Retirement Planning · Poughkeepsie, NY

Retirement plans built around your real numbers.

Old 401ks, current 401ks, IRAs, Roths, Social Security timing, and the gap between what you have and what you'll actually need. Walked through in plain English, by an advisor who lives in your town.

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What it is

In plain English.

Most retirement planning conversations end with a software output and a vague 'you're on track' or 'you need to save more.' That's not planning, that's a calculator.

Real retirement planning answers harder questions. How much income do you actually need in retirement based on your Hudson Valley cost of living? When should you take Social Security? What do you do with the three old 401ks from previous jobs? Should you Roth-convert in the gap years between retirement and Medicare?

We work through these questions in plain English, with real numbers, on the timeline that fits your career stage. Nothing pushed, nothing rushed.

What's included

What working together actually covers.

Full 401k + IRA audit

Every account, current and old, mapped. Fees compared. Allocations checked. Old 401ks rolled or consolidated where it makes sense.

Real-number income projection

Not a generic 80% of pre-retirement income. Your actual expenses, your actual mortgage timing, your actual healthcare bridge to Medicare.

Social Security timing analysis

Take at 62, 67, or 70? The right answer depends on your spouse's earning record, your health expectancy, and whether you'll keep working. We model the scenarios.

Roth conversion strategy

The gap years between retirement and required minimum distributions are a tax planning opportunity most advisors skip. We work out whether converting traditional to Roth in that window saves you significant lifetime tax.

Annual reviews on your cadence

Retirement plans drift. Markets move, your numbers shift, tax law changes. We check the plan annually and adjust before the drift compounds.

Who it's for

If any of these sound like you, this is worth a conversation.

Scenario 01

Mid-career with multiple old 401ks

Three jobs over fifteen years means three orphaned 401ks. We audit each one, compare fees, and roll or consolidate where it makes sense.

Scenario 02

Five to ten years from retirement

The most consequential planning window. Social Security claiming, Roth conversion gap, healthcare bridge to Medicare, withdrawal strategy. We map all of it.

Scenario 03

Already retired and want a second opinion

Your current plan may be fine, or it may be leaking. An independent review with no product to sell often catches things the original advisor missed.

What it costs

Real numbers, before you commit.

The first consultation is free and includes a high-level look at your existing accounts. Ongoing planning relationships are structured to fit your situation — sometimes a flat planning fee, sometimes an asset-based arrangement, depending on what makes sense for your accounts. We walk through the options before any engagement starts so the cost structure is clear up front.

Get a free quote or call 845-347-4437

Common questions

Specific to retirement planning.

I have a 401k from an old job. Should I roll it over?

Usually yes, but not always. It depends on the fees inside the old plan, the investment options compared to what's available in an IRA, and whether you have a current employer plan that accepts rollovers. We compare the three options (leave it, roll to IRA, roll to current 401k) side by side with your real fee data.

When should I take Social Security?

Almost never at 62 if you can avoid it. Usually somewhere between full retirement age and 70, depending on health expectancy, spouse claiming strategy, and whether you're still working. The difference between optimal and suboptimal claiming can be six figures over a retirement. It's worth the conversation.

What's a Roth conversion and when does it make sense?

Roth conversion means moving money from a traditional pre-tax account (IRA or 401k) into a Roth account, paying the tax now in exchange for tax-free withdrawals later. It often makes sense in years where your income is unusually low — between retirement and Social Security claiming, for example. We model the lifetime tax difference before recommending it.

Are you a fiduciary?

Yes — every plan I build is held to a fiduciary standard, which means I'm legally obligated to put your interests ahead of any commission or product incentive. I'll tell you up front when something I'm recommending pays me a commission, and I'll tell you when there's a cheaper option I think serves you better.

Often paired with

The other three pillars.

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