How we help?
HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO RETIRE?
With pensions dwindling, cuts to Social Security, and skyrocketing costs of living, the question on the minds of many older adults is “How much do I need to retire?”
The answer depends on several factors, including the number of dependents for which you are responsible, the standard of living you would like to maintain, the cost of living in a particular region, and many more. At Meridian Retirement Solutions, we guide you through these complex factors to develop a personalized retirement income planning strategy that works for your long term goals.
WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL PORTFOLIOS
Led by the renowned expertise of Larry Goldstein, our Boca Raton retirement planning firm develops one-on-one relationships with each client, while offering the same high-quality services as corporate giants. We encourage all residents in the Boca Raton area to visit our office and discuss retirement planning, wealth management, Social Security, and any other questions they may have related to their long-term retirement plan.
After securing your retirement income, our experts at Meridian Retirement Solutions will help you maximize the money market portion of your portfolio. This allows you to continue building wealth without taking risks that could compromise the security of your future. The earlier you begin planning for retirement and developing an investment portfolio, the less you will have to worry about your future financial needs.
OUR STRATEGY IS SIMPLE:
Ensure Your Retirement Income On A Monthly Schedule.
Manage The Remainder Of Your Assets To Support Aggressive Growth.
Enjoy A Carefree Retirement Without Financial Worries.
EXPLORE OUR OPPORTUNITIES
SOCIAL SECURITY MAXIMIZATION
When you apply for Social Security retirement benefits for the first time, you may not give much thought to the precise monthly amount you’ll begin receiving. However, the decision to claim Social Security benefits at 62 instead of 67 or 70 (or vice versa) can mean leaving thousands of dollars on the table, depending on your personal circumstances. These factors include your non-Social Security income, your net worth, your family history and longevity, and how your current salary stacks up against past years’ earnings.
For example, someone who waits until 70 to claim these benefits and passes away at 72 will wind up receiving only a fraction of the benefits they would have received if they had claimed these benefits at 62. Someone who claims their benefits at a relatively young age and then lives for another several decades might have realized more benefits by waiting a few years to receive the higher amount. Asking the question, “How much Social Security will I get?” before you decide to make a claim — and fitting the answer into your budget and retirement spending plan — will ensure you never feel the financial squeeze in retirement.
Although knowing the average Social Security benefit by age can be useful as a ballpark estimate, determining “How much does Social Security pay?” in a specific situation will depend on your earning history. You can get a fairly accurate read on your future Social Security payments by looking at your last Social Security benefits statement or using an online Social Security estimator. These tools can help you answer the question with confidence, while Meridian Retirement Solutions can work with you on maximizing Social Security.
RETIREMENT INCOME PLANNING
Our approach is simple but unique:
Develop a lifetime income plan that each of our clients can use as a foundation or a stepping stone that has reliable, sustainable income for life.
Look at all strategies for Social Security maximization, including a complimentary report in partnership with Dr. Laurence Kotlikoff, America’s foremost expert on Social Security.
Manage the remainder of your portfolio to support growth, while incorporating stop-loss strategies to try removing emotion from your investment decisions.
EFFICIENT TAX PLANNING
Most advisors and accountants are not focused on minimizing your tax obligations throughout your lifetime. Most people who’ve accumulated a good portion of their wealth in IRAs or 401(k)s become partners for life with the IRS, and not by choice! Unfortunately, many people are not given proper long-term tax advice. We are keenly focused on tax efficiencies, since it’s not about what you’ve accumulated in wealth — it’s about what you keep throughout your life. We explore ROTH IRA option conversions with all our clients.
LONG-TERM CARE PLANNING
With the cost of a semi-private or private room in a nursing home topping $8,821 per month in 20201, being able to protect against increasing costs has become more important than ever. Whether you saved diligently during your working life or were still playing catch-up at retirement, paying out-of-pocket for nursing or assisted living care for yourself and/or your spouse in retirement can spend down even the healthiest of nest eggs.
When planning for retirement, it’s easy to overlook long-term care insurance. After all, no one wants to imagine a day when they may not be able to care for themselves. But purchasing long-term care insurance, or LTC, is a key component in a comprehensive financial plan; people are living longer than ever, the cost of care is increasing, and Medicare doesn’t cover the costs of long-term care. It just makes sense to protect yourself — and your estate — by planning ahead for what can be a significant cost.
Thinking about LTC insurance now can save you a lot later. Investing in the right policy will protect you in the future by providing benefits when you might need care. And even if you don’t use those benefits, your estate will receive the policy value, tax-free. Now is the time to plan ahead and mitigate future risk.
1 Genworth. 2020. Cost of Care Survey. https://www.genworth.com/aging-and-you/finances/cost-of-care.html. Accessed June 1, 2021.
INVESTING
Larry and the team at Meridian will help and empower you to build a sound investment portfolio, so when you retire, you can stay retired. All investment advice is approached from a risk management, asset preservation perspective. The most important question to ask yourself is: “What is most important to me over the next few years: Outperforming the stock market or meeting my family’s income needs over the next 10, 20, 30+ years?”