401k & IRA Rollover

Turning Your 401(k) into a True "Retirement Plan"

Your 401(k), 403(b), 457, or TSP is often called a “retirement plan,” but in reality, it’s just a tax-deferred investment account—not a retirement income strategy. The real question is: How will you turn those assets into a steady, reliable income for life?

You’ve spent years building your wealth—planting the seeds, staying the course, and paying your dues. Now, it’s time for your savings to start paying you. The key to a rock-solid retirement plan is ensuring your essential income is covered first. Guaranteed Lifetime Income ensures that your retirement paycheck never stops, shielding you from market downturns and providing lasting financial security.

Once your income is secured, your remaining assets can be strategically invested for growth in our managed dividend portfolios, designed to build long-term wealth and guard against inflation while complementing your income strategy.

Smart retirement planning isn’t just about saving—it’s about securing income first and then maximizing growth for the future.

The Retirement Transition

Retirement means saying goodbye to your salary—the steady paycheck that has supported you and your family for years. For decades, you’ve been paying in. Now, it’s time to start taking money out, and that requires a new strategy.

Your investment approach must shift from pure growth to a balance that includes secure, fixed income. Think about the next thirty years—can you predict what the economy, markets, or even your personal needs will look like as you age? Of course not—no one can. That’s why relying solely on growth assets in retirement is a high-stakes gamble. A well-structured retirement plan ensures stability, protecting you from the unknown while still allowing for smart, strategic growth.

Reasonable Risk in Retirement

A common rule of thumb for managing investment risk in retirement is the "100 minus your age" rule. Simply subtract your age from 100—the result is the maximum percentage of your portfolio that should remain in risk-based assets.

For example, if you're 55, no more than 45% of your portfolio should be exposed to market risk. Fast forward 10 years, and at 65, that number drops to 35%—reducing risk as you get closer to relying on your assets for income.

This approach helps ensure a steady transition from growth to security, balancing long-term investment potential with the stability needed for retirement.

Start Planning for Income

Retirement isn’t just about savings—it’s about ensuring a steady, reliable income for decades. You and your spouse could easily spend 30 years or more in retirement, and the numbers add up quickly.

If your annual living expenses are $80,000, that’s $2.4 million over 30 years. Factor in inflation, and someone spending $120,000 per year could need $4.8 million or more.

While Social Security helps, it only covers part of the equation. So where will the rest of your income come from? A solid Retirement Income Plan ensures you have predictable cash flow—month after month, year after year—so you can enjoy retirement without financial uncertainty.

Financial Bucketing: A Smarter Way to Secure Your Retirement

Financial Bucketing removes the guesswork from retirement planning, ensuring you're protected during market downturns while still capitalizing on opportunities in strong markets.

Think of it as your financial blueprint—a structured strategy that helps you turn your Rollover IRA into a reliable income source while keeping a portion invested for long-term growth. With the right balance, you can enjoy financial security in any market condition.

You "Bucket" Believe It

Alright, we’ll own it—that pun is pretty bad. But what’s worse? Locking yourself into an overly conservative retirement strategy.

Yes, you need fixed income, but going all-in on income-only investments could mean missing out on growth opportunities. That’s why more retiring professionals are turning to the proven power of Financial Bucketing—a strategy that protects your income while keeping part of your portfolio positioned for growth.

Market dips can derail your retirement—unless you plan ahead.

Many investors turn to bonds for stability, but bonds, more often than not, let investors down. They don’t pay enough, and their income doesn’t last forever. That’s why more retiring professionals are turning to next-generation annuities, offering guaranteed lifetime income at double or even triple the payout of quality bonds.

To protect your fixed income, it needs its own secure bucket—one that doesn’t dip when the market does. The right fixed income asset is completely shielded from market declines, ensuring long-term financial security. If you're ready to safeguard your retirement, explore the smarter way to generate reliable, lifelong income.

Next-Generation Annuities

The Income Asset That's Redefining Retirement Planning
Today’s retirees are seeking advanced income solutions—because while markets go up, they also come down. When they do, you need a stable, reliable income that lasts through thick and thin. The issue? Bonds don’t pay enough, and pensions have gone the way of the dinosaur.

Studies from MIT, Wharton, and more confirm that lifetime income annuities fill this gap. Today’s NEXT-Generation Retirement Annuities can provide permanent income, often double or triple that of quality bonds—AND like a pension, the income is inexhaustible. But unlike old annuities, these modern options protect your heirs—meaning the insurance company doesn’t keep your money when you pass.

But how do you find the right one? The IQ Wealth® Annuity Comparison System™ gives you the power to review up to 1,200+ annuities with an experienced Fiduciary Planner. This could be your opportunity to strengthen your 401(k), 403(b), 457, TSP, or IRA Rollover. Learn how to achieve a safe income rate for life between 5.2% and 14.6%, depending on age and deferral period.

Our proven fiduciary approach puts you in the driver’s seat—with no sales pressure, ever.

Keeping Your Retirement Goals Front and Center

As we continue the planning process, your retirement goals remain our top priority. Clearly defining the kind of retirement you envision allows us to strategically align each asset with a specific purpose and timeline—ensuring your money works for you, when you need it.

At this stage, most of our clients have important questions, such as:

• Social Security: When is the best time to start collecting?
• Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs): How will they impact your taxes and income?
• Current Portfolio Review: What’s working, what’s not, and what adjustments make sense?
• Retirement Security: How protected are you from market volatility?
• Mutual Fund Concerns: Are they too risky for your retirement goals?
• Risk Reduction & Income Growth: How can you create more stability?
• Tax Strategies: How can you minimize your tax burden in retirement?
• IRA Rollovers & Roth Conversions: Are they the right move for you?
• Investments & Annuities: What role should they play in your financial plan?
• “Are annuities really safe?” (Hint: It depends on the type of annuity and how it’s structured.)

If you have additional questions, we’re here to answer them all—ensuring you feel confident and in control of your retirement future.

Your First Meeting

Scheduling your first meeting or phone call? Here’s what you can look forward to—no pressure, no sales tactics, and definitely no "used car" experience.

At IQ Wealth®, we start every conversation with one simple question: “What are your goals?” From there, we craft a strategy designed to turn those goals into reality.

For over 20 years, we’ve been committed to delivering unmatched client care and personalized financial guidance. Our approach ensures you can retire confidently in any economy by addressing the five key areas of retirement planning:

• Income Planning – Ensuring you have a steady, reliable retirement paycheck.
• Legacy Planning – Protecting your assets and passing wealth efficiently.
• Tax-Efficient Strategies – Minimizing taxes to maximize your income.
• Asset Protection – Safeguarding your wealth from market downturns.
• Growth Strategies – Keeping your portfolio positioned for long-term success.

At IQ Wealth®, our goal is simple: to help you retire smarter, safer, and with complete peace of mind.