The Mission Wealth
Insights Blog:
Retirement
Learn how to ensure your retirement income strategy is tax-efficient and sustainable, and how Mission Wealth can help you create a plan that fits your long-term goals.
Retirement Plans for Small Business Owners: Building Long-Term Security for You and Your Team
Learn about the best small business retirement plan options—from 401(k)s to profit-sharing—and discover the 2025–2026 updates including higher contribution limits and the new Roth catch-up rule for high earners.
6 Financial Steps to Take if You’ve Been Impacted by a Corporate Layoff
Facing a corporate layoff? Learn how to navigate severance, benefits, stock options, and retirement planning with guidance from Mission Wealth’s advisors.
Holding On to These Moments: Allyn’s Retirement Story
Allyn Hughes’ retirement story highlights how Mission Wealth’s Inspired Living™ approach helps bring more connection and fulfillment to life’s next chapter.
What Is an Inherited IRA—and How Do You Navigate Withdrawal Rules?
Learn how to navigate inherited IRA withdrawal rules, including the 10-year rule, RMDs, and planning strategies to minimize taxes and avoid penalties.
The Psychology of Moving into a Retirement Home
Moving into a retirement community is a big decision. Learn how to overcome three common mental traps and plan with confidence.
Recent Social Security Updates and What You Should Do Now
Stay ahead of recent Social Security updates, including WEP/GPO repeal, spousal benefit guidance, and SSA staffing changes that may affect your benefits.
Worried About Headlines? Make Diversification Your Buddy!
While every client’s plan is a bit different, ignoring headlines and focusing on the following time-tested principles may help you avoid making shortsighted missteps.
SECURE 2.0 Act: What the New 401(k) Rules Mean for You in 2025
The start of 2025 brought major updates to 401(k) plans, thanks to the SECURE 2.0 Act. Learn the catch-up limits, including a handy age range chart!
Washington Estate Taxes – Planning for State-Level Peculiarities
Curious about how Washington estate taxes differ from federal rules? Here are the keys of Washington’s estate tax system and strategies to protect your legacy.
Tips to Help Aging Parents Manage Financial Decisions
Helping parents manage their finances requires proactive, compassionate planning that considers their overall well-being while protecting their financial security.
IRS Issues Final SECURE Act Regulations: Affects RMDs, Inherited IRAs, and More
On July 18, 2024, the IRS issued final RMD regulations under the SECURE Act and the SECURE 2.0 Act, affecting RMDs, inherited IRAs, and more.
Retirement Plan Considerations at Different Stages of Life
Planning for retirement is a journey that evolves with each stage of your life. Learn how to maximize its benefits at every step.
What Are Incentive Stock Options (ISOs)?
Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) are valuable for employees, offering potential financial rewards and preferential tax treatment. Learn what ISOs are and how they can benefit you.
How to Navigate the Social Security Claiming Maze
Understanding the complexities of social security can lead to better financial outcomes in retirement and when you decide to claim your income.
Smart Moves with Tax-Deferred Retirement Accounts
There are circumstances – particularly for early 60s retirees – where one may benefit by paying more tax now to pay less in lifetime taxation.
Common Misunderstandings of Retirement Planning
Partner and Senior Wealth Advisor, Gary Brooks review some misunderstandings that could greatly improve your retirement planning.
Six Key Factors to Consider as You Plan Your Retirement Investments
There are six core inputs that every retirement plan must include. Learn the inputs and key details to make sure you’re retirement ready.
Maximize College Financial Aid by Boosting Your 401(k) Savings
Discover how strategic 401(k) savings can enhance your college financial aid prospects and secure your family’s educational future.
2023 Year-End Strategic Financial Considerations
As the year draws to a close, it’s time to start thinking about your financial strategy for the upcoming year.
Secure Your Future: Long-Term Care Planning and Retirement
As we celebrate Retirement Security Week, it’s a fitting time to discuss an often-overlooked aspect of retirement planning: long-term care.
SECURE 2.0 – Hidden Rules That Could Impact Your Planning
Three lesser-discussed provisions of the SECURE 2.0 Act that can significantly impact your retirement planning.
Medicare Supplement (Medigap) vs. Medicare Advantage plans
Choosing between Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans and Medicare Advantage requires careful consideration of your specific needs.
Should You Take Social Security at 62?
Determining the right time to start receiving Social Security benefits is a significant decision that can impact your financial future. Here are some key points to consider when contemplating whether...
Retirement Planning: Accessing Funds Before 59 ½ by Understanding 72(t) Payments
Establishing 72(t) distributions, or SEPs, allow you to access IRA retirement funds before the age of 59 ½ without incurring a penalty. Find out more.
Decoding Roth 401(k) and Roth IRA: Key Variations Explained
Planning for retirement involves navigating many different savings options, and two popular choices are the Roth 401(k) and Roth IRA.
Roth IRAs – To Convert, or Not To Convert?
Deciding whether to convert a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA can be a complex financial puzzle, where the pieces of taxation and retirement planning intersect.
How to Maximize Your Social Security Benefits
When it comes time to maximizing your Social Security strategy, there can be several considerations to make, some obvious and others less so.
5 Years to Retirement Age? Here’s 3 Things to Consider Now
Are you approaching retirement in the next 5 years? There are three important updates on the SECURE Act 2.0 that you should know.
SECURE Act 2.0 | What This Means for Your Retirement Savings
The SECURE Act 2.0 was signed into law by President Biden on December 29, 2022. We’ve briefly summarized the most important provisions.
Financial Planning for Military, Veterans, and Federal Employees or Retirees
This Veterans Day, Wealth Advisor Mark Herman discusses the financial and retirement benefits offered to military service members.
Social Security Strategies for Retirement, Survivor, and Disability Benefits
When it comes time to evaluating and selecting an optimal social security collecting strategy, there are a few things to consider.
Celebrating National 401(k) Day with Mission Wealth
While 401(k)s are not the most exciting investment vehicle, they are one of the most effective. On National 401(k) Day, we break down why.
What is the Purpose of Money? Exploring the Longevity Effect
Money is an extremely important part of society that has always been surrounded by questions, myths, and misconceptions. It can be difficult to know how money works, who should have...
How Does Social Security Best Support Your Retirement Plan?
One of the most important retirement plan questions we help our clients answer is, “How can I best use my savings and retirement money?”. We present three ways to incorporate...
How to Put Purpose in Your Financial Planning
One of the most important questions we help our clients answer is, “What’s the money for?” After all, if the purpose of your financial plan was just to keep growing...
The Future of Social Security
Social Security is a pay-as-you-go system, which means today’s workers are paying taxes for the benefits received by today’s retirees. However, demographic trends such as lower birth rates, higher retirement...
10 Years to Retirement Age – Top Five Retirement Considerations
Do you have more than 10 years to go until you retire? We’ve put together our top five things to consider prior to retirement so that your advanced planning can...
How to Convert Savings to Retirement Income
Ensuring adequate and reliable retirement income can be a common challenge. In this article we explore some key considerations if you’re looking to convert savings into retirement income. Read the...
Investment Planning Throughout Retirement
Investment planning throughout retirement is not the same as investing for retirement and, in many ways, is more complicated. This article discusses some important factors that you may wish to...
4 Things to Consider Before You Relocate for Retirement
It can be difficult to decide whether or not to relocate during retirement. This article includes some things to consider, whether you choose to stay where you are now, or...
Saving for Retirement and College at the Same Time
You want to retire comfortably when the time comes. You also want to help your child go to college. So how do you juggle the two? In this article, Jeff...
Rethinking Your Pandemic Charitable Giving Strategy
The pandemic has created economic and health care challenges that continue to stretch our resources. But how does all of this affect how we give charitably? We’ve highlighted our top...
Estate Planning 101: Planning, Preparation and Process
Many of our clients have questions in regards to settling an estate after a loved one has passed. In this article, client Advisor Amanda Thomas shares her Estate Planning journey,...
The Mission Wealth Social Values Portfolio: SRI, ESG and Impact Investing
What is SRI, ESG and Impact investing? In this video, Chief Investment Officer Kieran Osborne describes how the Social Values Portfolio can align and support your values with your investments,...
Should I Start a Business After I Retire?
To start a business after you retire may seem daunting, but there could be more motivation to take action than you might think. The truth is that there’s never a...
Paying the Bills During a Pandemic
Right now millions of Americans are out of work. Read about some smart ways to withdraw funds if they are needed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Designing your Retirement Strategy in a Pandemic
Retirement plans change like your life does. Read about some ways that you can design your retirement plan in a way that best fits your future, and that considers any...
Top Habits for a Successful Retirement – Take the Spending Quiz
We all want a fulfilling retirement experience, but how we achieve that is not always clear. This article shows you the most common habits upheld by successful retirees, and how...
Mission Wealth Retirement Guide
Mission Wealth can provide you with the information you need to help grow your wealth and protect your assets for the future. In this guide, we’ll take you through some...
How to Increase Your Generosity During Retirement
How are you going to get the best, most fulfilling life possible with the money you have once you retire? Many studies have shown that retirees who spend their time...
Wills: The Cornerstone of Your Estate Plan
If you care about what happens to your money, home, and other property after you die, you need to do some estate planning. There are many tools you can use...
How to Phase into Retirement and Take it For a Test Drive
There are many reasons why people who could retire are hesitant to do so. Some people think they need to wait until they’re 65 or older. Some are worried about...
What Is Normal? The Facts and Figures for Retirement Success
Our goal is to help guide clients in making evidence-based financial decisions to support themselves, their family and their charitable / legacy intents to obtain retirement success. Whenever markets trade...
How to Ensure Your Life Wishes Are Granted Through Effective Estate Planning
Legacy planning is often the last piece folks tackle in their financial planning, because it’s the least appealing to think about. But if you put off your legacy planning too...
The Pros and Cons of Retiring Early
A popular online movement wants to make 40 the new 65. FIRE stands for Financial Independence Retire Early. The idea is that by working as hard as you can and...
Are You Ready to Retire?
There’s a pretty good chance that your parents and grandparents retired just because they turned 65. Today’s retirement is a bit more complicated than that. While age is still an...
3 Ways Grandparents Can Help Grandchildren with College Costs
Helping to pay for a grandchild’s college education can bring great personal satisfaction and is a smart way for grandparents to pass on wealth without having to pay gift and...
Master the “Art” of Retirement
Relaxing and sinking your toes in the sand on the beach. Your favorite spot on the sofa in the family room. No more alarm clocks because you want to...
5 Strategies to Budget for Retirement
Over the years we have worked closely with some of our clients to help them create financial plans that meet their needs and in doing so we have developed many...
10 Steps to Successful Retirement Planning
We’ve outlined 10 steps that will help you wrap your mind around the planning necessary to enter and navigate retirement successfully.
The New Way to Leave a Lasting Legacy
Many families today are looking for planning and legacy tools to supplement their traditional estate planning documents. Beyond making sure taxes are paid and distributions transfer smoothly, families care...
Build Your Intentional Retirement Strategy
Author: Seth Streeter, MS, CFP® CEO at Mission Wealth Retirement decisions today are far from a straight line equation. There are many factors that need to be considered as you direct...
Three Stages of Retirement Account Withdrawals
By Brad Stark, MS, CFP® Co-Founder and Chief Compliance Officer  Whenever someone pulls money out of a retirement account (e.g., IRA, 401(k), etc.), they could find themselves subject to...