Hi Jan,
It is easy to jump straight into the tactics, whether that means deciding between Roth and traditional IRAs, tweaking investment allocations, or debating when to claim Social Security. But this week, we are stepping back to ask a more important question: what are you actually planning for?
This week’s article focuses on grounding your financial plan in your values, goals, and lifestyle. The truth is, even the best financial strategies can fall short if they are not aligned with the life you want to live in retirement. A plan built around the wrong “why” might look good on paper but miss the mark where it matters most.
Alongside this article, we are also sharing other tools and resources to help you move beyond the spreadsheets and begin shaping a plan that reflects what truly matters to you. In the end, strategy is not about complexity. It is about clarity.
| | | | Financial Planning Isn’t Just About Tactics When most people think about financial planning, they think about implementation tactics. Should I be in a Roth or a traditional IRA? Should I use a bond ladder or stick with a total return portfolio? How should I time Social Security? These are good questions, but they’re not the first questions you should be asking. You can’t determine which strategy or tool might be appropriate based on a list of your assets without additional context.
By Retirement Researcher | | | | Retire Smarter, Not Harder
Wade and Alex explore what it takes to build a comprehensive retirement plan—from clarifying your goals to managing healthcare risks and working with the right advisor. They share real-life examples and listener questions to illustrate strategies for transitioning from business ownership, optimizing Social Security, and closing income gaps.
| | | | | | | | If this week’s article got you thinking more deeply about what really matters in your retirement plan, you might also be wondering whether working with a financial advisor could help bring that vision to life.
On Wednesday, June 25 at 1:00 PM ET, we’re hosting a free public webinar: "What’s Involved When Working with an Advisor?"
Join Jason Rizkallah and Brian Bass from McLean Asset Management as they walk through what it actually looks like to work with a financial advisor, how to determine if it is the right fit for you, and what kind of support an advisor can offer along the way.
If you are building a plan on your own and want to understand your options—or if you are simply curious about how expert guidance fits into the picture—this is a great opportunity to learn more. | | | | |
