Resources for Greater Austin pre retirees

Clear questions for the road to retirement. Start with the decision in front of you.

Use these short guides to organize what you know, identify what still needs attention, and prepare for a more useful planning conversation.

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Retirement planning articles

Read one topic at a time.

Each guide focuses on questions to consider. The right answer depends on your household, accounts, benefits, tax situation, and retirement timeline.

01

From paycheck to retirement income

Five questions that help turn a collection of accounts and benefits into an income plan.

Read the guide
02

What to compare before claiming Social Security

A practical framework for discussing timing, household needs, and the role of other income.

Read the guide
03

Planning for healthcare around retirement

Questions to review before leaving employer coverage and as Medicare eligibility approaches.

Read the guide

Retirement income

From paycheck to retirement income

A five question starting point for households preparing to leave work.

A retirement date becomes more useful when it is connected to a plan for monthly spending and a clear sequence for where income may come from.

Start with the household, not the accounts

Estimate the spending you expect after work income stops. Separate ongoing needs from occasional costs, such as travel, home repairs, or helping family. Then compare that spending with income that may arrive automatically and withdrawals you may need to create.

  • 01What will your household likely spend in an ordinary month?
  • 02Which income sources begin automatically, and when?
  • 03Which accounts may fund the first years of retirement?
  • 04How could taxes affect the amount available to spend?
  • 05What would change if markets fall near your retirement date?
A useful plan connects spending, income timing, account withdrawals, taxes, and investment risk. Review the pieces together before setting the date.

Social Security

What to compare before claiming

Timing is one part of a larger household income decision.

Social Security decisions are easier to evaluate when they are viewed alongside work plans, savings, household health, and the income needs of both spouses.

Compare complete scenarios

Rather than focusing on one monthly benefit amount, compare how more than one filing date could affect the household plan. Include the income needed before benefits begin and the accounts that may cover that period.

  • 01Do you expect to keep working after benefits begin?
  • 02How would each filing date affect other withdrawals?
  • 03How do the two spouses’ decisions work together?
  • 04What assumptions are you making about health and longevity?
  • 05Have taxes been included in the comparison?
Benefit rules and individual circumstances can change the analysis. Confirm current information and review your specific situation before filing.

Healthcare planning

Planning around employer coverage and Medicare

Coverage timing deserves a place in the retirement plan.

Leaving work can change health coverage before the rest of the retirement plan is ready. Review how each family member may be covered, when current benefits end, and which costs belong in the spending estimate.

Map the transition before leaving work

Write down the date employer coverage ends and the date each household member expects to become eligible for Medicare. If there is a gap, identify the coverage options you plan to evaluate and the costs that may affect the retirement budget.

  • 01When does each person’s current coverage end?
  • 02Is there a gap before Medicare eligibility?
  • 03Which premiums and out of pocket costs belong in the budget?
  • 04Do ongoing prescriptions or providers affect the options you will compare?
  • 05Who will help confirm enrollment steps and current rules?
Healthcare and Medicare choices depend on individual circumstances and current program rules. Use this guide to organize questions, then confirm the details with the appropriate coverage professional.

Bring your questions

Turn the reading into a planning conversation.

Talk with Michael about your retirement timeline, the decisions that still feel unclear, and whether a planning relationship makes sense.

Request an introductory conversation