Frequently Asked Questions
We understand that retirement planning comes with a lot of questions. Here are the ones we hear most often.
Frequently Asked Questions for Retirement Planning
This is the #1 concern among retirees. We focus on creating a reliable stream of income through fixed index annuities and conservative investment strategies, helping to ensure you have financial security throughout your lifetime.
Transforming savings into consistent monthly income requires a shift in strategy. We employ distribution strategies such as income annuities and structured withdrawal plans, tailored to your specific lifestyle needs, to offer predictable monthly payouts.
At this stage of life, preserving what you’ve built becomes more important than chasing high returns. We utilize loss mitigation strategies like fixed index annuities and diversified conservative portfolios to mitigate risks and avoid sequence-of-returns issues, helping to safeguard your savings from market volatility.
Fixed index annuities are designed to provide growth opportunities linked to market indices without risking principal losses. They are supported by high-rated insurance companies and often offer lifetime income guarantees. Unlike stocks or mutual funds, they’re not directly invested in the market, so you don’t lose money when markets go down.
Most people don’t realize their retirement accounts are a tax bomb waiting to go off. To help minimize future tax liabilities, we craft strategies including Roth IRA conversions and tax-efficient withdrawal plans, addressing potential tax increases due to Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). Early planning provides more opportunities to mitigate taxes effectively.
RMDs can push you into a higher tax bracket and increase taxation on benefits like Social Security and Medicare. We assess RMD impacts and devise strategic withdrawals and Roth conversions to manage taxes, helping you retain more of your wealth.
A long-term care event can deplete your savings quickly. That’s why we help put protection strategies in place, whether it’s a traditional long-term care policy, asset-based coverage, or annuities with built-in care benefits. Our goal is to help make sure an unexpected health event doesn’t wipe out everything you’ve worked for.
Traditional long-term care insurance might not be necessary for everyone, especially if you're concerned about the cost or qualification. Today’s solutions include life insurance and annuities with long-term care benefits, which can offer flexibility, asset preservation, and guaranteed coverage. We’ll help you evaluate the best options for your specific needs and health history.
Legacy planning is about more than just passing on money, it’s about helping to protect your wishes and minimizing tax burdens. We help you structure your assets to pass efficiently to your heirs using tools like beneficiary planning, tax efficiency strategies, and the creation of trusts through estate planning attorneys. That way, more of your legacy can end up in their hands, not the government’s.
Retirement involves coordinating income, taxes, inflation, healthcare, and more. Our approach offers comprehensive planning by integrating all components, helping to ensure all critical aspects are effectively addressed.
10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Financial Advisor
Because your retirement deserves thorough planning, not guesswork.
The Importance of Selecting the Right Advisor for Your Needs
Whether you're nearing retirement or already enjoying it, selecting a financial advisor may be one of the most important decisions you make. At PGI Financial, we empower clients through education. That’s why we encourage prospective clients to ask these 10 key questions before hiring any advisor — including us.
It's vital to understand that not all advisors adhere to the same standards. As investment adviser representatives (IARs) holding Series 65 industry licenses, we have a fiduciary responsibility to act in our clients' best interest when offering or recommending investment advisory products and services. This means that within our capacity as IARs, we are obligated to disclose any conflicts of interest when offering investment products.
You deserve tailored advice, not generic suggestions. At PGI Financial, we bring decades of experience backed by top-tier designations:
- CLU® (Chartered Life Underwriter): Expertise in advanced insurance strategies.
- ChFC® (Chartered Financial Consultant): Comprehensive financial planning.
- EA (Enrolled Agent): Licensed to provide tax advice and representation to the IRS.
With these professional designations, we are able to provide additional support to address investments, insurance, and taxes, covering all aspects of retirement needs.
The CLU® mark is the property of The American College, which reserves sole rights to its use, and is used by permission. The ChFC® mark is the property of The American College, which reserves sole rights to its use, and is used by permission.
Transparency is our cornerstone. We provide a clear fee schedule along with clear insights into how we earn, be it through flat fees, assets under management, or fixed insurance products.
Certainly. We have a spotless record, no client complaints, no reportable disclosures. You can verify our clean history via the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure tool, https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/.
Paul MacDonald CRD: 2567426; Carissa Shivers CRD: 6827876
Our philosophy works to align your retirement assets with your lifestyle, beyond mere market projections. Through our Bucket Strategy, assets are segmented into:
- Green Bucket: Cash and reserves for emergencies.
- Red Bucket: Market-based growth with managed risks.
- Blue Bucket: Fixed index annuities offering growth potential without market downside.
This strategy helps to ensure your needs are met promptly, today, soon, and later.
The primary concern for retirees is outliving their savings. Therefore, we specialize in guaranteed lifetime income solutions, including fixed index annuities, offering reliable income streams regardless of market fluctuations.
Rather than ignoring taxes, we embrace them. As an Enrolled Agent, our founder is federally certified to provide tax advice. We help clients make informed decisions about Roth conversions, RMDs, Social Security timing, and other strategies to help reduce lifetime tax liability.
Our approach isn’t “set it and forget it.” Based on your asset level and preferences, we meet quarterly, semi-annually, or annually to review progress, update plans, and discuss life changes. Additionally, you’ll receive:
- A tailored Financial Portfolio Binder
- A legacy planning guide: “Making Things Easy for My Family”
- Bi-monthly printed newsletters
- Weekly email updates and market alerts
- Invitations to exclusive client appreciation events (3–4 annually)
Retirement encompasses more than money. We prepare you for contingencies, such as unexpected healthcare costs, and work to ensure that your legacy unfolds precisely as intended. From document organization to beneficiary strategies, we support your complete retirement picture.
We're more than planners; we're individuals upholding values — rooted in military service, Christian faith, and community giving. When you visit our office, you’ll see our PGI Cares wall, featuring our team actively engaging in donating time and resources to meaningful causes.
We aim not only to help you retire the way you’ve envisioned, but also to help you retire with confidence.
Let’s Discuss Your Path to a Confident Retirement
If you’re ready to explore a distinct financial relationship built on trust, strategy, and service, we invite you to schedule a no-obligation visit. No pressure or sales pitch, just a conversation that could change everything.
Insurance products are offered through the insurance business PGI Financial Services. PGI Financial Services is also an investment advisory practice that offers products and services through AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM), a Registered Investment Adviser. AEWM does not offer insurance products. The insurance products offered by PGI Financial Services are not subject to investment advisor requirements.
Ready to take
The Next Step?
For more information about any of our products and services, schedule a meeting today or register to attend a seminar.
Or give us a call at 843.284.0370.
