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Nancy, age 62 | Primary goal: establish a trustworthy and professional support system that can help empower her while taking on the complex financial of her household.
The Challenge:
It’s been about a month since Nancy’s husband passed away, and the last thing on her mind is the newfound responsibilities of taking over the complex household finances.
Nancy knew her husband Richard managed their money well and she had always felt taken care of financially. She had no need to make those decisions – until now.
The challenge wasn’t if she has enough to maintain her lifestyle, but what to do with it all…
As she enters this new season of life, she wanted an expert to help her navigate the financial burden, but also regain that feeling of financial security.
The Approach:
Nancy knew that she had to figure out her financial situation, but didn’t want to do it alone.
Plus, she’d rather be spending her time with friends and family…that’s why she pursued professional help from a financial planner.
The Results:
When Nancy hired a financial planner, she not only wanted to understand her current situation, but instantly felt that weight lifted off her shoulders by finding someone she could trust.
A comprehensive plan was put together to meet all of her needs:
- An easy-to-understand review of her current financial situation
- A smart, sustainable rebalancing strategy
- Reduction of tax liabilities through charitable giving, Roth conversions, social security timing, and more!
Nancy now enjoys peace of mind that comes from a clear financial plan, and a trustworthy advisor. She can now focus on this new season of life, and all of the big emotions that come with it.
Just Retired
Albert & Susan, 65 & 61 | Primary goal: reduce taxes, improve investments, and create a reliable income stream in retirement
Albert and Susan recently retired from rewarding careers and are excited to enter their “golden years.”
They have several goals for their retirement, which include that dream European vacation, ensuring they stay work optional, and leaving a legacy for their family.
The Challenge:
Albert and his wife Susan were ready for their dream retirement. They’d been doing everything right throughout their careers:
- Generating above average incomes
- Maxing out retirement vehicles and other investments
- Building sizeable equity in their home
- Protecting themselves with the right types of insurance
So what’s the problem? They weren’t sure how to make it all happen. Could they actually live the dream retirement they’ve worked for?
The Approach:
To get answers to their questions, they decided to consult a financial professional.
During their first meeting, the main goal was to help Albert & Susan understand the true costs of their goals, but also prioritize them in a way they were comfortable with.
Their new financial professional was also a big help in getting them set up with an Estate Attorney, so that they could accomplish their biggest goal – leaving a legacy for their family.
Being able to see and understand all of their options removed a lot of worries. They were able to move forward with their plans, confident in knowing that they would be well looked after.
The Results:
Today, Albert and Susan are having the time of their lives. They ended up taking that lifelong trip to Europe, and spend time with their grandchildren every chance they get.
They have the confidence of knowing that their financial plan is sustainable and that he and Susan can relax and enjoy life on their terms.
Their retirement plan is reviewed regularly. Most importantly, new tax laws are being monitored each year to ensure they are taking advantage of any opportunities available to them.
Near Retirement
After a long and accomplished career in the oil and gas industry, Christopher was ready to start thinking about retirement.
He currently holds a variety of investment accounts, including 401ks from his employers, stock options, an ESPP, and multiple brokerage accounts.
Christopher has 2 adult children (one finishing up college) and 1 grandkid. Christopher lives modestly, owns his home and car outright, and looks forward to spending more time with his friends and family in retirement.
The Challenge:
Christopher was pretty sure he had enough to retire but also hoped he could leave a legacy for his kids and grandkid.
He needed a better plan that would allow him to retire confidently, and knew exactly where to go – a financial advisor.
The only problem was Christopher was weary of advisors after dealing with an overly-salesy advisor a few years back who did not have Christopher’s best interest in mind.
The Approach:
After meeting with a few financial advisors in his area, Christopher knew he wanted to work with an advisor carrying the Certified Financial Professional title and that was located in his area.
Once sitting down with his pick, his goals were clearly documented and a personalized plan was starting to come to fruition. And most importantly, he felt heard and not sold to.
The Results:
In collaboration with Christopher’s CPA, he was able to:
- Establish a retirement timeline that included future financial changes (social security & medicare)
- Organize his assets so he knows he has enough money to fund what matters most
- Reduce potential taxes through charitable strategies and systematic sale of his stock options
- Maximize the effectiveness of his savings during his remaining working years
- Create a reliable income stream
In the near future, he will be able to fully embrace retirement and his role as a grandparent.
Note: The above case studies are hypothetical and do not involve an actual Vision Financial Planning client. No portion of the content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience the same or certain level of results or satisfaction if Vision Financial Planning is engaged to provide investment advisory services.
