Get Ready for the Retirement You've Been Working Toward
You have a vision for what comes next. We help you understand how your savings, income, and investments can support it, with a retirement plan built around your life.
Get Ready for the Retirement You've Been Working Toward
You have a vision for what comes next. We help you understand how your savings, income, and investments can support it, with a retirement plan built around your life.
Get Ready for the Retirement You've Been Working Toward
You have a vision for what comes next. We help you understand how your savings, income, and investments can support it, with a retirement plan built around your life.
Saving for Retirement Is Only Part of the Picture
For years, the goal was to keep saving and building. But as retirement gets closer, the questions inevitably change. Can you step away from work? Where will your income come from? How much can you spend while leaving room for the unexpected?
Those decisions impact one another. We help you bring your investments, taxes, spending, and family priorities into one conversation, so you can see what your next chapter might look like.
Saving for Retirement Is Only Part of the Picture
For years, the goal was to keep saving and building. But as retirement gets closer, the questions inevitably change. Can you step away from work? Where will your income come from? How much can you spend while leaving room for the unexpected?
Those decisions impact one another. We help you bring your investments, taxes, spending, and family priorities into one conversation, so you can see what your next chapter might look like.
Saving for Retirement Is Only Part of the Picture
For years, the goal was to keep saving and building. But as retirement gets closer, the questions inevitably change. Can you step away from work? Where will your income come from? How much can you spend while leaving room for the unexpected?
Those decisions impact one another. We help you bring your investments, taxes, spending, and family priorities into one conversation, so you can see what your next chapter might look like.
Give Each Part of Your Retirement a Plan
Your retirement depends on how the pieces work together. We help you work through the major decisions and understand the trade-offs.
Understand When You Can Retire
We look at your savings, expected income, spending, and priorities to explore different retirement dates. You'll see which assumptions matter and where adjustments may be needed.
Build Your Retirement Income
We help map out how your accounts, Social Security, and any pension income can support your spending. That includes considering which assets to draw from and how withdrawals affect the rest of your plan.
Make Social Security Decisions in Context
The timing of benefits must be coordinated with other income decisions. We help you consider your household needs, health, and your spouse's situation as you evaluate when to claim.
Plan for Taxes Along the Way
Leaving work can change your tax picture. We help evaluate withdrawals, Roth conversions, and investment decisions in the context of both today's income and the years ahead.
Account for Healthcare and Changing Costs
We factor health coverage, Medicare-related costs, and potential long-term care needs into your retirement plan. We also help you consider how inflation and changing spending could affect your finances over time.
Balance Your Retirement With Your Legacy
Travel, gifting to kids or grandkids, supporting a cause, and leaving an inheritance are all things that may matter to you. We help you balance those goals with your financial needs so each decision fits into your plan.
Give Each Part of Your Retirement a Plan
Your retirement depends on how the pieces work together. We help you work through the major decisions and understand the trade-offs.
Understand When You Can Retire
We look at your savings, expected income, spending, and priorities to explore different retirement dates. You'll see which assumptions matter and where adjustments may be needed.
Build Your Retirement Income
We help map out how your accounts, Social Security, and any pension income can support your spending. That includes considering which assets to draw from and how withdrawals affect the rest of your plan.
Make Social Security Decisions in Context
The timing of benefits must be coordinated with other income decisions. We help you consider your household needs, health, and your spouse's situation as you evaluate when to claim.
Plan for Taxes Along the Way
Leaving work can change your tax picture. We help evaluate withdrawals, Roth conversions, and investment decisions in the context of both today's income and the years ahead.
Account for Healthcare and Changing Costs
We factor health coverage, Medicare-related costs, and potential long-term care needs into your retirement plan. We also help you consider how inflation and changing spending could affect your finances over time.
Balance Your Retirement With Your Legacy
Travel, gifting to kids or grandkids, supporting a cause, and leaving an inheritance are all things that may matter to you. We help you balance those goals with your financial needs so each decision fits into your plan.
Give Each Part of Your Retirement a Plan
Your retirement depends on how the pieces work together. We help you work through the major decisions and understand the trade-offs.
Understand When You Can Retire
We look at your savings, expected income, spending, and priorities to explore different retirement dates. You'll see which assumptions matter and where adjustments may be needed.
Build Your Retirement Income
We help map out how your accounts, Social Security, and any pension income can support your spending. That includes considering which assets to draw from and how withdrawals affect the rest of your plan.
Make Social Security Decisions in Context
The timing of benefits must be coordinated with other income decisions. We help you consider your household needs, health, and your spouse's situation as you evaluate when to claim.
Plan for Taxes Along the Way
Leaving work can change your tax picture. We help evaluate withdrawals, Roth conversions, and investment decisions in the context of both today's income and the years ahead.
Account for Healthcare and Changing Costs
We factor health coverage, Medicare-related costs, and potential long-term care needs into your retirement plan. We also help you consider how inflation and changing spending could affect your finances over time.
Balance Your Retirement With Your Legacy
Travel, gifting to kids or grandkids, supporting a cause, and leaving an inheritance are all things that may matter to you. We help you balance those goals with your financial needs so each decision fits into your plan.
An illustrative planning situation
Could You Retire Before Your Spouse?
You're ready to leave work. Your spouse would like to keep working for a few more years. You've saved consistently, but you're unsure what losing one paycheck would mean for your household.
Before choosing a date, there are a few things to explore:
How much of your spending would the remaining paycheck cover?
How would health coverage and account withdrawals work during the transition?
Would retiring now change the timing of Social Security or other tax decisions?
We help compare the options and identify the decisions each one would require. You can consider retirement with a clearer picture of how those first few years might work.
Hypothetical example for illustration only. The appropriate approach depends on individual circumstances.
An illustrative planning situation
Could You Retire Before Your Spouse?
You're ready to leave work. Your spouse would like to keep working for a few more years. You've saved consistently, but you're unsure what losing one paycheck would mean for your household.
Before choosing a date, there are a few things to explore:
How much of your spending would the remaining paycheck cover?
How would health coverage and account withdrawals work during the transition?
Would retiring now change the timing of Social Security or other tax decisions?
We help compare the options and identify the decisions each one would require. You can consider retirement with a clearer picture of how those first few years might work.
Hypothetical example for illustration only. The appropriate approach depends on individual circumstances.
An illustrative planning situation
Could You Retire Before Your Spouse?
You're ready to leave work. Your spouse would like to keep working for a few more years. You've saved consistently, but you're unsure what losing one paycheck would mean for your household.
Before choosing a date, there are a few things to explore:
How much of your spending would the remaining paycheck cover?
How would health coverage and account withdrawals work during the transition?
Would retiring now change the timing of Social Security or other tax decisions?
We help compare the options and identify the decisions each one would require. You can consider retirement with a clearer picture of how those first few years might work.
Hypothetical example for illustration only. The appropriate approach depends on individual circumstances.
A Retirement Plan That Meets You Where You Are
Whether work is winding down or retirement is already underway, your plan should reflect the decisions in front of you.
Approaching Retirement
You may have a date in mind, or simply a growing desire for more time or something different. We help you understand your readiness, compare possible timelines, and identify what needs attention before your paycheck stops.
Already Retired
Now that you are retired, your savings have a different job. We help coordinate income, investments, and taxes as your spending changes, while keeping family support and future care needs in view.
Business Owners Planning Their Next Chapter
Stepping away from your business involves more than choosing a retirement date. We help connect the transition with your household income, personal investments, and plans for life after ownership.
A Retirement Plan That Meets You Where You Are
Whether work is winding down or retirement is already underway, your plan should reflect the decisions in front of you.
Approaching Retirement
You may have a date in mind, or simply a growing desire for more time or something different. We help you understand your readiness, compare possible timelines, and identify what needs attention before your paycheck stops.
Already Retired
Now that you are retired, your savings have a different job. We help coordinate income, investments, and taxes as your spending changes, while keeping family support and future care needs in view.
Business Owners Planning Their Next Chapter
Stepping away from your business involves more than choosing a retirement date. We help connect the transition with your household income, personal investments, and plans for life after ownership.
A Retirement Plan That Meets You Where You Are
Whether work is winding down or retirement is already underway, your plan should reflect the decisions in front of you.
Approaching Retirement
You may have a date in mind, or simply a growing desire for more time or something different. We help you understand your readiness, compare possible timelines, and identify what needs attention before your paycheck stops.
Already Retired
Now that you are retired, your savings have a different job. We help coordinate income, investments, and taxes as your spending changes, while keeping family support and future care needs in view.
Business Owners Planning Their Next Chapter
Stepping away from your business involves more than choosing a retirement date. We help connect the transition with your household income, personal investments, and plans for life after ownership.
A Team for the Decisions Ahead
Retirement brings investment, tax, and personal decisions together. Trailhead's team combines financial planning experience with investment and tax expertise to help you consider them as a whole.
Partners and lead financial planners Morgan Ranstrom and Bill Mulvahill are CFP® professionals. Morgan is also a CFA charterholder, and Bill is a CPA with a Master of Business Taxation.
We take time to understand what you want retirement to make possible, including the priorities you and your spouse may see differently. That understanding gives the numbers a purpose.
A Team for the Decisions Ahead
Retirement brings investment, tax, and personal decisions together. Trailhead's team combines financial planning experience with investment and tax expertise to help you consider them as a whole.
Partners and lead financial planners Morgan Ranstrom and Bill Mulvahill are CFP® professionals. Morgan is also a CFA charterholder, and Bill is a CPA with a Master of Business Taxation.
We take time to understand what you want retirement to make possible, including the priorities you and your spouse may see differently. That understanding gives the numbers a purpose.
A Team for the Decisions Ahead
Retirement brings investment, tax, and personal decisions together. Trailhead's team combines financial planning experience with investment and tax expertise to help you consider them as a whole.
Partners and lead financial planners Morgan Ranstrom and Bill Mulvahill are CFP® professionals. Morgan is also a CFA charterholder, and Bill is a CPA with a Master of Business Taxation.
We take time to understand what you want retirement to make possible, including the priorities you and your spouse may see differently. That understanding gives the numbers a purpose.
Know Where You Stand. Keep Moving Forward.
A retirement plan should help with the decisions you're making now and adapt as life unfolds.
Start With Your Life
We get to know your household, your finances, and what you're hoping retirement will look like. Your priorities help determine which questions we work through first.
Turn the Questions Into a Plan
We connect your income, investments, taxes, and spending, helping you understand your options while putting the agreed upon next steps into motion.
Adjust as Retirement Unfolds
We revisit your plan as your needs and circumstances change, helping you consider new decisions without losing sight of the bigger picture.
Know Where You Stand. Keep Moving Forward.
A retirement plan should help with the decisions you're making now and adapt as life unfolds.
Start With Your Life
We get to know your household, your finances, and what you're hoping retirement will look like. Your priorities help determine which questions we work through first.
Turn the Questions Into a Plan
We connect your income, investments, taxes, and spending, helping you understand your options while putting the agreed upon next steps into motion.
Adjust as Retirement Unfolds
We revisit your plan as your needs and circumstances change, helping you consider new decisions without losing sight of the bigger picture.
Know Where You Stand. Keep Moving Forward.
A retirement plan should help with the decisions you're making now and adapt as life unfolds.
Start With Your Life
We get to know your household, your finances, and what you're hoping retirement will look like. Your priorities help determine which questions we work through first.
Turn the Questions Into a Plan
We connect your income, investments, taxes, and spending, helping you understand your options while putting the agreed upon next steps into motion.
Adjust as Retirement Unfolds
We revisit your plan as your needs and circumstances change, helping you consider new decisions without losing sight of the bigger picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about retirement planning.
How do I know whether I have enough to retire?
Your savings balance is an important factor, but it’s not the only one. We also consider your spending habits, income sources, taxes, healthcare costs, and how long your funds will need to sustain you. By comparing different scenarios, we can identify what your plan relies on and where you have room for flexibility.
Can you help if I'm already retired?
Yes. We help retirees manage retirement decisions, including withdrawals, investment account rebalancing, required minimum distributions, family gifts, and changing expenses. We begin by evaluating your current situation and identifying what requires attention next.
Can we plan for different retirement dates as a couple?
Yes. We can explore how different timelines affect your household income, benefits, and withdrawals. The conversation also includes what each of you wants from this next stage of life.
Will you help me decide which accounts to withdraw from?
Yes. We consider your income needs, account types, investments, and tax picture together. The approach can change from year to year as your circumstances change.
How does retirement planning connect with my estate plan?
We consider your own spending goals alongside what you hope to give or leave to others. We coordinate the financial decisions with your attorney and tax professional, where appropriate.
How does Trailhead charge for retirement planning?
Our wealth management fees are based on assets we manage. We also offer flat-fee engagements for certain complex situations. We'll explain the scope and fees for your relationship before you decide to work with us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about retirement planning.
How do I know whether I have enough to retire?
Your savings balance is an important factor, but it’s not the only one. We also consider your spending habits, income sources, taxes, healthcare costs, and how long your funds will need to sustain you. By comparing different scenarios, we can identify what your plan relies on and where you have room for flexibility.
Can you help if I'm already retired?
Yes. We help retirees manage retirement decisions, including withdrawals, investment account rebalancing, required minimum distributions, family gifts, and changing expenses. We begin by evaluating your current situation and identifying what requires attention next.
Can we plan for different retirement dates as a couple?
Yes. We can explore how different timelines affect your household income, benefits, and withdrawals. The conversation also includes what each of you wants from this next stage of life.
Will you help me decide which accounts to withdraw from?
Yes. We consider your income needs, account types, investments, and tax picture together. The approach can change from year to year as your circumstances change.
How does retirement planning connect with my estate plan?
We consider your own spending goals alongside what you hope to give or leave to others. We coordinate the financial decisions with your attorney and tax professional, where appropriate.
How does Trailhead charge for retirement planning?
Our wealth management fees are based on assets we manage. We also offer flat-fee engagements for certain complex situations. We'll explain the scope and fees for your relationship before you decide to work with us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about retirement planning.
How do I know whether I have enough to retire?
Your savings balance is an important factor, but it’s not the only one. We also consider your spending habits, income sources, taxes, healthcare costs, and how long your funds will need to sustain you. By comparing different scenarios, we can identify what your plan relies on and where you have room for flexibility.
Can you help if I'm already retired?
Yes. We help retirees manage retirement decisions, including withdrawals, investment account rebalancing, required minimum distributions, family gifts, and changing expenses. We begin by evaluating your current situation and identifying what requires attention next.
Can we plan for different retirement dates as a couple?
Yes. We can explore how different timelines affect your household income, benefits, and withdrawals. The conversation also includes what each of you wants from this next stage of life.
Will you help me decide which accounts to withdraw from?
Yes. We consider your income needs, account types, investments, and tax picture together. The approach can change from year to year as your circumstances change.
How does retirement planning connect with my estate plan?
We consider your own spending goals alongside what you hope to give or leave to others. We coordinate the financial decisions with your attorney and tax professional, where appropriate.
How does Trailhead charge for retirement planning?
Our wealth management fees are based on assets we manage. We also offer flat-fee engagements for certain complex situations. We'll explain the scope and fees for your relationship before you decide to work with us.
Keep Exploring
How Much Do I Actually Need to Retire? (A More Honest Answer)
Most people aim higher than they need to. A more honest look at the number, and why the 4% rule isn't the end of the conversation.
Morgan Ranstrom, CFA, CFP®, CEPA®
Structuring Early Retirement Income to Pay 0% in Capital Gains Taxes
Keep taxable income low in the first years of retirement and long-term gains can be taxed at zero. A worked example.
Morgan Ranstrom, CFA, CFP®, CEPA®
What’s the #1 Risk to Retirement?
Inflation and market swings get all the attention. The bigger risk is retiring without a plan that accounts for either.
Morgan Ranstrom, CFA, CFP®, CEPA®
Keep Exploring
How Much Do I Actually Need to Retire? (A More Honest Answer)
Most people aim higher than they need to. A more honest look at the number, and why the 4% rule isn't the end of the conversation.
Morgan Ranstrom, CFA, CFP®, CEPA®
Structuring Early Retirement Income to Pay 0% in Capital Gains Taxes
Keep taxable income low in the first years of retirement and long-term gains can be taxed at zero. A worked example.
Morgan Ranstrom, CFA, CFP®, CEPA®
Keep Exploring
How Much Do I Actually Need to Retire? (A More Honest Answer)
Most people aim higher than they need to. A more honest look at the number, and why the 4% rule isn't the end of the conversation.
Morgan Ranstrom, CFA, CFP®, CEPA®
Structuring Early Retirement Income to Pay 0% in Capital Gains Taxes
Keep taxable income low in the first years of retirement and long-term gains can be taxed at zero. A worked example.
Morgan Ranstrom, CFA, CFP®, CEPA®
What’s the #1 Risk to Retirement?
Inflation and market swings get all the attention. The bigger risk is retiring without a plan that accounts for either.
Morgan Ranstrom, CFA, CFP®, CEPA®
Let's Talk About What's Ahead
Whether retirement is a few years away or already here, let's talk about what you want your money to make possible and the questions standing in your way.
Let's Talk About What's Ahead
Whether retirement is a few years away or already here, let's talk about what you want your money to make possible and the questions standing in your way.
Let's Talk About What's Ahead
Whether retirement is a few years away or already here, let's talk about what you want your money to make possible and the questions standing in your way.