Financial Planning, Oriented Around One Question.
Every area of financial planning rotates around a single core question: what are your goals and when do you need the money? Get that center right, and the seven surrounding disciplines fall into place.
All planning topics
This page is the front door — goals first, then the timeline. Every specialty topic underneath it is one click away, and the full hub lives at /planning-hub.
The Center: Goals & Timeline
Before we talk about stocks, bonds, Roth conversions, or pension options, we ask two questions:
- What are your goals?
- When do you need the money?
A 35-year-old saving for a house in 2030 is playing a completely different game than a 62-year-old retiring in 2027 who needs income for 30 years. Same advisor, same tools, opposite strategies. The center dictates the outer ring.
The Seven Planning Areas
💰 Cash Flow & Debt
Monthly income vs. expenses. Emergency fund of 3–6 months. Debt snowball or avalanche. Home down payment, car, credit cards. The foundation — if cash flow is broken, everything else is theater.
🏖️ Retirement Income
Defined benefit plans (CalSTRS, CalPERS, LAPD/LAFD, cash-balance), 403(b), 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA, annuities, Social Security timing. Drawdown strategy. Sequence-of-returns risk. Monte Carlo stress testing. Pension max →
📊 Tax Strategy
Roth conversions during 62–72 window. RMD management. Withdrawal order. QCDs for charitable retirees. IRMAA management. Tax-efficient withdrawal →
📜 Estate & Legacy
Revocable trust, pour-over will, POA, healthcare directive, beneficiary designations. Avoiding CA probate. Step-up basis. SECURE Act planning. Estate planning →
🛡️ Risk & Insurance
Term + permanent life. Long-term care. Disability. Umbrella. Property. Five types of life insurance. Income replacement. Life insurance → · LTC →
🎓 Education Funding
529 plans, Coverdell ESAs, UGMA/UTMA, scholarships. FAFSA strategy. Balancing your retirement vs. their college. "You can't borrow for retirement, but you can borrow for college."
🏠 Major Purchases
Home, second home, car, business, wedding. Mortgage strategy. Interest-rate sensitivity. Timing vs. compounding tradeoffs. Mortgage guide →
Portfolio & Risk (Cross-Cutting)
Modern Portfolio Theory. Efficient frontier. Risk tolerance. MPT → · Sequence risk → · Risk quiz →
Defined Benefit Plans — The Most Underrated Pillar of a Plan
Most Americans only have a 401(k) — a defined contribution plan where you bear the market risk, the longevity risk, and the drawdown decision. A defined benefit (DB) plan flips that: the plan sponsor promises a specific monthly check for life, and the sponsor carries the investment and longevity risk. For the right client, layering a DB plan on top of everything else is the single highest-value planning move we make.
Public-Sector DB (CalSTRS, CalPERS, LAPD, LAFD)
If you're a teacher or public employee, you already have a DB plan — and the election you make at retirement (Unmodified, Option 2W, Option 3W, Option 4, lump-sum cash-out) is a one-time, irreversible decision worth six or seven figures of lifetime income. Our pension max framework compares the spread between the max benefit and the joint-survivor benefit against the cost of a term life policy that replaces the same survivor income. Done right, it can add $100K+ of lifetime income to the household.
Private-Practice / Business Owner DB
If you're a high-income professional — doctor, dentist, attorney, consultant — a cash-balance defined benefit plan layered on top of a 401(k) lets you deduct $200K–$350K per year pre-tax (age-dependent, actuarial). For a 50-year-old doctor in the 37% bracket, that's $75K–$125K/yr in federal tax savings alone, while building a guaranteed retirement income stream. We coordinate with your TPA to build the actuarial projection and integrate it with the rest of the plan.
Example: Same Advisor, Three Clients
| Client | Goal | Timeline | Strategy Rotates To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher, age 38 | House down payment + long-horizon wealth | 3 yrs (house) / 27 yrs (retire) | HYSA + short Treasuries for the house fund. Passive dividend portfolio (SCHD/VYM core + quality-dividend ETFs) for the CalSTRS supplement bucket — reinvest distributions for 25+ yrs. |
| LAPD, age 54 | Retire at 57 with $8K/mo for life | 3-yr decumulation start | Defined benefit pension election (Option 2W/3W joint-survivor vs. Unmodified + life) + pension max + bond ladder + 70/30 portfolio for the taxable supplement. |
| Doctor, age 42 | $5M at 65 + kids' college | 23 years | Cash-balance defined benefit plan (own practice, ~$200–300K/yr tax-deductible contributions) + aggressive 529 + backdoor Roth + 90/10 equity. |
Start where every plan should start.
Book a 15-minute discovery call. We'll map your goals and timeline first — then every other conversation becomes useful. No sales pitch, no product push. Just clarity about the center of your plan.
