At the Center for Wealth Management, we specialize in finding opportunities to add value to our clients’ lives. From helping them retire with confidence to adjusting the asset allocation of their portfolio, we believe that proactive and personalized financial planning and investment management can make a significant impact on their future.
By assisting in so many areas of financial guidance and investing, we seek to guide our clients at every milestone and season of life they experience. Here are three examples of the types of challenges we help our clients overcome.
1. Consolidating Retirement Accounts
We recently had a client come to us with a mix of outside investment accounts as well as an employer pension and 401(k) plan. They wanted a cohesive plan that coordinated all their separate accounts into one overarching retirement strategy.
Before working with us, this client had:
- Annuities with guarantees from a former advisor
- Several mutual funds and a managed account
- A self-directed IRA
- A pension that could be taken by a lump sum or monthly payments with survivor options
- A company 401(k) plan
We reviewed each account and determined which could be incorporated into the new retirement strategy and which could be consolidated. In doing so, we reduced this client’s confusion, capitalized on their current investments, and built a retirement plan they could feel confident in.
2. Customized Cash Strategy
In this next case study, we tackled an issue we see quite often. The client had too much “lazy” money sitting in low-yield bank accounts or other cash investments. This can happen for many reasons. Maybe the client is too busy working; their debts are paid off so they just keep building money in the bank. Or perhaps the client inherited monies and didn’t know which investment made the most sense tax-wise, so they just kept it in cash. We’ve seen many different scenarios, and each one requires a comprehensive investment strategy to determine how and when to transition out of cash.
In this case, our client was afraid to invest in anything because of the volatility of the markets. He didn’t know what his options were to align his risk tolerance with his investments, so he just didn’t invest in anything. Through our comprehensive process, we walked this client through his investment and tax options, creating a comprehensive cash strategy that saved him money in taxes and earned a larger return than his low-yield bank account.
3. Deciding When to Retire
Most people say they would leap at the chance to retire as soon as they hit the magic number of savings needed, but it’s actually not uncommon for people to continue working well past that point. Whether it’s fear of the unknown, boredom, or a desire to feel fulfilled, late retirement is a common scenario we see.
One client came to us with questions about when to retire. It turned out he already had more than enough set aside to live comfortably and that he had continued working years longer than necessary. Unsure of his ability to retire, he just kept working.
In this case, the client didn’t retire until he was forced to do so due to health factors outside of his control. Now his pension and Social Security payments cover all his monthly expenses. This created a large problem regarding taxes when he reached age 72 and was forced to take required minimum distributions. We helped this client overcome this issue by creating a tax-efficient withdrawal strategy that would allow him to mitigate his taxes without impacting his long-term retirement plan.
How We Can Help You
At the Center for Wealth Management, we strive to provide customized wealth solutions our clients can rely on. Whether you are looking for retirement advice or feedback on your investment portfolio, we’ve got you covered. With our comprehensive planning software, we can show you how the recent market downturns have impacted your investments and if your retirement plan is still on track. This allows us to make real-time adjustments to your plan so you can retire with confidence.
To learn more about how we can help you, call (248) 220-4321or email robert@cwmfinancial.net. You can also schedule a meeting by visiting www.calendly.com/cwmrob/initial.
About Rob
Robert Moore is senior partner, financial planner, investment advisor, and co-owner of Center for Wealth Management, an independent, fee-based wealth management company based in Troy, MI. With more than 15 years of experience, Rob provides customized advice and solutions that are in the clients’ best interest. He strives to always go above and beyond his clients’ expectations, helping them retire with more security than they had before, and invest their time and energy in what’s most important to them. Rob specializes in working with DTE Energy employees, helping them maximize their benefits so they can reduce taxes, prepare for retirement, and protect their families through a comprehensive planning process. Rob graduated from Michigan State University and holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) certifications.
Rob is known as a diehard family man who enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife, Jill, his daughter, Brookelyn, and his son, Brayden. When he’s not working, you can find him playing basketball once a week, squeezing in a round of golf, and watching college football and basketball with friends and family. He is passionate about enriching the lives of others through his church involvement and service at a community addiction program. Learn more about Rob by connecting with him on LinkedIn.