Retirement Income Planning

We work with pre-retirees and retirees across Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, and the broader East Valley to build retirement income strategies rooted in evidence-based investing — not guesswork, not product sales, not a one-size-fits-all allocation from a software tool. The question most people bring us isn't just "can I retire?" It's "will this last?" That's the question we're built to answer.

What a Retirement Income Strategy Actually Covers

Retirement planning Gilbert AZ families need goes well beyond picking a retirement date and hoping the math works out. A real retirement income plan integrates every moving part of your financial life — your portfolio, your Social Security timing, your expected expenses, your tax picture, and the legacy you want to leave behind.

 

At Smartt Wealth, a retirement income strategy typically addresses:

 

  • Portfolio structure: How your investments are positioned to generate income over a retirement that could span 25–35 years
  • Withdrawal sequencing: Which accounts you draw from first, and in what order, to minimize taxes and extend the life of your savings
  • Social Security timing: When to claim, whether to coordinate with a spouse, and how that decision interacts with your other income sources
  • Tax planning integration: Arizona does not tax Social Security benefits, and that has real implications for how we structure income in retirement — we factor it in
  • Expense modeling: Building a realistic picture of what retirement actually costs in the East Valley, not a national average that doesn't reflect your life
  • Legacy and transfer: How retirement decisions today shape what passes to your adult children and grandchildren tomorrow

How Much Do You Actually Need to Retire in Arizona?

It's the most common question we hear, and the honest answer is: it depends on a plan, not a number. Rules of thumb like "save 10x your salary" or "withdraw 4% per year" are starting points, not plans. They don't account for your specific expenses, your Social Security benefit, your tax situation, or how long you're likely to live.

 

What we do is build the actual model — your income sources, your spending needs, your portfolio, your timeline — and stress-test it against the kind of market volatility we've seen across nearly five decades in this business. Arizona's cost of living, the absence of state tax on Social Security income, and the realities of healthcare costs in retirement all get folded in. The goal isn't a reassuring number. It's a plan you can actually rely on.

 

Our approach is strictly fee-only: no commissions, no product sales, no minimums. The advice we give is tied to your outcomes, not to what generates a transaction for us.

Retirement Planning That Considers Your Whole Family

One thing we hear often from clients approaching retirement is that they don't just want to be comfortable — they want their retirement to mean something for the people they love. That's not a soft goal. It's a planning variable.

 

The decisions you make about when to retire, how to structure your income, and how to draw down your assets have direct consequences for what transfers to your adult children and grandchildren. Estate planning, beneficiary designations, account titling, and Roth conversion strategies all intersect with retirement income planning in ways that compound over time. We look at those intersections deliberately, because a retirement plan that optimizes for you today but creates complications for your family later isn't a complete plan.

 

If your family is interested in going deeper on financial education together, our American Dream Experience is a two-day class designed exactly for that — clients and their families learning the principles behind sound financial decision-making side by side.

ANSWERS before we begin

Frequently Asked Questions About Retirement Planning

  • When should I start working with a retirement planner?

    The earlier the better, but it's never too late. Whether you're 20 years out or already in retirement, a clear plan helps you make smarter decisions with what you have right now.

  • What makes Smartt Wealth different from other financial advisors?

    We're strictly fee-only — no commissions, no product sales, no account minimums. We get paid to give you advice that's in your best interest, full stop. We've been doing this since 1979, and our approach is grounded in academic research, not market predictions.

  • How do you help with Social Security timing?

    Social Security timing can significantly affect your lifetime income — sometimes by hundreds of thousands of dollars. We model out your specific situation, including spousal benefits and tax implications, so you can make the decision that actually fits your plan.

  • Do I need a certain amount saved before working with you?

    No. We don't have account minimums, and we work with people at every stage — from those just starting to build savings to those managing substantial assets heading into retirement.

  • Can you help if I'm already retired?

    Absolutely. Retirement planning doesn't stop the day you stop working. We help retirees manage withdrawals, minimize taxes, adjust for changing expenses, and make sure their income strategy holds up over the long haul.