"My wife and I are in our mid-50s, With our two children out of the house and starting families of their own, we would like to consider retirement in the near future; however, we have several concerns about the changes in the Health Care industry and the volatility of the stocl market. We are apprehensive of taking on too much risk, but we are worried that we may not have enough saved to retire, and that once we do, our nest egg will not last. We are anxious to move forward in the next phase of our life together, but would like professional guidance on how to achieve the retirement we’ve always dreamed of."

Oftentimes, when we enter this stage of our lives, our primary focus tends to shift from striving to meet the direct needs of our families back to supporting ourselves and our future as individuals. The transition may sometimes be overwhelming – We now face questions such as:

• "How soon will I be able to retire?"
• "I have been trying to save for the future, but will it really be enough for me to live on for the rest of my life?"
• "What will happen to my health insurance if I retire?"
• "The stock market has been erratic these days. Is my portfolio taking on too much risk?"

Our objective in working with Empty Nesters is to facilitate the reassessment of their financial needs and goals as they enter this new phase in their lives, and together-develop a feasible plan in fulfilling them.

For some clients, considering these issues can be a daunting task. Oftentimes however, they are surprised to discover that, with our straightforward guidance, reaching their goals may be easier than they thought.

"John and I retired last year after turning age 65 and we are living on his pension and our Social Security checks. However, we know that we will need to start drawing from our investments in the near future as our retirement severance is almost gone. We assumed after years of investing with our financial advisor, that our retirement savings would be enough to last. We are becoming concerned that he is no longer listening to our doubts about investing in the volatile stock market. Over the last 12 years, we have seen our account bounce all over the place, but we feel that we are only a little ahead of where we started with our advisor. I often fear that any long-term illness or a sudden accident would be enough to drain our entire life savings."

Many retirees, such as the one describing her situation above, face difficult questions, such as:

• "I've saved for so many years, but it may not be enough. Will I outlive my investments?"
• "How can I ensure my assets are passed on according to my wishes?"
• "I'd like to put some money aside for my grandchildren. Am I able to do that and still retire comfortably?"
• "I am confused about the new health care laws and am worried that I may need coverage. How can I find out more?"

Our first priority in helping retirees is to listen to their concerns, answer their questions and then design an individualized financial roadmap to achieving their retirement dreams.

"I am a self-employed design consultant who manages every aspect of my business from marketing to sales. While I enjoy being my own boss, I am concerned that, as a sole proprietor, I may be exposing myself and my assets to financial risk by not taking the appropriate precautions. As I get older, I worry that I might literally lose my house if I am ever sued, or that a debilitating illness or injury might render me unable to work - forcing me to close my business. I'd like to begin putting aside savings for my retirement, but each year my income taxes seem to go up, making it difficult to adjust. I am searching for ways to reduce my risk as an entrepreneur and work towards building my retirement savings. I am just not sure where to begin."

As a sole proprietor, managing a successful company is hard, but finding the appropriate means to protect it may be even more difficult. We understand how easy it may be for business owners become overwhelmed when considering daunting questions such as these:

• "What can I do to protect my personal assets?"
• "My company provides my family's income. What will happen if I am ever unable to work?"
• "My budget is tight. Is it possible to save money on my income taxes?"
• "Am I able to save for retirement without a traditional 401(k) plan?"
• "What will happen to my business if I pass away?"

Our goal in partnering with sole proprietors is to help ease this anxiety. Each client's situation is unique - and we are dedicated to providing individualized plans for achieving your specific financial goals.

"After working locally in the construction industry for almost 20 years, I decided to establish my own company which, despite the economy, has done fairly well and continues to be my family's primary source of income. Although my business is small (currently employing eight individuals), I am grateful for our continued success and would like to learn more about how to protect it. I need a plan in place to ensure that there will be no lasting (and costly) disruption in the operation of my company in the event of something unexpected, such as the loss of my business partner. My wife and I want to be able to save for our grand-children's education, as well as our retirement, but are unsure of how much investment risk we are willing to take."

Our goal in partnering with Small Business Owners is to help answer some of these difficult questions:

• "What can I do to protect my business interests?"
• "Are there ways to reward my employees without over-spending my budget?"
• "How much should I be saving for my retirement?"
• "What will happen to my business if I am suddenly unable to work?"

We aim to provide individualized solutions for your success and the security of your business.