Insights
What Does a Retirement Readiness Review Actually Look Like?Most people avoid scheduling a financial consultation because they don't know what to expect.Here's exactly what happens in a Retirement Readiness Review with our team — no fluff, no sales pressure.The first 10 minutes — We listen.Where are you in your timeline? What's keeping you up at night? What does retirement actually look like to you? We don't start with spreadsheets. We start with your situation.The next 15 minutes — We assess.We look at your income sources, your savings, your projected expenses, and any major decisions on the horizon — Social Security timing, 401(k) rollover, pension elections, healthcare coverage.The final 5 minutes — We tell you where you stand.Honest, direct feedback. Are you on track? What gaps exist? What decisions are most urgent? You leave with clarity — not a folder full of brochures.The whole thing takes 30 minutes. It's complimentary. And it's available to anyone in the Clear Lake, Friendswood, League City, or Pearland area who is within 10 years of retirement.We've been doing this in southeast Houston for over 35 years. We're not going to sell you something you don't need.We're going to tell you the truth about where you stand.See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.RetirementPlanning #HoustonBayArea
3 Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisor Before You RetireIf they can't answer all three clearly, keep looking.After working with hundreds of families across the Houston Bay Area, I've noticed a pattern: the people who feel most confident going into retirement are the ones who asked hard questions early.Here are the three I'd start with:1. "What is my sustainable withdrawal rate?"Not a generic answer. Your number — based on your portfolio, your timeline, your Social Security income, and your spending. If they give you a generic "4% rule" without context, push harder.2. "How will you help me minimize taxes in retirement?"Distribution strategy matters as much as accumulation strategy. The order you pull from taxable, tax-deferred, and Roth accounts can mean tens of thousands of dollars over a 20-year retirement.3. "What's your plan if the market drops 30% in my first year of retirement?"Sequence of returns risk is one of the most underappreciated threats to retirement security. A good advisor has a specific answer to this — not just reassurance.If your current advisor answers all three well, great. You're in good hands.If not — or if you don't have an advisor yet — I'd love to be a resource.See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.
The Difference Between Having Money and Having a Retirement PlanI've met people with $1.2M saved who had no idea if they could actually retire.And I've met people with $600,000 who had complete clarity.The difference wasn't the balance. It was the plan.Having money is a starting point. A retirement plan answers the questions that actually keep people up at night:— Can I maintain my lifestyle without running out of money?— What do I do with my 401(k) when I leave my job?— How do I handle healthcare before Medicare?— What order should I pull from my accounts to minimize taxes?— When should my spouse and I claim Social Security?— What happens to my family if something happens to me?A number in an account doesn't answer any of those questions.A plan does.The families we work with across Clear Lake, Friendswood, League City, and Pearland aren't just looking for someone to manage their investments. They're looking for someone to help them connect the dots — so they can retire with confidence, not just hope.If you have the savings but not the plan, that's exactly the conversation I'd love to have.See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.#RetirementPlanning #SocialSecurity #HoustonBayArea
What Happens to Your NASA Pension If You Retire Early?Most aerospace and NASA employees don't ask this question until it's too late.If you're a federal employee or contractor in the Clear Lake area thinking about retiring before your full retirement age, there are a few things you need to understand about your pension:1. FERS supplement vs. Social SecurityIf you retire under FERS before age 62, you may be eligible for a Social Security supplement — but it stops the moment you hit 62, regardless of whether you claim SS. That gap matters.2. The earnings testIf you take the FERS supplement and continue to work, your supplement can be reduced based on earnings. Many people don't plan for this.3. FEHB in retirementYou can keep your federal health benefits in retirement — but only if you've been enrolled for the 5 years immediately before you retire. Timing matters more than most people realize.4. The survivor benefit decisionAt retirement, you'll make a permanent decision about survivor benefits for your spouse. Get this wrong and it can't be undone.These aren't scare tactics. They're decisions that deserve a second set of eyes before you sign anything.If you're a NASA or federal employee in the Houston Bay Area thinking through your retirement timeline, I'm happy to walk through your specific situation.📅 Schedule a complimentary consultation — link in bio.See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.Thrivent financial advisors and professionals have general knowledge of the Social Security tenets. For complete details on your situation, contact the Social Security Administration.#RetirementPlanning #NASAPension #HoustonBayArea
In the years advising families across Clear Lake, League City, Friendswood, and the Greater Houston area, this one mistake shows up more than any other.People confuse having money with having a plan.We've sat across from couples with $800,000 saved who had no idea:— When to claim Social Security— How to bridge healthcare before Medicare at 65— What order to pull from their accounts to minimize taxes— Whether their savings would actually last 25–30 yearsThey had done everything right — saved consistently, maxed their 401(k), stayed the course through market downturns.But they had never built a retirement income plan. Just a retirement savings account.Those are two very different things.The good news: it's never too late to build one. And the earlier you do, the more options you have.If you're within 10 years of retirement and haven't mapped out your income plan yet, that's the conversation to start.📅 Schedule a complimentary Retirement Readiness Review — no obligation, no pressure, just clarity. Link in bio.See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.#RetirementPlanning #HoustonBayArea #FinancialPlanning
