Retirement Planning Services for Executives

Retirement planning fees vary based on the complexity of your financial situation and the scope of services provided. At Sentinel, our fee structure is transparent and fiduciary-based—we charge based on assets under management or a flat planning fee, never commissions. For executives with complex compensation structures, multi-state tax considerations, and significant asset portfolios, expect comprehensive planning to involve ongoing advisory fees typically ranging from 0.75% to 1.25% of assets annually, which includes continuous monitoring, tax optimization, and adaptive strategy adjustments. We provide a clear fee schedule during our initial consultation so you understand exactly what you're paying for.

Executive retirement planning addresses layers of complexity that standard plans don't encounter—deferred compensation plans, restricted stock units, stock options with varying tax treatments, pension lump-sum vs. annuity elections, multi-state tax implications, and often significantly higher income and estate tax exposure. Executives also face unique risks like concentrated stock positions, golden handcuff provisions, and complex severance negotiations. Our process integrates all these variables into a cohesive strategy that optimizes tax efficiency, manages liquidity needs, coordinates multiple income sources, and protects against sequence-of-returns risk during the critical transition years from employment to retirement.

Ideally, comprehensive retirement planning should begin 5-10 years before your target retirement date, though earlier is always better. This timeline allows for strategic Roth conversions during lower-income years, tax-efficient positioning of equity compensation, thoughtful pension election analysis, Social Security optimization modeling, and estate planning coordination. For executives, the decade before retirement is critical for managing concentrated stock positions, optimizing deferred compensation timing, and stress-testing withdrawal strategies. However, even if you're closer to retirement, a well-structured plan can still significantly improve your tax efficiency, income reliability, and long-term financial security.

Multi-state tax planning is integral to our executive retirement strategies. We analyze your state of residence, states where you earned deferred compensation, states where you own property, and states you're considering for retirement relocation. This includes evaluating state income tax rates, treatment of pension and retirement account withdrawals, estate and inheritance taxes, and domicile rules. We model tax-efficient withdrawal sequencing, Roth conversion opportunities, and timing of equity compensation recognition across state lines. For clients relocating to tax-friendly states like Florida or considering part-year residency strategies, we coordinate with tax professionals to ensure full compliance while minimizing your lifetime tax burden.

Sequence-of-returns risk is the danger that poor market performance early in retirement can permanently deplete your portfolio, even if long-term returns eventually recover. When you're withdrawing income during down markets, you're selling assets at depressed prices, locking in losses and leaving less capital to benefit from eventual recovery. We protect against this through 'bucketing' strategies—maintaining 2-3 years of living expenses in stable, liquid investments while keeping growth-oriented assets untouched during market downturns. We also stress-test your plan against historical bear markets, build in flexible withdrawal rules, and continuously rebalance to manage volatility. This structure provides reliable income regardless of market conditions.

We conduct formal comprehensive reviews annually, during which we reassess your portfolio performance, tax situation, withdrawal rates, estate plan alignment, and any changes in your personal circumstances or financial goals. However, we monitor your accounts continuously throughout the year and reach out proactively when significant market events, tax law changes, or rebalancing opportunities arise. Many clients also schedule mid-year check-ins to discuss specific decisions like Roth conversions, charitable giving strategies, or major expenditures. Retirement planning is not set-and-forget—it's an adaptive, ongoing relationship designed to keep your plan resilient and aligned with your evolving life and the changing economic landscape.

Absolutely. Collaborative planning produces the best outcomes, and we actively coordinate with your estate attorney, CPA, and other professional advisors to ensure all aspects of your financial plan work in concert. We review estate documents for consistency with beneficiary designations and account titling, share tax projections with your CPA for integrated tax planning, and facilitate conversations with estate attorneys when trusts or advanced planning instruments are appropriate. If you don't currently have these relationships, we can provide referrals to qualified professionals within our network. Our role is to be the central coordinator of your financial ecosystem, ensuring every advisor is working toward your unified goals.

Life rarely follows a perfectly linear path, and our planning process is built to accommodate changes—whether that's an earlier-than-expected retirement due to health issues or corporate restructuring, or a delayed retirement to maximize benefits or support family needs. When your timeline shifts, we immediately remodel your income projections, tax strategies, and withdrawal sequencing to reflect the new reality. We stress-test the adjusted plan to ensure sustainability, identify any gaps in coverage (such as healthcare before Medicare eligibility), and recalibrate asset allocation to match your revised time horizon. Flexibility and responsiveness are core to our fiduciary approach.