Michael and Emily are newlyweds in their mid-20’s who are just getting started with their careers. For the first time in their lives, they have access to a company-sponsored retirement plan. Retirement seems so far away, and while Michael and Emily have been told by their parents that they need to start saving early, there are short-term goals like paying down student loans and saving for a house that also need to be addressed. To help Michael and Emily, their planner prepared a cash flow analysis with a list of prioritized recommendations that included strategies for paying down debt, funding an emergency reserve, and saving for a future home purchase, along with providing specific written recommendations for allocating Michael and Emily’s existing 401(k) balances and on-going contributions. Along with the written plan, the planner met with Michael and Emily for 2 hours to present and review the recommendations. Total project time – 8 hours. Close

Whitney and John are in their mid-30’s and are established in their careers. They have one child, a two-year old boy, and are expecting their second child, a girl, later this year. Over the last ten years, both Whitney and John have switched jobs in order to advance their respective careers. With one child and another on the way, they have begun thinking about saving for future college expenses, but they don’t know where to start. After all the job changes, Whitney and John have a handful of old 401(k)s that they admittedly don’t monitor. They also had questions about appropriate insurance coverages and getting a retirement check up to make sure they’re making progress. While it has been on their To-Do list, they have yet to draft valid estate documents. Whitney and John’s planner prepared a net worth and cash flow analysis to get a sense of where they stand financially, and to understand how money flows through their household each month. The planner provided cash flow recommendations to help them achieve short and long-term goals. An education funding analysis was prepared, with specific suggestions for appropriate savings vehicles and investments. The planner reviewed existing insurance coverages and made recommendations. A referral was provided for two local estate planning attorneys. The planner also prepared a retirement model to track Whitney and John’s progress towards financial independence. Investment recommendations were made to consolidate old 401(k)s and to create a more cohesive investment portfolio. Along with the written plan, the planner met with Whitney and John for 2 ½ hours to present and review the recommendations. Total project time – 12 hours. Close

Sharon, age 55, and Tom, age 61, are empty nesters that are winding down their careers. Sharon has cut her work hours over the last few years so that she can provide more support for her aging parents. Tom is at the highest point of earning for his career, but he is burnt out from the stress and demands on his time. He is part of the minority of workers who will receive a company pension once he retires. Sharon and Tom are interested in learning how they can coordinate Tom’s pension with their future Social Security payments, as well as withdrawals from their retirement portfolio. Sharon is concerned about long-term care costs, since she is seeing firsthand how her parents’ health and mobility has declined. This has also spurred Tom and Sharon to get out and see the world while their health is good. To help Sharon and Tom, their planner prepared a net worth and cash flow analysis, with recommendations both before and after retirement. They reviewed two detailed retirement modules that synchronized the various retirement cash flows. This section included a Social Security maximization analysis. The planner educated Sharon and Tom on the costs of long term care, as well as the potential impact to their retirement plan. Recommendations were prepared to create a cohesive investment portfolio that would give Sharon and Tom confidence that they won’t run out of money. Along with the written plan, the planner met with Sharon and Tom for 2 ½ hours to present and review the recommendations. Total project time – 15 hours. Close

Taylor and Blake are in their late‐40’s and these busy parents are at the peak of their careers. They have two children in private school and want to plan for both children attending elite private colleges. Taylor works for a local tech firm, where compensation includes salary, bonus, and stock awards. Blake is an executive for a local retailer. As part of Blake’s compensation, she receives annual stock awards, and because of her position in the company, she is required to own a certain number of company shares prior to retirement. Employer Stock Purchase Plans are also available to both of them and they wonder if they should participate. Taylor and Blake need a strategy for managing their concentrated stock positions, along with Taylor’s company stock plans. Their incomes have grown since they bought their last house, and they now want to move to a more expensive home, but they want to make sure they aren’t materially affecting their planned retirement at age 60. Taylor and Blake own a rental property that they want included in the plan. To help Taylor and Blake, their planner prepared a net worth and cash flow analysis, including illustrations of how a more expensive home will affect monthly cash flow. An education funding analysis was prepared, with specific suggestions for appropriate savings vehicles and investments. The planner reviewed existing insurance coverages and made recommendations. A review of all company stock plans was completed, with actionable steps provided to the client. The planner prepared a retirement model to track Taylor and Blake’s progress towards financial independence. Investment recommendations were made, including investment ideas for excess cash flow savings. Along with the written plan, the planner met with Taylor and Blake for 2 ½ hours to present and review the recommendations. Total Project Time - 18 hours Close