Do I Have Enough to Retire? The Two Questions Every Retiree Asks
If you’re getting close to retirement, do you know the answer to these two questions: Do I have enough? And what am I not seeing? Most retirement questions, from Social Security timing to how much you can comfortably spend, come back to those two. Answering them well takes more than a single number; it takes […]
Can You Help Pay for School and Still Fund Your Own Retirement
Thinking about helping your child or grandchild pay for college?
Before making that generous gift, ask yourself 3 important questions:
✅ Can my retirement plan support this decision?
✅ Am I using the right source of funds?
✅ Have I had the right conversation with my family?
Helping the next generation is impactful, but the way you give matters.
A little planning today can help you support your family while safeguarding the retirement you’ve worked hard to build.
Am I Really Ready to Retire? (How to Tell)
“Am I actually ready to retire?” We hear this question all the time from families. They’ve done the saving. They’ve been careful. And now they’re staring at a date on the calendar wondering whether the number in their account is the whole story. It isn’t. Instead of a single calculation, retirement readiness is a set […]
The Income Gap Between Your Last Paycheck and Your First Social Security Check
You retire at 63 and plan to claim Social Security at 67. What covers the four years in between? That window is what we call the income gap, and it tends to arrive during the years a portfolio may be most sensitive to market conditions. Here are four things to map out first. Link in the comments.
3 Retirement Tax Traps Many People Overlook
Retirement planning is about how much you’ve saved and also about understanding how taxes may affect what you actually keep.
What Is Sequence-of-Returns Risk?
Most retirement advice says to withdraw from taxable accounts first, then tax-deferred, and finally Roth accounts. But that simple rule doesn’t always fit every plan.
The Retirement Paycheck: How to Build Income That Lasts
Plano & Nacogdoches financial advisors of The Baker Team help multigenerational families in Texas with retirement planning & tax-smart retirement withdrawals.
You Only Retire Once: Why Timing Matters More Than You Think
You’ve spent 30, maybe 40 years getting this right. You saved when your friends didn’t. You lived below your means. You built something real.