Success Stories
Hypothetical examples of how we helped families like you.
Names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
Don and Jenny
“How do we know if we have enough?"
Goals
- Don and Jenny were not thrilled with their current jobs and wanted to know how soon they could leave them. They would much rather do something they love and enjoy. Since they are well-paid and diligent savers, they don't want to set themselves back from years of hard work.
- Their dream is to own a small campground.
- How to cover healthcare until age 65?
About
- Don and Jenny are in their late 50s.
- They have consistently saved 15% of their income for years and lived below their means.
- Since they have no kids and their home is paid for, they wanted to know, “Do we have enough?” If not, what else needs to happen?
Areas of Focus
- Making their investments last since they want to retire young.
- Build confidence that they can afford reasonable healthcare coverage.
- Implications of selling their home and buying a small business.
Carrie
"I've never had a financial planner before."
Goals
- Carrie wanted to understand the value of a financial planner and determine if she needed help.
- Get a solid understanding of where she stood and available strategies to help her.
- Find someone she could trust and partner with to help carry the burden of her personal finances.
About
- Carrie worked for a publicly-traded company for over 30 years.
- She has never needed a financial planner because she has only saved in 401(k) and company stock.
- No specific goal, just wants to maintain lifestyle.
Areas of Focus
- Understand the experience she can expect as a client.
- What strategies make sense for her.
- Minimize risk since she thinks she has enough money to last.
Mike and Mary
"We need to get organized."
Goals
- Mike and Mary realized that they are in a fortunate situation. They both have pensions and have been consistent savers.
- They recognize they have resources for income in retirement, but they want to know how to optimize it.
- What order should they take income from- pensions, Social Security, investments?
- Maintain lifestyle, enjoy time with family, 1-2 trips a year.
- Leave money for their children.
About
- Mike worked for small business that had union employees. Mary worked in the public sector.
- Both had retirement plans - 457 plan and a 403(b) plan.
- Will retire at 66 which is their Full Retirement Age of Social Security.
Areas of Focus
- Retirement income plan.
- Maintaining investments since they have adequate income.
- Future tax consequences.
Bill and Sally
"We don't want to pay any more taxes than we have to."
Goals
- Since they are concerned that taxes may go up in the future, they wanted to explore available strategies to reduce every bit of taxation possible.
- Pass on assets to their children.
About
- Bill is 66 and Sally is 64.
- Sally has a pension and they both have claimed Social security.
- All of their investments are in two IRAs and a joint investment account.
- They are considering moving to a lower tax state.
Areas of Focus
- Test available tax strategies to see what may work for them.
- Distribution strategy for IRA accounts so they do not get bumped in to higher tax brackets.
- They have unrealized gains in their joint investment account.
