5 Reasons to Hire a Financial & Tax Planner in Retirement

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As a retiree or someone approaching retirement, you’re shifting from saving and building wealth to living off what you’ve accumulated. This stage is less about chasing returns and more about making sure your money lasts, your taxes are controlled, and your financial decisions align with the life you want. Mistakes at this point can be costly and hard to reverse. That’s where a financial and tax planner steps in.

Instead of trying to piece together advice from articles, friends, or headlines, you get a coordinated plan tailored to your situation. A planner helps you transition smoothly into retirement, protect your income, and make confident decisions about taxes, investments, healthcare, and your legacy.

1. Tax-Efficient Withdrawals

How and when you take money from retirement accounts matters. A planner can:

• Coordinate withdrawals between taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free accounts.
• Reduce your lifetime tax bill by managing Roth conversions and required minimum distributions (RMDs).
• Keep you in the lower brackets by spreading income across years instead of facing spikes.

Related: Our Process for Reviewing Your Tax Plan​

2. Protecting Income Streams

Retirement income should feel predictable. A planner helps you:

• Match your income to your lifestyle expenses.
• Balance guaranteed income sources (like Social Security or pensions) with investments.
• Structure portfolios to generate cash flow without taking unnecessary risks.

Related: How to Build a Sustainable Retirement Income Plan​

3. Managing Healthcare Costs

Healthcare can be one of the largest retirement expenses. A planner provides strategies to:

• Cover Medicare premiums, long-term care, and supplemental insurance.
• Build reserves for medical costs without derailing your retirement plan.
• Use tax-advantaged accounts (like HSAs) effectively.

4. Estate and Legacy Planning

Passing assets to your family or charities requires planning. A financial and tax planner can:

• Coordinate wills, trusts, and beneficiary designations.
• Help minimize estate taxes and probate delays.
• Align your financial legacy with your personal goals.

Related: Donor Advised Funds: A Unique Way to Give (and Save on Taxes)​

5. Peace of Mind and Professional Oversight

Markets change, tax laws shift, and personal situations evolve. A planner:

• Reviews and adjusts your plan regularly.
• Identifies risks you may overlook, from inflation to tax law sunsets.
• Acts as your financial partner so you don’t carry the burden alone.

Final Thoughts

Retirement is the point where the financial decisions you’ve made throughout your career start paying off. But it’s also the time when mistakes are hardest to fix. A financial and tax planner gives you structure, foresight, and a partner who helps protect what you’ve built.

Hiring the right advisor isn’t about beating the market—it’s about keeping more of your money, creating a reliable income, managing risks, and feeling confident that your plan is working for you. The result is more than numbers on a spreadsheet: it’s knowing you can enjoy retirement without second-guessing every financial move.

Related: The Real Value of Partnering with a Great Advisor​