A Written Retirement Income Strategy, Built Around Your Real Expenses
Most people retire with a pile of accounts and no plan for which one to spend first. We help pre-retirees and retirees across New Smyrna Beach and Volusia County turn their savings, Social Security, and pensions into a clear monthly income strategy they can follow with confidence.
The Problem Most Retirees Face
You spent 30 or 40 years saving. Now you have to figure out how to spend it without running out, paying too much in taxes, or losing sleep every time the market drops.
The questions stack up fast:
- Which account do I pull from first, the IRA, the brokerage, or the Roth?
- When should I file for Social Security?
- How much can I actually spend each month without putting my future at risk?
- What happens if the market drops 20% the year I retire?
- Will my spouse be okay if something happens to me?
If those questions have not been addressed in writing, there may be meaningful gaps in your retirement strategy worth reviewing.
Our Approach, The Big Bucket Framework
Steven builds every income plan around a simple structure called the Big Bucket Framework. The idea is to match the right dollars to the right time horizon, so short-term spending is not exposed to long-term market risk.
Bank bucket | Years 1 to 2 / Cash you can sleep on Cash and short-term reserves for the next 1 to 2 years of income and emergencies. This is the money you sleep on.
Income bucket | Years 3 to 10 / The paycheck that keeps coming Conservative holdings intended to help replenish the Bank bucket over the next 3 to 10 years, with the goal of supporting income needs during periods of market volatility.
Growth bucket | Year 10 and beyond / Built to outpace inflation Growth-oriented investments intended to help address the long-term impact of inflation
When markets experience volatility, the goal is to draw from the Bank bucket rather than selling growth assets at an inopportune time. However, no strategy can guarantee this outcome in all circumstances.
What You Get
Every retirement income plan we build includes:
A written income strategy. One document that shows where every dollar of monthly income will come from, year by year.
A withdrawal sequence. Which account to draw from first, second, and last, with the tax reasoning behind each choice.
A Social Security analysis. Filing timing for you and your spouse, integrated with the rest of your income.
A stress test. What happens if the market drops, inflation runs hot, or you live to 95. Stress test scenarios are hypothetical and for illustrative purposes only. They do not represent actual results or guarantee future outcomes.
A spousal continuation plan. What changes for the surviving spouse, before it has to.
You leave with a written plan you can take home and act on.
Who This Is For
We do our best work for households who are:
- Age 55 to 75, within 10 years of retirement or already retired
- Sitting on $500,000 to $3 million in investable assets
- Living in or relocating to Volusia County
- Looking for a planning-first approach before any product conversation
If that sounds like you, the next step is a 45-minute conversation. No charge, no pressure.
Why Steven
- RICP® (Retirement Income Certified Professional®), the designation built specifically for this work
- NSSA® (National Social Security Advisor)
- CLTC® (Certified in Long-Term Care)
- CF2® (Certified Financial Fiduciary)
- 15 years of practice, Comprehensive retirement planning for families
- We do not manage a proprietary fund family. Third-party investments are selected based on your risk profile and retirement objectives. Steven is not captive to any single carrier and does not operate under product-specific sales requirements.
- 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 statements, current strategy, and what you want retirement to look like. About 45 minutes.
Plan delivery.
If we are a fit, you receive a written income plan you can take home.
No pressure to buy anything on day one.
FAQ
Do I have to move my accounts to work with you?
The first meeting is a complimentary review of what you already have, and there is no obligation. Ongoing planning, where we actually build, monitor, and adjust your income strategy 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 much do you charge?
The initial review is complimentary. Ongoing advisory fees are disclosed in writing before you sign anything and are based on assets under management. Insurance products, if used, are offered through NSBRS. Compensation is paid by the issuing carrier and disclosed prior to any recommendation.
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.
What happens if the market drops the year I retire?
The Big Bucket Framework is designed to help address this by separating short, mid, and long-term money with the goal of allowing 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. By holding 1 to 2 years of income in stable assets and 3 to 10 years in conservative holdings, your growth portfolio has the time it needs to recover from any given downturn before you have to touch it.
What if I am 5 years from retirement, not retired yet?
That is actually the best time to plan. The 5 years before and after retirement, sometimes called the retirement red zone, are when the biggest income and tax decisions get locked in.
Do you work with people 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 written income plan you actually understand.
Schedule a free 45-minute 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.
Projections are hypothetical and for illustrative purposes only. Actual income will vary based on market conditions, tax law, and individual circumstances