Assante Wealth Management helps pre-retirees choose a retirement date, claim Social Security thoughtfully and turn retirement accounts into income they can explain at home.
You may have a 401(k), an IRA, practice equity or student debt still in the background. The work is to put those pieces on one page, then test the dates and account choices that matter most. Assante Wealth Management advises clients remotely by video conference and telephone, with a $500,000 minimum in investable assets.
The retirement date has to carry its own weight
A retirement date is supportable when your expected income, savings and spending work together without relying on a favorable market outcome. Assante Wealth Management starts with the monthly amount you actually need, then compares stopping work at several dates instead of treating 65 as an automatic answer.
A hypothetical physician spends $12,000 each month and expects $4,000 from Social Security at a chosen claiming age. The portfolio must supply the remaining $8,000 each month, or $96,000 each year, before taxes. If work continues for two more years, those years add savings and remove two years of income draws; the effect is larger than simply adding two years of investment growth.
The shortcut is practical: if a proposed date works only when spending is unusually low or returns are unusually strong, it is not ready for a family decision. Investments can lose value, and you may receive less than you invested.
| Retirement income | Portfolio needed each year |
|---|---|
| $4,000 monthly Social Security | $96,000 |
| $5,000 monthly Social Security | $84,000 |
| $6,000 monthly Social Security | $72,000 |
- List essential monthly spending
- Separate flexible spending
- Add expected practice proceeds
- Price insurance before Medicare
- Test several retirement dates
Social Security and the years before Medicare
Social Security is one part of the income plan, not the whole retirement date. Assante Wealth Management compares the cash you need now with the value of waiting, while checking spouse benefits, taxes and how long the portfolio must provide income.
Health insurance can be the awkward gap between leaving work and turning 65. The plan should price that coverage before you choose a retirement date, because a premium estimate can change the amount your portfolio must supply each month. Medicare Part B’s standard premium is $202.90 per month in 2026, with a $283 annual deductible; higher-income clients may also face IRMAA based on earlier income.
A practice sale or transition adds another deadline. Practice transition planning can place expected proceeds beside your retirement accounts, but the proceeds, timing and tax treatment need to be confirmed before they enter the spending calculation.
| Source | Question to answer |
|---|---|
| Social Security | Claim now or wait? |
| 401(k) | Monthly amount? |
| Taxable savings | Bridge to 65? |
| Practice proceeds | When paid? |
- Check spouse claiming choices
- Estimate taxable income
- Map 401(k) income draws
- Review Medicare timing
- Keep practice decisions separate
A 401(k) becomes a paycheck by design
A 401(k) does not automatically become a monthly paycheck when employment ends. Assante Wealth Management maps which accounts provide income, how much each month is needed and when taxes are due, with fewer accounts and funds where that makes the plan easier to run.
A hypothetical dentist has $1.2 million in retirement accounts and needs $6,000 each month before taxes. That is $72,000 each year, or 6 percent of the starting balance, before considering investment changes and taxes. The number is not a forecast. It is a cash-flow test that shows why spending, account location and reserve cash belong in the same discussion.
This service may not be worth adding if your accounts are already simple, your income sources are fixed and you can maintain the plan yourself. Before Assante Wealth Management suggests a fund change, it estimates the cost of selling and shows the full cost in writing before you sign anything.
| Monthly draw | Annual draw | Starting-balance rate |
|---|---|---|
| $4,000 | $48,000 | 4 percent |
| $6,000 | $72,000 | 6 percent |
| $8,000 | $96,000 | 8 percent |
- Consolidate duplicate accounts
- Choose a monthly draw
- Reserve near-term cash
- Review fund costs
- Write down tax sources
The window before RMDs deserves a tax check
Roth conversions may fit the years after work ends and before required minimum distributions begin at age 73, or age 75 for people born in 1960 or later. Assante Wealth Management estimates the conversion amount, taxable income and cash needed for the tax instead of converting an arbitrary round number.
A hypothetical retired physician converts $100,000 and has no other taxable income from work. The conversion generally adds $100,000 to taxable income, but the actual tax depends on filing status, deductions, other income and applicable law. The client needs cash outside the converted account for the tax; using the entire conversion to pay it defeats part of the purpose.
Tax planning for high earners may also include Medicare income thresholds. A conversion can raise later IRMAA premiums, so the tax benefit should be weighed against that possible cost. A one-page plan records the amount, account and reason each year.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Other income | Changes tax result |
| Conversion amount | Sets taxable income |
| Tax cash | Avoids forced sale |
| Future RMDs | May reduce later balance |
- Identify low-income years
- Estimate conversion tax
- Leave cash for taxes
- Compare Roth and traditional accounts
- Check RMD timing
One page keeps the decision usable
At Assante Wealth Management, the first review brings the 401(k), IRA, spending list and expected practice decisions into one view. You receive a written comparison of retirement dates, income sources, health coverage timing and tax actions, then the plan can be explained to your family without opening five separate account screens.
Physicians and dentists may also need Physician financial planning, Student loan planning or Cash balance plans alongside the retirement decision. Those services belong in the plan only when they affect the date, the cash available or the income draw.
The office is at 317 South Juniper Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, United States. Clients across the country meet with Assante Wealth Management by video conference and telephone; use the website request form to ask for a conversation.
- 401(k) and IRA statements
- Social Security estimate
- Monthly spending list
- Health insurance estimate
- Recent tax return
- Practice transition details
Frequently asked questions about Assante Wealth Management
How do I know whether I can retire in five years?
Usually, no. A retirement date should fit your projected income, taxes, health coverage and spending rather than a round birthday. Assante Wealth Management compares several dates, such as stopping work at 60, 62 or 65, and shows what changes in savings, Social Security and income draws. The decision remains yours.
Should I claim Social Security as soon as I stop working?
Social Security timing depends on your cash needs, health, spouse’s record and other income. Assante Wealth Management places claiming at 62, full retirement age or later beside your portfolio plan, then checks how each choice changes monthly income and the years your investments must support.
Are Roth conversions useful before required minimum distributions?
A Roth conversion moves money from a traditional retirement account into a Roth account and generally creates taxable income in the conversion year. The low-income period after work ends and before RMDs begin at age 73 can be worth reviewing, but the amount should fit your tax bracket and cash available for the tax.
This is general information, not advice tailored to your finances or circumstances. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Before making any decision about money, taxes or your practice, talk with a professional who knows your full situation.