At First Step Wealth, we believe that financial planning doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Whether you're just starting out or are looking to refine your financial strategy, taking small steps can lead to significant progress. Start by setting clear financial goals, tracking your spending, and creating a realistic budget. Make sure to review your investments regularly and adjust as your circumstances change. Building an emergency fund is crucial, as it provides a safety net in uncertain times. Remember, financial planning is an ongoing process; don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek advice when needed. With the right approach, you can take control of your financial future and work towards achieving your goals, one step at a time.
Most people don’t feel uneasy about their money because something is obviously wrong. They feel uneasy because money keeps demanding their attention, even when no decision is required. That vigilance is rarely questioned. It’s often mistaken for responsibility. But it may be the result of a quiet fallacy at the center of financial advice: the belief that tactics are what drive outcomes, rather than judgment.
Retirement is often described as a reward, a finish line, or a long-awaited relief. But for many people, it arrives with a quiet sense of loneliness that is hard to name and even harder to explain. This piece explores the emotional transition that follows the end of a career, the uncertainty that often goes unspoken, and the slow, human process of becoming someone new after work ends. It is not about financial strategies or checklists, but about the lived experience of change, identity, and learning to move forward with honesty and courage.
Many people fear they have not saved enough for retirement. But the clients I see struggling most are the ones who saved the most. Their challenge is not financial. It is learning how to permit themselves to use what they built.
Many retirees experience a sharp drop in taxable income during the early years of retirement, especially if they delay Social Security and draw from savings instead. This creates a unique opportunity for tax-efficient withdrawals, such as realizing long-term capital gains at the 0% tax rate and converting IRA funds at lower brackets. In this article, I break down how to take advantage of this window, reduce your lifetime tax bill, and build a smarter income strategy for retirement.
Learn how to create reliable income in retirement using Social Security, IRAs, and investment accounts—plus three key strategies to protect your money from market downturns in the early years.
The myth that retirement is a stress-free graduation from working life creates feelings of disappointment for many retirees. Retirement is a journey, and not all aspects will be clear right away. Having grace to adapt and change is a key to a successful transition.