Retirement income
Projections of whether your money lasts, distribution strategy, Social Security timing, and what changes if you retire earlier than planned.
Our Process
No surprises, at any step.
You should know exactly what happens next before it happens — what you will receive, what I will ask of you, and what it costs. Here is the whole sequence.
What happens, in order
Five steps, and you can stop at any one of them.
Introductory conversation
About thirty minutes, by phone or Zoom.
The point is to meet you, understand what is going on and why you need help, and work out whether I can add real value to your situation. The conversation is complimentary and there is no obligation. Nothing is sold on this call. If it makes sense to keep going, I will ask whether we can meet again.
Strategy session
Where the real work starts.
We go deep on what you actually want — your goals, what you want retirement to look like if you are close to it, and the strategies you are already using. Then we work through the whole picture: income, taxes, investments, insurance, your estate, and the goals underneath all of it. Beforehand, you fill out a short form that works out exactly which documents I need from you, so nothing is guessed at.
Financial recommendations meeting
Your plan, on one page.
I build you a one-page financial plan that says in plain language exactly what I think you should do to reach your goals — specific recommendations, in priority order, with the reasoning behind every one. Not a binder you will never open again.
There is no sell at the end of this meeting, and I will not ask for your business. The plan is yours to keep either way. You should go home, talk it over, and sleep on it. This only makes sense if you are confident you are getting more value than the cost — and if you do not wake up the next morning ready to start, it is probably not a fit. That is okay.
Implementation
Priority order, over six to twelve months.
If you decide to move forward, you return the signed client agreement along with your acknowledgment that you received my Form ADV and privacy notice. Then we put the plan to work — in priority order, spread across six to twelve months, so it is never overwhelming but the most important things happen first. Your assets are held at an independent qualified custodian in accounts under your name, and statements come to you directly from them.
Ongoing monitoring
Every month, not once a year.
Plans go stale and life changes, so someone has to keep up with it. Each month I review a different part of your financial plan so it never falls out of date. When open enrollment comes around, I will go through the changes with you. And when something shifts — a job, a diagnosis, a windfall, a loss — I am your advocate for every part of your financial life, here to help you make a well-informed decision at the right time.
What the planning covers
The whole picture, not just the portfolio.
Tax strategy
Which accounts hold which assets, Roth conversion analysis, withdrawal sequencing, and the tax consequences of decisions made decades apart.
Investments
Asset allocation built to a written investment policy, review of what you already hold, and employee stock options or equity compensation.
Cash flow and debt
Where your income actually goes, which debts to attack first, how much belongs in an emergency reserve, and how to fund goals without derailing others.
Risk and insurance
Review of life, disability, long-term care, liability, home, and auto coverage — including where you are paying for protection you do not need.
Estate and family
Existing documents and beneficiaries, exposure to estate taxes, college funding, and coordination with your attorney when one is needed.
Which areas we cover, and in what depth, depends on your situation and the engagement you choose. The full description of our advisory services is in our Form ADV Part 2A.
Start with step one.
An introductory conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
Start a Conversation