alliance for Lifetime Income

The Alliance for Lifetime Income is an organization involved in providing consumer and industry education and support on the benefits of selecting financial choices that are designed to provide lifetime income for retirees. Several of the Insurance companies and marketing organizations that we work with are founding members of the Alliance for Lifetime Income.

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