Retirement Planning That Covers Every Decision, Not Just Your Portfolio
Retirement planning is one of the most searched financial topics online — and one of the most misunderstood. Most people arrive at retirement with investment accounts and no coordinated plan for how to use them. Our retirement planning process changes that, one clearly explained step at a time.
What Comprehensive Retirement Planning Actually Includes
A retirement plan is not a portfolio. A portfolio is one component of a plan. Comprehensive retirement planning coordinates your income strategy, Social Security timing, tax situation, required minimum distributions, estate structure, and investment approach into a single integrated picture — so each decision reinforces the others instead of working against them.
Most advisors cover one or two of these areas. We cover all of them, in a structured sequence, with every option explained before any recommendation is made. That is what retirement planning means at Xexis, and it is what separates a real retirement plan from an investment account with a label on it.
Our Four-Step Retirement Planning Process
Step 1
Educate
We feel that you need to completely understand where your money is, what its purpose is, and what you can expect.
Step 2
Analyze
Once you understand, we will analyze your current situation to answer the big question: do I have enough?
Step 3
Strategize
Before we implement anything, we test various strategies on paper to judge their chances of success.”
Step 4
Enjoy
The clients who have gone through our EASE planning all tell us how much they appreciate having a complete understanding of their retirement plan, and how at ease they feel once it’s complete. This allows you to have a confident plan for the future without worry.
What Should a Retirement Plan Cover? Every One of These.
Retirement Income Planning
How do you replace your paycheck when you stop working? Retirement income planning answers that question — coordinating Social Security, portfolio withdrawals, and any other income sources into a monthly cash flow strategy built to last. Learn how we approach retirement income planning.
Social Security Planning
Social Security timing is one of the most consequential decisions you'll make in retirement, and it cannot be undone. We model your break-even, your spouse's benefit, and the household strategy before you claim. Explore our approach to Social Security planning.
401(k) Rollover Guidance
Leaving your employer means deciding what to do with your 401(k). The rollover process is straightforward when handled correctly — and costly when it isn't. We guide clients through 401(k) rollovers step by step, with full attention to the tax implications.
Required Minimum Distributions
Starting at age 73, the IRS requires minimum withdrawals from tax-deferred accounts. Unmanaged, RMDs can push you into a higher tax bracket and reduce what your heirs inherit. Our required minimum distribution planning addresses this years before the distributions begin.
Tax Mitigation Strategies
Retirement is often the best opportunity of your financial life to reduce lifetime taxes. Withdrawal sequencing, Roth conversion windows, and bracket management — coordinated with your CPA — can make a significant difference over a 20 or 30-year retirement. See how our tax mitigation strategies work.
Roth Conversions
The gap between retirement and RMD age is frequently the most valuable Roth conversion window available. We model the right conversion amount, the right year, and the after-tax impact before any dollars move. Learn more about our Roth conversion strategy.
Legacy Planning
What happens to your accounts after you're gone should be a deliberate decision, not a default outcome. We review beneficiary designations, account titling, and inheritance structures as part of every retirement plan. Read about our approach to legacy planning.
Estate Planning Coordination
Your estate plan and your retirement plan need to tell the same story. We coordinate with your estate attorney and other professionals to make sure they do.
How to Plan for Retirement: A Timeline by Age
Ages 50–55 — Build the Foundation
This is the time to get a clear picture of where you stand. Consolidate scattered accounts, understand your projected Social Security benefit, and begin modeling what different retirement dates look like financially. The decisions you make in this window have the most time to compound.
Ages 55–60 — Close the Gaps
Most people in this range are within striking distance of retirement but haven't yet coordinated all the pieces. This is the phase to stress-test your income plan, evaluate your risk exposure, explore Roth conversion opportunities before RMDs begin, and align beneficiary designations with your estate intentions.
Ages 60–65 — Finalize the Plan
Social Security timing becomes an active decision. RMD planning begins in earnest. The investment portfolio shifts its orientation from accumulation toward income and capital preservation. A well-built retirement plan at this stage gives you a specific, defensible answer to the question: when can I retire, and what does that look like?
Ages 65 and Beyond — Execute and Adapt
Retirement is not a static event. Income needs shift, tax laws change, and estate priorities evolve. Ongoing retirement planning means revisiting the plan regularly — adjusting withdrawals, managing RMDs, and coordinating with your estate attorney and CPA as circumstances change.
Not Sure Where Your Portfolio Stands?
Before building a retirement plan, it helps to understand what you're working with. Our complimentary portfolio risk analysis reviews your current holdings against your retirement timeline, income needs, and risk exposure — with no obligation to change anything or work with us afterward.
Frequently Asked Questions About Retirement Planning
How do I create a comprehensive retirement plan?
A comprehensive retirement plan starts with a clear picture of your income needs, account balances, tax situation, and timeline — then coordinates Social Security timing, withdrawal strategy, tax planning, and estate decisions into one integrated structure. The process works best in a structured sequence: understand your situation fully, explore every available option, evaluate the tradeoffs, then implement. Working with a retirement planning advisor ensures nothing is overlooked and every decision is made with full information.
What does retirement planning include?
Retirement planning covers far more than investments. A complete plan addresses retirement income strategy, Social Security timing, 401(k) rollovers, required minimum distributions, tax mitigation, Roth conversions, legacy planning, and estate coordination. Each component affects the others — which is why addressing them in isolation, or only addressing one or two, leaves significant gaps.
What is the retirement planning process with a financial advisor?
At Xexis, the process follows four steps: we educate you on your full retirement picture, walk through every option available to you, examine the pros and cons of each, and then implement the plan you choose — with full confidence and no pressure. The first meeting is a free consultation with no obligation. You leave with more clarity than you arrived with, and you decide what to do next.
What happens during a free consultation?
At Xexis, the process follows four steps: we educate you on your full retirement picture, walk through every option available to you, examine the pros and cons of each, and then implement the plan you choose — with full confidence and no pressure. The first meeting is a free consultation with no obligation. You leave with more clarity than you arrived with, and you decide what to do next.
How do I know when I have enough to retire?
Retirement readiness is a function of several variables: projected income needs, Social Security benefit, portfolio balance, expected withdrawal rate, tax situation, and longevity. There is no universal number. What there is, is a scenario-based analysis that shows what different retirement dates look like financially — which is exactly what we build in our planning process.
What should a retirement plan cover that most advisors miss?
Most generalist advisors focus on investment performance and stop there. A complete retirement plan also addresses tax-efficient withdrawal sequencing, Roth conversion opportunities before RMD age, Social Security claiming strategy for both spouses, beneficiary designation alignment with estate intentions, and coordination between the financial plan and estate documents. These are the areas where costly, irreversible mistakes most often occur.
Retirement Planning in Central Florida and Nationwide
Our retirement planning practice is based in Lake Mary, Florida, and serves clients throughout Central Florida — including Orlando, Sanford, Oviedo, Longwood, and Altamonte Springs. For clients outside of Florida, full-service retirement planning is available via Zoom. The first consultation is always free.
