FAQs & Common Questions

Social Security, pensions (if available), annuities, and withdrawals from retirement accounts like IRAs or 401(k)s are common. Diversifying these sources helps manage risk and ensure consistency.

Longevity planning, conservative withdrawal strategies, and incorporating income sources with lifetime guarantees* (like certain annuities) are options to consider and can all potentially help. So can adjusting expectations and expenses as life evolves.

In many cases, delaying increases your monthly benefit—but it’s not always the best move. Health, marital status, income needs, and tax considerations all factor in.

Inflation erodes purchasing power over time. Including income sources with cost-of-living adjustments and growth investments can help keep pace.

Total protection isn’t possible—but you can structure your investments to reduce drawdown risk, incorporate hedging strategies, and use products with downside buffers or guarantees*.

Principal protection preserves your money. Guaranteed* income pays you regularly, often for life. They serve different roles but can work together.

Yes. As retirement approaches or progresses, adjusting your risk exposure and income strategy is key to preserving capital and avoiding sequence risk.

It means having money in taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free buckets. This gives you more flexibility to manage taxes each year.

Roth conversions can help create tax-free income later—but they come with upfront tax costs. Timing and tax brackets matter.

By being strategic about withdrawals, account types, asset location, and gains harvesting. Every dollar saved in taxes helps your portfolio last longer.

Up to 85% may be taxable depending on your income. Smart income coordination and Roth assets can help reduce or avoid that tax impact.

Healthcare is often one of the largest and most underestimated expenses in retirement. Premiums, prescriptions, out-of-pocket costs, and long-term care can add up quickly. That’s why it’s essential to account for rising medical costs within your broader retirement income strategy—not as an afterthought.

Medicare covers acute medical care—like doctor visits and hospital stays. It doesn’t cover long-term custodial care, which is where LTC planning comes in.

If you want to protect your family and preserve your independence, it’s worth exploring. There are traditional and hybrid policies with varying flexibility.

Yes—some use self-funding strategies, asset-based plans, or rely on family planning. Insurance isn’t the only solution, but having a plan matters.

Using strategies like Roth IRAs, gifting, trusts, and beneficiary designations can help minimize taxes and maximize what goes to heirs.

Ensuring all your account and insurance beneficiaries match your will and estate plan. Misalignment is one of the most common (and costly) mistakes.

Yes—transparency can prevent conflict. While you don’t need to share every detail, setting expectations early fosters clarity and family harmony.

Every few years or after major life changes—like marriage, divorce, birth, or death. Keeping it current ensures your wishes are carried out properly.

Yes. As an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), we’re legally and ethically obligated to act in your best interest at all times.

It’s our step-by-step process designed to bring clarity to your situation, strategy to your goals, and structure to your plan.

We start with a no-pressure “Trust & Respect” intro call. We’re not right for everyone—and we’ll tell you if we’re not the best fit.

It depends on the services you need. We’re transparent about fees and offer both fee-based planning and investment management. Let’s talk about what’s right for you.