A Portfolio Built Around Your Income Plan, Not the Other Way Around
Most investment accounts are built to grow. That is fine when you are 35. When you are 65 and pulling income, growth is only half the job. We manage portfolios for retirees and pre-retirees in New Smyrna Beach and across Volusia County with one question in mind: how does this money support the life you actually want to live?
How This Practice Is Structured
You can call almost any firm an investment manager. We believe you deserve to know exactly how your advisor gets paid and what, if anything, they are required to sell.
Here is how we are set up:
- Advisory services offered through Signal Advisors Wealth, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser
- Fiduciary duty on advisory accounts, meaning we are required to act in your best interest
- No proprietary funds. We do not manage a proprietary fund family. We use third-party investments, selected based on your risk profile and retirement objectives
- No sales quotas. Steven does not operate under sales quotas or product-specific targets. Advisory fees are based on assets under management and disclosed in writing before engagement. Insurance compensation, where applicable, is paid by the carrier through NSBRS and disclosed separately
- Insurance products, when used, are offered through New Smyrna Beach Retirement Solutions as a separate entity from the advisory practice
Advisory fees are based on a percentage of assets under management, disclosed in writing before engagement, and detailed in our Form ADV Part 2A. Insurance compensation, where applicable, is paid by the issuing carrier through NSBRS and is not deducted from your advisory account.
You should ask every advisor you meet how they get paid and what they are required to sell.
How We Build Portfolios
We do not start with a model portfolio and pour your money into it. We start with your plan.
Step 1, the plan comes first. Before we move a dollar, we want to know what the money has to do. Monthly income? Healthcare reserve? Legacy for the kids? Each goal has a different time horizon, and different time horizons call for different investments.
Step 2, match the dollars to the timeline. We use our BIG Bucket Framework, Bank, Income, and Growth, to separate short-term, mid-term, and long-term money. Short-term income sits in conservative holdings. Long-term growth dollars get the time they need to ride out market volatility.
Step 3, build a risk-appropriate allocation. Equities, fixed income, cash, and where appropriate, insurance-based solutions for income protection. The mix is driven by your plan, your risk tolerance, and your tax situation, not a one-size-fits-all model.
Step 4, manage cost and tax drag. We pay attention to expense ratios, turnover, and tax-loss opportunities. Small leaks add up over a 20-year retirement.
Step 5, review and rebalance. Markets move. Your life changes. We meet on a defined schedule, not "whenever something comes up."
What You Get
When you become a client, your investment management work includes:
- A documented Investment Policy Statement, your rules in writing
- Quarterly performance reporting in plain English
- Tax-aware rebalancing across your accounts
- Coordination with your income, tax, and Social Security strategy
- A real human to call when the market gets weird, and it will
Who This Is For
This work tends to deliver the most value for households who are:
- Holding $500,000 to $3 million in investable assets
- Age 55+, within 10 years of retirement or already retired
- Consolidating accounts from multiple employers and brokerages
- Looking for a fiduciary on advisory accounts, not a salesperson
- Surviving spouses inheriting accounts and looking for a steady second opinion
If that sounds like you, the next step is a 45-minute conversation. No charge, no pressure.
Our Approach to Risk
The biggest investment risk in retirement is not the market. It is being forced to sell investments at a loss to pay your bills.
That is what the BIG Bucket Framework is designed to prevent. One consideration in retirement income planning is managing the timing of withdrawals relative to market conditions. The BIG Bucket Framework is designed to help address this by separating short, mid, and long-term money. By maintaining approximately 1 to 2 years of income needs in the Bank bucket and 3 to 10 years in the Income bucket, the goal is to allow the Growth bucket time to potentially recover before withdrawals are needed. However, no strategy can eliminate investment risk or guarantee results, and individual outcomes will vary.
We are not in the business of predicting markets. We are in the business of structuring portfolios so market predictions do not have to be right for your plan to work.
What You Will Not Get From Us
- Hot stock tips
- Pressure to move every dollar on day one
- Proprietary products you cannot leave
- Confusing statements
- An advisor who disappears after the paperwork is signed
Why Steven
- RICP® (Retirement Income Certified Professional®)
- NSSA® (National Social Security Advisor)
- CLTC® (Certified in Long-Term Care)
- CF2® (Certified Financial Fiduciary)
- 15 years of practice, 350+ families guided
- No proprietary products. No sales quotas. No carrier loyalty
- Local office on North Orange Street, downtown New Smyrna Beach
How to Get Started
Call or book.
Pick up the phone at (386) 402-4626, or schedule online.
Discovery meeting (free).
We review your current accounts, any existing insurance or annuity policies, and what you want the money to do. About 45 minutes.
Plan and portfolio design.
If we are a fit, you receive a written Investment Policy Statement aligned to your income plan.
No pressure to buy anything on day one.
FAQ
Do I have to move all my accounts to work with you?
The first meeting is a complimentary review of what you already have, with no obligation. Ongoing planning, where we actually build, monitor, and adjust your portfolio over time, is delivered through our advisory relationship, which means we manage the accounts that fund the plan. We will walk you through exactly what that looks like before you decide anything.
How are you paid?
Investment advisory services are fee-based, calculated as a percentage of assets under management and disclosed in writing before engagement. Insurance products, when used, are paid by the carrier directly to the insurance entity, not deducted from your account.
Are you a fiduciary?
Investment advisory services are offered by Signal Advisors Wealth, LLC (“Signal Wealth”), a Registered Investment Adviser with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
Will you handle my IRA, my Roth, my brokerage, and my old 401(k) all in one place?
In most cases, yes. Consolidating accounts under one strategy makes tax planning, rebalancing, and reporting significantly easier.
What if I am uncomfortable with risk?
That is part of the conversation. The BIG Bucket Framework lets us hold meaningful reserves in stable assets so the volatile portion of your portfolio is sized to what you can actually live with, not what a risk questionnaire said.
How often do we meet?
At minimum, annually for a full review. Most clients prefer twice a year, with check-ins anytime they need one. The phone goes through to a real person.
Do you work with people who live outside New Smyrna Beach?
Yes. We regularly serve households in Edgewater, Port Orange, South Daytona, Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, DeLand, Deltona, Orange City, Palm Coast, Sanford, Titusville, Holly Hill, Lake Helen, Glencoe, and the rest of Volusia County.
Get a second opinion on your portfolio from a fiduciary advisor.
Schedule a complimentary portfolio review or call our New Smyrna Beach office.
Office: 112 N. Orange Street, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168 Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 5:00
Compliance Disclaimer
Investment advisory services are offered by Signal Advisors Wealth, LLC ("Signal Wealth"), a Registered Investment Adviser with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Steven L. Rich is an Investment Adviser Representative of Signal Wealth. Insurance products and services are offered through New Smyrna Beach Retirement Solutions ("NSBRS"). Signal Wealth does not offer insurance products. NSBRS is not affiliated with Signal Wealth. Additionally, when NSBRS and/or its agents are recommending and/or selling insurance products they are not acting on behalf of Signal Wealth or in a fiduciary capacity, and instead are governed by the applicable insurance rules and regulations. For more information about Signal Wealth, or to receive a copy of our Form ADV or Form CRS, please click here. NSBRS is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Government or any governmental agency. NSBRS and its agents do not provide tax, legal, or Social Security advice. Clients are advised to consult their tax advisor or attorney regarding tax and legal matters and to contact the Social Security Administration at their local office or online at www.ssa.gov. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The information provided herein is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a recommendation or as investment, tax, or legal advice. None of the information contained herein shall constitute an offer to sell or solicit any offer to buy any security, investment advisory, or insurance product. Investment advisory services are provided in accordance with a fiduciary duty of care and loyalty that includes putting client interests first and disclosing conflicts. Insurance services are subject to a best interest standard, which requires recommendations to be in the client's best interest. Advisors may receive commissions and other compensation for the sale of insurance and annuity products. Annuity guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Any tax savings figures, projections, examples, or multi-year tax projections referenced are hypothetical and provided for illustrative purposes only. They are based on assumptions that may not reflect your individual circumstances, do not represent actual results, and are not a guarantee of future performance or outcomes. Individual results will vary. Strategies such as Roth conversions, capital gains harvesting, required minimum distribution planning, and charitable giving are not suitable for all individuals, involve trade-offs, and depend on your specific circumstances and current tax law, which is subject to change. There is no assurance that any strategy will reduce your overall tax liability. Neither Signal Wealth nor NSBRS provides tax or legal advice; consult your qualified tax professional or attorney regarding your situation.
Social Security guidance is educational and analytical in nature. NSBRS and its agents are not employees of the Social Security Administration and cannot make official benefit determinations. Clients should confirm filing decisions with the SSA at ssa.gov or their local SSA office.
Performance reporting reflects portfolio activity and is provided for informational purposes. Past performance is not indicative of future results.