A client says, “I want to retire comfortably as soon as possible.

The statement is a preference, not yet a planning goal. A planner must convert broad language into measurable planning inputs: desired retirement age, required lifestyle spending, inflation assumption, expected pension income, savings rate, tax treatment, debt obligations, risk tolerance, and estate intentions. Without those inputs, no retirement gap or feasible strategy can be calculated. Option A is product-led and may expose the client to unsuitable risk before the goal is defined. Option B is also premature because account and product selection should follow analysis. Option D fails the discovery obligation; early goal clarification is precisely what allows the planner to identify trade-offs and corrective action. An official course-style rationale would focus on goal definition, feasibility testing, and documented assumptions. The planner should ask targeted questions, quantify “comfortably,” distinguish essential from discretionary spending, and establish a review mechanism because assumptions change over time. References/topics: discovery, goal setting, financial planning process, retirement objectives.

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