Fiduciary Retirement & Estate Planning Services

As a fiduciary, Sentinel is legally and ethically obligated to act in your best interest at all times. We don't earn commissions on products or transactions. Our advice is objective, our recommendations are based solely on your goals and circumstances, and our compensation is transparent. This eliminates conflicts of interest and ensures every strategy we recommend is aligned with your long-term financial success.

We integrate both into a single, cohesive strategy. We analyze your income needs, tax situation, and estate goals simultaneously—ensuring withdrawal strategies support your lifestyle while preserving assets for heirs. We review beneficiary designations, account titling, trust structures, and tax-efficient distributions to minimize probate, reduce estate taxes, and align your financial plan with your legacy intentions.

We begin with a comprehensive review of your assets, income sources, tax situation, and retirement timeline. Then we build a structured withdrawal strategy across your taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free accounts to generate reliable income while managing longevity and sequence-of-returns risk. Each plan is stress-tested against historical market downturns and monitored continuously to ensure it adapts to changing conditions and your evolving needs.

Absolutely. Estate planning isn't just for the wealthy—it's for anyone who wants control over how their assets are distributed. We focus on the 98% of estate planning that doesn't require a lawyer: account titling, beneficiary designations, asset categorization, and coordinated tax strategies. For more complex needs like trusts or advanced directives, we collaborate with qualified estate attorneys to ensure everything is structured properly.

We use multi-account withdrawal sequencing, Roth conversions, tax-loss harvesting, and strategic timing of capital gains to minimize your lifetime tax liability. We analyze your taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free 'buckets' as one coordinated plan, drawing income from the most tax-efficient source each year. We also model Qualified Charitable Distributions, tax-efficient gifting, and other IRS-approved strategies to help your wealth work smarter and last longer.

Yes. We have 25 years of experience working with families with special needs and have supported over 20 families long-term. Our planning is intentionally designed to coordinate financial resources, government benefits, and legal structures like special needs trusts. We work alongside care planners and attorneys to ensure your loved one's future is secure, protected, and aligned with their unique requirements.

We build globally diversified, tax-efficient portfolios using modern portfolio theory, refined through decades of application. Every portfolio is guided by an Investment Policy Statement and stress-tested against historical market conditions. We eliminate unsystematic risk through deliberate diversification, managing only systematic risks (purchasing power, reinvestment, interest rate, market, and exchange risk). Each portfolio is tailored to your goals, income needs, tax situation, and risk tolerance.

Our fees are transparent and based on the scope and complexity of your financial situation. We do not earn commissions or sell products, so our only incentive is your success. During your initial consultation, we'll discuss your needs and provide a clear explanation of our fee structure. Most clients find that the tax savings, risk management, and peace of mind we provide far exceed the cost of our services.