What Smart Retirees Do Differently

Planning for retirement is more than saving enough money. Once the paychecks stop, you face a new set of challenges: how to create income, manage taxes, protect your savings, and take care of your health and family.

Many people navigate retirement by guessing their way through it. Smart retirees don’t. They follow a plan that gives them confidence, clarity, and flexibility.

Here’s what they do differently:

1. They don’t guess on withdrawals. They follow a clear income plan

Smart retirees don’t pull money from their accounts at random. They know:

• Which accounts to take from first

• How to avoid jumping into a higher tax bracket

• How to limit or avoid IRMAA surcharges

• How to time their withdrawals around Social Security and Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)

This planning helps them avoid big tax bills and keeps their savings working longer.

2. They don’t count on Medicare to cover everything. They plan for health costs.

Medicare is a valuable benefit, but it doesn’t cover everything. It won’t cover dental, vision, or long-term care.

Smart retirees:

• Budget for extra health expenses

• Get the right supplemental insurance

• Plan for the possibility of needing care in the future

Healthcare is one of the most significant expenses in retirement. Smart retirees plan for the unexpected, so a health event doesn’t turn into a financial setback.

3. They don’t leave IRAs to their kids without a plan. They build an estate plan that reduces taxes.

Many people don’t realize their children may have to pay large taxes when they inherit retirement accounts. Due to the Secure Act changes, many heirs now must empty those accounts within 10 years.

Smart retirees:

• Use tools like Roth conversions to pass on tax-free money

• Keep beneficiary forms updated

• Use gifting strategies

• Work with an advisor to create a strategy that protects their family and legacy

Smart retirees don’t just pass on assets, they plan how to leave them wisely.

4. They don’t guess at investment risk. They match their investments to their retirement needs

As retirement begins, your goals shift. You still need growth, but you also need stability and income. Your investment plan in retirement should be different from the one you used while working.

Smart retirees:

• Keep cash or conservative investments for short-term needs

• Invest for growth in accounts they won’t touch for years

• Make sure their investments support their lifestyle

• Adjust their risk as their needs change

The goal in retirement isn’t to beat the market. It’s to support your lifestyle for the next 20–30 years.

Smart retirement is about planning ahead

Retirement doesn’t come with a guidebook. But you don’t have to figure it out alone.

With the right plan, you can:

• Turn your savings into steady income

• Lower your taxes

• Stay prepared for unexpected costs

• Protect the legacy you’ve worked hard to build

  
  

Want to plan like a smart retiree?

If you’re 5 to 10 years away from retirement, or already there, now is the time to make a plan.

Let’s talk about how to build a strategy that gives you confidence, clarity, and control in retirement.

Schedule a meeting here.