Planning

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[su_column size=”2/3″] American statesman Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Franklin’s quote couldn’t be more true when it comes to retirement. The importance of retirement income planning versus traditional retirement planning was magnified during the October, 2007 to March, 2009 stock market decline. Just ask anyone who retired right before, or during, this period who didn’t have a retirement income plan in place when he/she retired.

At Retirement Income Center, we understand and embrace the importance of retirement income planning because it is the foundation of what we do for our clients every day. We educate them about their financial situation, available planning strategies, and the potential consequences of different courses of action.[/su_column]
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Retirement Income vs. Retirement Asset Planning

Traditional retirement planning as it has been, and continues to be, practiced by most financial planners, focuses on the accumulation and “spending down” of one’s assets. This is, in essence, retirement asset planning.

While this type of planning works well in the accumulation stage, it often proves to be inadequate for meeting one’s needs when the plan plays out in retirement. Retirement income planning came about in response to the uncertainty of traditional retirement asset planning as a solution for providing a predictable income stream to match one’s financial needs for the duration of retirement.

Initial Planning

"If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!" BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
“If you fail to plan, you are
planning to fail!”
—
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

When you are thinking about retirement, preparing a retirement income plan can seem like an overwhelming task. Many people make the mistake of delaying or avoiding planning for this very reason. The creation of an initial Retirement Income Plan marks the beginning of our engagement with every client. We begin by asking three basic questions:

  1. When do you want to retire?
  2. What income do you need to have?
  3. What risks are you willing to accept?

Your answers to these questions help us determine the services that will help you meet your goals and map a course for a secure retirement. While our focus is on retirement income planning, we understand that you have other financial planning needs, including planning for income taxes, investments, education, charitable giving, and estate planning. Rest assured that we have the experience and expertise to work with you and your other professional advisers in each of these areas as part of a complete retirement income plan.

Ongoing Planning

At Retirement Income Center, we recognize that your answers to key retirement questions may change over time and your plan must adapt to these changes. Clients who implement managing and protection services recommended in their initial plan receive the added benefit of ongoing retirement income planning and monitoring, generally at no additional charge.

Ongoing planning includes the following:

  • Retirement Income System
  • Quarterly or Semi-Annual Meetings
  • Access to Retirement Income Center Personnel as Needed

Retirement Income System

Retirement Income Center makes available a highly-secure online Retirement Income System to clients as part of our ongoing planning services. The system organizes your financial life and is included as a value-added service at no additional charge.

The system enables you to have an ongoing complete and up-to-date review of your entire financial situation. It includes an aggregation feature that consolidates all financial accounts updated in real time, a secure vault for storing valuable records, and access to a variety of informative financial reports customized to your situation. You can log in anytime from wherever you happen to be to monitor your progress toward achievement of your retirement and other financial planning goals.

Quarterly or Semi-Annual Meetings

Ongoing planning also includes quarterly or semi-annual meetings or telephone conferences for clients who don’t live in the area. The primary purpose is to review and discuss progress toward achievement of retirement and other financial goals, modify goals, and develop new goals.

Access to Retirement Income Center Personnel as Needed

Clients have access to Retirement Income Center personnel on an as-needed basis between regularly scheduled meetings to discuss concerns or additional needs as they arise. We’re here to serve you!