90 Day Flat Fee Engagement
The 90 Day Flat Fee Engagement is designed for those who want to address their most pressing retirement-planning questions through a defined planning engagement.
Over three months, we will evaluate the key areas of your financial life, identify potential opportunities and risks, and develop a clear course of action. The specific areas we address will depend on your goals, circumstances, and the decisions you are currently facing.
The engagement includes financial analysis, personalized recommendations, and meetings to review and refine your plan. It does not include ongoing investment management, implementation, or indefinite monitoring after the engagement concludes.
Some clients begin here before deciding whether ongoing support is needed. Others already know they want an ongoing advisory relationship and begin directly with Implementation & Ongoing Support.
Questions We May Address
Retirement Timing & Income
Retirement often begins with two fundamental questions: When can I retire, and how much can I afford to spend?
We may address questions such as:
- When can I afford to retire, reduce my hours, or leave work earlier than planned?
- How much can I sustainably spend each month in retirement?
- Will my investments and other income sources support me throughout my lifetime?
- How would an extended market downturn affect my retirement?
- What adjustments could improve the strength and flexibility of my plan?
Tax and Roth Conversion Strategies
The years surrounding retirement can create valuable tax-planning opportunities, particularly when your income changes.
We may address questions such as:
- Should I complete a Roth conversion, and how much should I convert?
- How can I manage my tax brackets over the course of retirement?
- Should I realize capital gains now or defer them?
- Which accounts should I draw from first?
- How could my income affect future Medicare premiums?
- Are there opportunities to reduce lifetime taxes rather than simply this year’s tax bill?
The engagement provides planning recommendations, but it does not include tax-return preparation. When appropriate, recommendations should be reviewed and coordinated with your tax professional before implementation.
Social Security and Pension Decisions
Social Security and pension elections can have lasting effects on your retirement income.
We may address questions such as:
- When should I begin receiving Social Security?
- How do spousal or survivor benefits affect the decision?
- Would delaying benefits strengthen my long-term plan?
- Should I elect a pension lump sum or monthly benefit?
- Which survivor option may be appropriate for my household?
- How should these income sources coordinate with portfolio withdrawals?
Healthcare and Insurance
Healthcare costs and insurance decisions can materially affect retirement, particularly before Medicare eligibility.
We may address questions such as:
- How should I obtain health insurance before age 65?
- What might Medicare premiums and supplemental coverage cost?
- How could my income affect Medicare IRMAA surcharges?
- Do I still need my current life insurance?
- Should I retain, modify, or replace an existing policy?
- How should I prepare for the possibility of long-term care expenses?
Real Estate and Debt
Housing decisions often involve more than comparing an interest rate with an expected investment return. They can also affect your lifestyle, liquidity, taxes, and retirement flexibility.
We may address questions such as:
- Should I pay off my mortgage or continue investing?
- Should I keep, rent, or sell a property?
- How would purchasing a new home affect my retirement plan?
- Could I comfortably afford to downsize, relocate, or purchase a second home?
- How much debt is reasonable to carry into retirement?
- How would a real estate decision affect my other financial goals?
Investment Strategy and Risk
Your investments should support your retirement plan, income needs, and ability to tolerate market fluctuations.
We may address questions such as:
- Is my current portfolio appropriately positioned for retirement?
- Am I taking more—or less—investment risk than my plan requires?
- How might different market conditions affect my retirement?
- How should investments be structured across taxable, tax-deferred, and Roth accounts?
- How should I prepare for future withdrawals?
- Are concentrated positions or overlapping investments creating unnecessary risk?
You will receive high-level recommendations regarding your portfolio’s overall allocation and structure. You will retain control of your accounts and responsibility for selecting, trading, and monitoring investments after the engagement concludes.
Estate and Legacy Considerations
Your financial plan should reflect both how you want to live and what you hope to leave behind.
We may address questions such as:
- What might my beneficiaries inherit under my current plan?
- How can I balance leaving a legacy with enjoying retirement?
- What is an efficient way to make gifts to family or charity?
- Are my account registrations and beneficiary designations aligned with my intentions?
- How could inherited retirement accounts affect my beneficiaries?
- Are there estate-planning matters I should discuss with an attorney?
The engagement may identify estate-planning considerations, but it does not include legal advice or the preparation of estate documents.
Cash Flow and Personal Goals
A retirement plan should account for more than essential expenses. It should also help you understand what is possible.
We may address questions such as:
- Am I saving enough to reach my goals?
- How much cash should I maintain?
- Can I help children or other family members without jeopardizing my retirement?
- How much can I comfortably spend on travel?
- Can I afford a major purchase, renovation, or second home?
- Which goals should take priority when resources are limited?
- Where do I have flexibility if my circumstances change?
What You’ll Receive
Although every engagement is customized, the 90 Day Flat Fee Engagement generally includes:
- A comprehensive analysis of the planning areas relevant to your situation
- Personalized recommendations addressing your most important decisions
- Retirement projections illustrating potential outcomes and tradeoffs
- Meetings over a three-month period to review the analysis, answer questions, and refine the plan
- High-level recommendations regarding your investment strategy
- A prioritized course of action outlining the steps to consider after the engagement
The goal is to help you understand where you stand, make informed decisions, and leave with a clear sense of your next steps.
What Happens After 90 Days?
After the 90-day engagement, you will have a clear plan and prioritized recommendations to consider.
If you are comfortable implementing the recommendations, managing your investments, and monitoring the plan on your own, the engagement may provide the clarity you need for now.
If you are looking for a longer-term advisory relationship with ongoing support to implement the recommendations, manage your investments, and adapt the plan as life changes, then Implementation & Ongoing Support may be the better fit.
Is the 90 Day Flat Fee Engagement Right for You?
The 90 Day Flat Fee Engagement may be a good fit if you:
- Have important retirement decisions you would like to evaluate
- Want a comprehensive review of your financial situation
- Prefer a defined planning engagement rather than an ongoing advisory relationship
- Are comfortable retaining control of your investment accounts
- Are prepared to implement and monitor the recommendations after the engagement concludes
Take the Next Step
Schedule a complimentary introductory conversation to discuss the questions you are facing and whether the 90 Day Flat Fee Engagement is the right fit for your needs.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation
Looking for ongoing financial planning, implementation, and investment management? Learn more about Implementation & Ongoing Support.
