Retirement Planning Case Studies
Retirement Planning Case Study: The Estate Plan Update that Keeps Getting Pushed to "Next Time"
Most people have a retirement income plan. Far fewer have estate documents that actually reflect their life today. This case study follows a couple with a solid financial plan, a Roth conversion strategy, and an estate plan from 2009 that hadn't been touched since their youngest was in middle school. When we finally looked closely, a rollover IRA still listed a deceased beneficiary, a coastal vacation property existed outside any legal document, and nobody had a healthcare directive. Here's what closing that gap actually looked like - and why it mattered.
Retirement Planning Case Study: Retiring Together Before Medicare with $1.1 million and no pension
A lumber industry manager and his recently retired wife wondered if they could both leave the workforce before Medicare age ~ with no pensions, a mostly pre-tax portfolio, and an assumed monthly expense in retirement that turned out to be wrong. Through ACA subsidy planning, coordinated Social Security timing, a pre-retirement Roth conversion, and a deliberate 16-month extension that let them retire debt-free at 63, we built a plan where portfolio withdrawals drop to zero by age 68 - replaced entirely by Social Security income until RMDs begin years later.
Retirement Planning Case Study: Tax Planning for an Oregon Couple with PERS
An Oregon couple nearing retirement worried he’d need to work until 67 and didn’t understand how PERS, Social Security, taxes, or debts fit together. Through coordinated pension and Social Security timing, debt payoff, tax-efficient portfolio work, and a long-term Roth conversion plan, we showed they could retire together at 64 and 62 with lower lifetime taxes and a more flexible, resilient retirement plan.
Retirement Planning Case Study: Retiring Before Medicare Age as a Self-Employed Therapist
A 60-year-old self-employed therapist planned to retire at 64 but was unsure she could afford it. After analyzing her income, savings, PERS-free benefits, ACA options, Social Security timing, and tax exposure, we built a coordinated plan using guardrails withdrawals, Roth conversions, and a moderate investment shift—showing she could retire confidently and strengthen her long-term financial outlook.