Welcome! If you're a retiree curious about generating income through futures trading or prop firm programs, you're in the right place. This page is your complete starting point — no prior trading experience required.
Your 7-Step Roadmap
Follow these steps in order. Don't skip ahead — the foundation matters.
What is a Prop Firm?
A proprietary trading firm provides you with their capital to trade. You pay a small fee to take an evaluation, and if you pass, you keep 80-90% of the profits you generate. This protects your actual retirement savings.
Read: What is a Prop Firm? →Understand What Futures Are
Futures contracts let you speculate on the price of indexes (like the S&P 500), commodities, or currencies without owning the underlying asset. Unlike stocks, futures trade nearly 24 hours a day.
Read: What Are Futures Contracts? →Learn the Basics of Risk Management
Before you place a single trade, understand drawdown limits, position sizing, and how to set stop losses. Your retirement savings are sacred — protect them first.
Read: Risk Management for Retirees →Practice on a Demo Account (Free)
Every major platform offers a free simulator. Spend at least 30 days trading paper money before you risk a cent. This is the step most people skip — don't.
Read: Best Free Demo Platforms →Choose a Prop Firm Evaluation
Prop firms give you funded accounts after you pass a simulated eval. You trade their capital, keep 80–90% of profits, and never risk your own money on a funded account.
View: Best Prop Firms for Retirees →Pass the Evaluation & Get Funded
Evaluations typically require you to hit a profit target without exceeding a drawdown limit. Takes most retirees 2–4 weeks with a consistent strategy.
Read: How to Pass in 30 Days →Start Receiving Monthly Payouts
Once funded, request payouts monthly. Most firms pay via ACH or wire. Many retirees use this as a steady monthly supplement to Social Security or pension.
Read: Prop Firm Payouts Explained →Our Recommended First Prop Firm
Apex Trader Funding
For retirees just starting out, Apex Trader Funding is our #1 recommendation. The rules are straightforward, the fees are reasonable, and their support team is helpful for beginners.
- ✓Simple, transparent evaluation rules
- ✓Trade during news events — most firms ban this
- ✓80% profit split once funded
- ✓Supports Micro contracts (MES, MNQ, MCL)