Certified Financial Advisor for Retirement Planning and Investing
Whether you are starting to think about retirement or are already retired, we help you prepare to transition from building your savings to generating income from your investments. We personalize your experience to help ensure your money lasts throughout retirement and beyond. We guide you to help you avoid paying more taxes than is necessary and ensure your investments have the right balance between safety and growth. Our process can also increase your ability to make more efficient career-related financial decisions
There are many moving parts to consider concerning your finances in retirement. Every investment account and source of income has different tax rules and treatment. Some of your retirement income may be taxed as ordinary income, while other income will be tax-free. In addition, some of your retirement income sources will fluctuate with the stock or bond markets, while other income may be fixed or guaranteed. Once you turn a certain age, you are obligated to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) from tax-deferred retirement accounts – this will create tax consequences.
As a fee-only financial planner and fiduciary, Wharton Wealth Planning always puts client interests first. Our fee-only approach prioritizes objectivity in our recommendations, and we do not accept commissions or other compensation from financial product companies.
Asset Management and Tax Planning Strategies for Retirement
Asset management strategies and retirement plans are developed by a dual-credentialed CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) with an MBA. We weigh current and future tax considerations and analyze thousands of detailed financial projections to bring personalized and comprehensive recommendations to help you succeed at your spending and legacy goals. Our retirement planning and investment management processes focus on long-term tax minimization. We help you estimate how much your money will grow and the related risks to help you decide which investment choices are best suited for you. You'll receive annual direction on whether Roth conversions will help reduce your overall taxes throughout your planning horizon (based on your specific financial profile, tax bracket, and situation), and if so, how much to convert. We will also consider factors, including life expectancy outcomes, to help determine the best strategies for Social Security benefits and long-term care.
Retirement Plans We Work With Include:
- 401(k)
- Traditional IRA
- Roth IRA
- 403(b)
- 457(b)
- Pensions
- SEP IRA
- Solo 401(k)
- Taxable Accounts
We aim to provide peace of mind and increased confidence in your future. The retirement plan we develop for you will include a list of areas of opportunity and concern as well as follow-up action steps we recommend. We can help you evaluate all of the retirement account options you have to choose from and determine the optimal contribution amount and asset allocation for each respective account. This may involve analyzing the investments in your retirement and other accounts and recommending options that deliver similar performance with reduced risk and lower expense ratios. We can also monitor and periodically rebalance your portfolio to its target mix of stocks, bonds, and cash to keep it on course and reduce unintended risks.
Common Retirement Planning Questions and Concerns We Can Help With
We help our clients transition to retirement with confidence by providing expertise and experience to help them navigate the complex facets of their finances.
How do you plan to minimize our taxes up to and through retirement?
Will we have enough income to meet our retirement spending needs and goals, or should we plan to work longer? When can I retire?
Can I improve my investment income and returns without adding a lot of additional risk?
Do we have enough assets for long-term care expenses if needed?
Will your investment selections include tax-free municipal bonds?
Should I move my 401(k) to an individual retirement account (Rollover IRA) when I retire or leave it where it is?
Which retirement/savings accounts should I tap first to be most tax-efficient? What withdrawal rate should I use?
How can I minimize my capital gains taxes when selling large, concentrated stock investments I have held for a long time?
Should I convert some of my tax-deferred retirement accounts to a Roth account (and do a Roth conversion)? If so, what amount should I convert?
Can you help with employer compensation tax management and planning (Restricted Stock Units (RSU), Employer Stock Purchase Plans (ESPP))?
Should I accept a lump-sum distribution from my pension or take the monthly payment option (what survivorship options should I consider)?
How can I make sure I leave as much inheritance as possible for my family?
What should I do with inherited real estate and/ or retirement accounts and investments?
What is the best way to minimize my investment taxes and consolidate my investment accounts for retirement?
Should I buy an annuity (or hold an existing one)?
Do you provide guidance on charitable giving strategies (Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), Donor Advised Funds (DAFs)?
Our New York City office is conveniently located near Columbus Circle on 8th Avenue between 57th and 58th street (just south of Central Park) in Manhattan.
Our Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey office is located just north of Manhattan near the George Washington Bridge in Bergen County, off the Palisades Parkway, close to Route 4, I-95 and Route 46. Our office is easily accessible from Fort Lee, Tenafly, Hackensack, Teaneck, Alpine, and surrounding areas of New Jersey.
