Our approach
Planning built for complexity.
Financial planning at SRL is deeply personal. We don't hand you a software printout and call it a plan. We sit with you, ask the questions others miss, and build a strategy that accounts for the full complexity of your financial life — income, assets, liabilities, tax exposure, family circumstances, health, and long-term legacy.
We use professional financial planning software and risk tolerance tools to model scenarios, stress-test assumptions, and illustrate trade-offs clearly. But the real value is in the conversation — and in having an adviser who knows you well enough to ask the right questions.
Focus areas
We model your retirement picture from multiple angles — Social Security optimization, IRA and 401(k) distribution strategy, required minimum distributions, pension coordination, and sustainable withdrawal rates — so you can retire with confidence and clarity.
Taxes are often the largest single expense over an investor's lifetime — and one of the most controllable. We work alongside your CPA to coordinate tax-efficient investing, Roth conversion strategies, tax-loss harvesting, asset location across account types, and year-end planning. Our goal is to help you keep more of what you earn. We do not prepare tax returns, but we proactively flag opportunities and coordinate with your tax professionals so nothing falls through the cracks.
A well-constructed investment portfolio can be significantly diminished by poor estate planning. We help ensure your financial plan and your estate plan work together seamlessly. This includes reviewing beneficiary designations on all accounts and insurance policies, coordinating with your estate attorney on trust structures, titling of assets, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. We help you think through wealth transfer strategies — including gifting programs, charitable giving vehicles, and legacy planning — so your assets pass to the people and causes you care about, as efficiently as possible. Estate planning is a team effort, and we play an active role in connecting the right professionals.
Healthcare costs are among the most underestimated risks in retirement planning. We incorporate Medicare planning, long-term care insurance analysis, and elder care cost projections into your financial plan, helping you and your family make informed decisions before a crisis forces them.
Social Security is one of the most consequential — and most misunderstood — decisions in retirement planning. The timing of when you claim can mean a difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars over your lifetime. We help you think through the full range of factors: your health and longevity expectations, spousal benefit coordination, the impact of working while claiming, and how Social Security interacts with your overall retirement income picture. For clients with questions about Medicare enrollment and supplement planning, our team includes Alex Petronella, who specializes in Social Security timing, Medicare, and related coverage decisions. Meet Alex →
We review your existing coverage — life, disability, long-term care — to identify gaps and redundancies. Our goal is to make sure the risks in your life are appropriately covered, not over- or under-insured, so your financial plan isn't derailed by the unexpected.
How we work
We start with a thorough review of your complete financial picture — income, assets, debts, insurance, estate documents, tax returns, and goals. Nothing is left out.
Using professional planning software, we model your current trajectory and alternatives, stress-test assumptions, and present clear recommendations across all planning areas.
We work with your CPA, estate attorney, insurance agents, and other advisers to ensure everyone is aligned and your plan is implemented correctly.
Life changes. We revisit your plan regularly — and proactively when major events occur — to keep your strategy current and on track.
What's included
- Comprehensive financial plan with scenario modeling
- Retirement income projections and Social Security optimization
- Tax-efficient investment strategy and Roth conversion analysis
- Estate plan review and beneficiary designation audit
- Wealth transfer and gifting strategy coordination
- Charitable giving and legacy planning
- Medicare and long-term care planning
- Insurance needs analysis — life, disability, long-term care
- Social Security timing strategy and benefit optimization
- Medicare planning and supplement coordination
- Risk tolerance assessment and ongoing reassessment
- Coordination with CPA, estate attorney, and other professionals
- Financial planning software and secure client portal access