Walter wants to retire within the next few years.
He's been working at the same company for over fifteen years as an accountant.
During that time he's been saving his money and paying off his debts.
However, even with his savings and investments, he isn't sure that he'll have enough money for retirement.
If he doesn't, he'll have to keep on working, which depends on the company.
For now, the company is okay, but it's no longer growing as fast as it used to.
Whether or not he can keep on working will also depend on his health.
Fortunately, he's in good health, but he knows that that could change at any time.
If he fell down or had a stroke, it could force him to stop working.
If that happened he would have to rely on his savings and other assets to survive.
Sooner or later, he knows his health will decline and he'll have to stop working.
So he needs to prepare.
（He's been saving money and paying off debts to prepare for retirement.）
Most of his wealth is in the form of company stock and the value of his home.
Both of these are at risk.
The company stock may go down, and the value of his home may also fall.
The company he works for is a pharmaceutical company.
It develops new drugs, which is a risky business, and sells them worldwide.
It's expensive to develop new drugs, and it can take a very long time to get a new drug approved.
Without government approval, it can't be sold, which can result in a huge loss.
Another threat to the company comes from foreign competition, which is getting stronger.
The company has also started to move some of its research and production facilities overseas.
Salary levels are lower there, and the quality of foreign workers is getting better.
As a result, the company has reduced its local hiring and is no longer giving large bonuses.
One thing he is considering is to sell his shares in the company.
He could begin to sell a little at a time and reinvest the money somewhere else.
But where would he invest?
He doesn't know much about investing, and several of his friends have lost a lot by making bad investments.
Investing in real estate or the stock market could be very risky.
（It has reduced its local hiring? ? because salary levels are lower overseas.）
