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At Arcadia, our focus is on serving two specific client segments: those navigating life in retirement, and those who have nearly reached financial independence—often between ages 45 and 65—yet continue working because they still enjoy their careers. Typically, new clients coming to Arcadia have an investment portfolio between $2M and $20M, and are looking for a trusted, ongoing financial advisory relationship. Below are two client scenarios (with names & details altered for privacy) to help depict who we best serve:
After three decades in a demanding career, Stacy was finally ready to transition into life after work. For the last ten years, she entrusted her $4M investment portfolio to a major national firm, yet a sense of dissatisfaction lingered. She consistently felt she was missing the in-depth financial planning support and guidance she truly needed. Tired of feeling like a number in a system – and getting transitioned to a new advisor every couple of years, Stacy decided to consider a smaller, more personalized financial planning firm.
As we began working together, she realized this was exactly the collaboration she needed. Together, we didn’t just glance over the numbers; we dove into every detail—her retirement plan at work, taxes, her scattered investment portfolio, and all the personal transitions she was facing (caring for her aging father, getting remarried, and finding an identity after leaving her beloved career). Our conversations around money and her goals went deeper than she expected as we built out her new financial plan.
She felt stuck between wanting to slow down, but still not confident she could afford to fully retire at the age of 64. Once she had a clear understanding of her new financial plan, she was amazed at how confident she felt in her retirement decision. It turned out she really could travel more, afford to buy a condo in her favorite ski town, and spend much more money in retirement than she ever envisioned.
As Stacy took time away from her working routine, she finally had time to think and design her best retirement life. Every step of the way, we were there to talk through her choices and remind her that she was more than prepared financially. Having that comprehensive support meant she could look to the future with clarity and excitement instead of apprehension and uncertainty.
We specialize in retirement planning. A lot of advisors try to be all things to all people - we don't. Our expertise is specifically in helping you make the most of your finances before and during retirement. We're financial partners that help you successfully retire & live your best life.
We believe it is important for investors to investigate how much they are paying in advisor fees in dollars, not in percentages. Arcadia is proud to be a flat-fee wealth management firm. And we'd love to have a conversation about how we can help you make the most of your money:
See If We're a Fit
Edward, an attorney and Mary, a registered nurse, had always been meticulous savers and Edward felt comfortable managing their finances. As they approached retirement and built an $8M investment portfolio, they felt they were missing something and were hesitant to take the big step into retirement without professional guidance. They wanted to make sure they were thinking through all the “blind spots” so they could retire with ease, create a thoughtful spending plan, and make sure they could leave a legacy to their two adult children and five grandchildren.
Edward was hesitant to work with a financial advisor as he had only interviewed traditional “percentage of assets” advisors who would have charged him and Mary $50k to $75k each year, with that fee growing as their assets grew. He was pleasantly surprised to discover our flat fee structure. Within two meetings with Arcadia, he and Mary were relieved at how much clearer their retirement plan looked and were happy to offload the day-to-day management of their investment portfolio to us, a task that previously gave Edward significant stress and angst. Together, we:
Recalibrated retirement income and expenses and implemented a US Treasury bond ladder for the first three years of retirement expenses—helping reduce sequence of return risk (which was a major concern for Edward as he dreaded a stock market downturn near the beginning of retirement)
Built a comprehensive financial plan and stress tested with Monte Carlo simulations and Risk-Based Guardrail analysis to show how it would hold up in a variety of market conditions and spending scenarios
Talked through potential unexpected retirement obstacles and how they would affect their long-term plan
Designed their charitable gifting strategy, saving them a meaningful amount on taxes by implementing a Donor Advised Fund and talking through Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) as a future tool to help with planned giving
Began strategic Roth conversions as a tool to mitigate future Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and build an income tax free legacy for their adult children
Diversified and simplified their investment portfolio, placing the appropriate investments within their respective IRAs, Roth IRAs, and trust accounts
Edward and Mary found the transition from their working years to the decumulation stage of life to be a big adjustment. But today, they’re flourishing—taking multi-week vacations with their family, spending more freely on big purchases and meaningful experiences and giving back to their favorite charities with their time and tax-advantaged giving strategies. With a clear financial and investment plan in place, they have the freedom to focus on the things that matter most in their early years of retirement.