Gather the Chess Pieces
Before anything else, we collect a complete picture of all the pieces on the board: your 401(k) statements, pension information, Social Security estimates, account balances, and monthly expenses. If it plays a role in your income or outflow, we want to see it on the board.
Add Up Your Income
With the pieces in place, we total up every source of income—Social Security, pension, required minimum distributions, rental income, and more. You’ll see what you can expect to have coming in each month, clearly and comprehensively.
Factor In Taxes
Taxes aren’t an afterthought—they’re built into everything we do. We run real tax projections using your actual numbers, so your income plan reflects what you’ll keep, not just what you’ll earn. Even if we don’t prepare your return, we plan like we do.
Compare Income to Your Needs
At this stage, we weigh what’s coming in against what you need to live the way you want. This isn’t about budgeting to the penny—it’s about making sure your plan is built to support your needs today and your long-term retirement dreams.
Move the Pieces Into Place
Once any existing gaps are made clear, we start evaluating your options to tailor your strategy. Should you draw from the IRA or the brokerage account? Delay Social Security or start now? Each decision is connected—and we help you play the board wisely.
Keep It Visual and Simple
You come out of this process with a clear, visual plan built around your actual income, taxes, and goals. It’s not a dense report. It’s a tool you can understand, revisit, and use to make real-life decisions and work toward your goals and dreams with confidence.