Navigating Retirement

Whether you are ready to retire or simply in the planning stages, our goal is to make sure you can enjoy this significant stage of your life to the fullest.

Your retirement is a time to savor life’s pleasures, not fret about your finances or lifestyle.
Let us be your trusted partner in helping your retirement vision become reality.

Retirement planning is an important element of your overall financial plan

Chinese couple watching a movie on a digital tablet.

Peace of Mind in Retirement

One goal of retirement planning is to have peace of mind that you will maintain or improve your lifestyle once you stop working. Even if you do great work in planning for that day from a financial perspective, it may not be sufficient.

Planning your retirement lifestyle – what you will do, when you will do it, where you will do it, and with whom – is equally important. We all know people who thrive in retirement and those who flounder. Our goal is to help you thrive, so we’ve added tools to our retirement planning process that support clients in thinking through lifestyle options.

Planning for Retirement Can Begin Early

Like overall financial planning, there are aspects of your retirement plan that you can begin early in your career.

Likewise, planning for retirement doesn’t stop when you retire, it continues from your transition into retirement to post-retirement, and ultimately into end-of-life planning.

Father's day journey with all family

Let’s explore some of the most important retirement considerations at each phase of life: Pre-Retirement, Transition, and finally Retirement.

Pre-Retirement

(20's to Early 50's)

Mother and son playing soccer

Balancing Saving With Life Expenses

One of the most important things you can do during your working years is to develop a comprehensive financial plan that supports your individual and family values, hopes, and expectations.

Secondarily, this is a phase for saving. Savings activities are often balanced with the need to pay off debt (i.e., student loans, mortgage, etc.), raise children and potentially pay for their schooling, and enjoy trips, recreational activities, and other endeavors that can be costly.

Strategies for turning savings into income generating engines are also an important part of this phase. Investment strategies that align with your goals are identified and put into practice as soon as feasible.

Lifestyle Options, To Consider:

Regular health and wellness checks

Understanding the role insurance and long-term care planning plays in safeguarding your health and finances

Trying out personal activities you want to focus on in retirement including volunteering, part-time jobs, or hobbies and interests

Drafting (and maintaining) an estate plan that supports family values transfer, medical and financial directives, and efficient money transfer if you were to become disabled or die

Transition

(5 - 10 Years Before Retirement)

Screen Shot 2023-10-03 at 4.32.30 PM

Nearing The Retirement Milestone

As you near retirement, your financial activities will focus on maxing out your savings potential, identifying and implementing tax efficient strategies, and analyzing and planning for the financial elements of your retirement income (pensions, social security, and retirement account distribution, full or part-time work, etc.).

This may also be a good time to update your investment strategy. Note that when pensions are involved, we help you assess the distribution strategies offered to determine the best fit for you.

Strategies to Fit Your Circumstances

For married couples, we build coordinated retirement strategies – meaning strategies that collectively help maximize your retirement goals.

For business owners, beginning to enact your succession plan can be a big step. Your SWMG financial advisor is here to support you and work with other key advisors to enable the transition you want.

Finally, we may also engage in budgeting activities that help you set a comfortable target for monthly cashflow.

Screen Shot 2023-10-03 at 4.44.13 PM

Lifestyle Options To Consider

Identifying options for healthcare coverage post-retirement

Building social networks and developing strong support systems

Identifying post-retirement work or volunteer activities

Thinking about travel plans or the desire for a second home to rent or buy

Reading / journaling about the lifestyle you want to pursue once retirement becomes a reality

Refining your estate plan and updating beneficiaries based on life changes

Retirement Phase

Back view of embraced mature couple looking at view while relaxing on a jetty at river.

You’ve made it! Now what?

Meet with your financial advisor to go through retirement paperwork provided by your former employer or the government (i.e., Medicare, Social Security Administration, etc.), including distribution information, enrollment forms, etc.

Follow the plan – both your financial and lifestyle plans should provide you a soft landing so you can glide more comfortably into retirement. Be careful to hold-off on big decisions until you’ve had a chance to settle into retirement for 6 or more months. Also remember to keep your advisor updated on health changes, changes to your goals, etc.

Lifestyle Options to Consider

Think about your legacy within your family, community, profession, etc. and what steps you’d like to take to enable this legacy

Complete a SWMG Legacy Workbook or online tool to ensure that loved ones know what to do and where to find things if something were to happen to you

Plan for how you want to use your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)

Refine and implement short- and long-term goals such as traveling, snowbirding, volunteering, taking classes, working a gig, getting a pet, and creating new relationships.

Enjoy This Stage of Life to the Fullest

Start the conversation about financial planning for retirement today.

Blogs & Podcasts on Retirement

Downsizing your home

Episode 9: Thinking About Downsizing Your Home?

Thinking about downsizing your home? As you approach retirement or become an empty nester, it’s important to understand the dynamics …

Read More

Episode 8: How will you pay for assisted living?

The average cost of a private, single room in an assisted living facility is $4,500 per month? How will you …

Read More
Jill Carr and Jessica Brown photo

Episode 5: Travel Planning for Retirees

Our podcasts will cover topics that we are passionate about.  Jill Carr (SWMG Wealth Advisor) and Jessica Brown (Owner of …

Read More
employee benefits document with highlighed text

It’s Open Enrollment Season

If you are employed, you are likely navigating—or soon will be—Open Enrollment season, a crucial time for making informed decisions …

Read More
caregiver helping senior woman

Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance

Some people think that when they get older and they have to go into an assisted living or nursing home …

Read More

*Please Note: Limitations. The scope of any financial planning and consulting services to be provided depends upon the terms of the engagement, and the specific requests and needs of the client. Stephens Wealth Management Group does not serve as an attorney, accountant, or insurance agent. Stephens Wealth Management Group does not prepare legal documents.

If the client engages us to do so, Stephens Wealth Management Group can provide tax preparation services as discussed in Stephens Wealth Management Group’s written disclosure Brochure (a copy of which is linked to this web site) per the terms and conditions of a separate engagement and fee.

If the client desires, one of Stephens Wealth Management Group’s representatives, in their separate licensed individual capacities, can be engaged to provide insurance sales/services as described on Stephens Wealth Management Group’s written disclosure Brochure (a copy of which is linked to this web site) per the terms and conditions of a separate engagement and fee.

MENU