The Swan Song System.

A system designed to address your biggest retirement concerns.

Sing A Beautiful Retirement Song.

Our Swan Song System was crafted to address the challenges of your journey into retirement—financial, emotional, and so much more.

Our clients have worked hard to build their retirement nest eggs. But the rules are different when you’re planning your exit into retirement.

Without a clear strategy, your savings could fall short, leaving you vulnerable to rising healthcare costs, economic downturns, or simply outliving your savings.

Many people unknowingly leave money on the table - overpaying taxes, making unoptimized Social Security decisions, or missing strategies to combat inflation. These missteps aren’t just financial - they’re life altering. They can mean the difference between a retirement spent confidently enjoying family and hobbies versus one filled with financial stress.

That’s why we lead with our Swan Song System. This process ensures that every critical aspect of your retirement is planned for and optimized—from guaranteed income and tax strategies to legacy planning and investment growth.

  • The first step is all about getting everything in order so we can build the best plan for you.

  • Now that we have everything in place, we solve problems by leading with G.R.A.C.E. Step 2 is about turning your goals into a custom retirement plan.

  • A great plan means nothing if it’s not executed properly. Step 3 is about bringing your plan to life.

  • Your retirement is an evolving journey, and your plan needs to evolve with it. Step 4 focuses on staying on track and making necessary adjustments.

Transformations

  • Overview

    David and Emily, both in their mid-60s, recently received a small inheritance of $150,000 after David's mom passed away. With $500,000 already saved for retirement, they wanted to make the most of their inheritance while ensuring their long-term financial security. They sought the help of Retire With Swan to develop a plan that incorporated their inheritance and provided them with a clear retirement strategy.

    The Swan Song System

    We introduced David and Emily to our Swan Song System, a structured and comprehensive retirement planning approach that follows four key steps:

    Step 1: Consolidate and Organize

    We began by gathering all of David and Emily's financial information, including their current savings, inheritance, and Social Security benefits. Consolidating their accounts into our planning system provided a complete overview of their financial picture, allowing us to develop an optimal strategy for using their inheritance.

    Step 2: Solve Problems

    We solve problems by leading with G.R.A.C.E.

    • G - Guaranteed Income: David and Emily were concerned about having enough income to cover essential expenses without relying solely on investments. We focused on making sure they had enough guaranteed income to provide a stable foundation for covering their day-to-day expenses.

    • R - Reserves for Emergencies & Insurance: We allocated a part of their inheritance to build up their emergency reserves. This ensured they had funds readily available for unexpected expenses without disrupting their retirement income.

    • A - Asset Growth: To help David and Emily grow their wealth, we allocated a portion of their inheritance into growth investments. By using a dynamic guardrail strategy, they were able to capture market gains during favorable times while adjusting withdrawals during down markets to maintain stability.

    • C - Comprehensive Tax Planning: We implemented a tax-efficient strategy to minimize their tax burden. By balancing withdrawals from their IRA and brokerage account, we ensured they stayed within a favorable tax bracket while maximizing their after-tax income.

    • E - Estate Planning: Given their recent experience of losing a parent, David and Emily wanted to make sure their estate was well-structured for their children. We helped them update their wills, establish a living trust, and allocate part of their life insurance to leave a meaningful legacy.

    Step 3: Project Management to Execution

    We assisted David and Emily in executing the financial plan, ensuring they understood each step along the way. This included setting up their social security & guaranteed income, investing in their growth portfolio, and establishing emergency reserves. Our goal was to give them confidence and clarity in every decision.

    Step 4: Routine Updates and Monitoring

    To keep their financial plan on track, we scheduled regular reviews with David and Emily. These check-ins allowed us to assess progress, make necessary adjustments, and ensure their plan remained aligned with their evolving needs and goals.

    Outcome

    Through the Swan Song System, David and Emily were able to make the most of their inheritance while securing their retirement. Their guaranteed income provided peace of mind for covering essential expenses, their emergency reserves protected them from unexpected costs, and their growth investments allowed for future financial flexibility. With a solid plan in place, David and Emily are now focused on enjoying their retirement and spending quality time with their family.

  • Overview

    Samir and Aditya, a couple in their early 60s, faced an unexpected challenge when Samir's health began to decline, forcing him into early retirement. With $700,000 in savings and a desire to maintain financial stability during this challenging time, they reached out to Retire With Swan to help them create a sustainable retirement plan that would support both their needs and peace of mind.

    The Swan Song System

    We introduced Samir and Aditya to our Swan Song System, a four-step approach that provided them with a comprehensive plan to navigate early retirement.

    Step 1: Consolidate and Organize

    We began by consolidating all of Samir and Aditya's financial information, including their retirement accounts, savings, and Social Security benefits. This helped us create a clear financial overview and identify the best strategies to ensure they could cover their expenses comfortably.

    Step 2: Solve Problems

    We solve problems by leading with G.R.A.C.E.

    • G - Guaranteed Income: Samir and Aditya's main concern was ensuring their essential expenses were covered without market risk, especially given Samir's health situation. We helped them create a guaranteed income strategy that would provide stable monthly income to cover their day-to-day expenses.

    • R - Reserves for Emergencies & Insurance: We allocated a portion of their savings to establish an emergency reserve, making sure they had funds available to handle unexpected medical expenses and other emergencies.

    • A - Asset Growth: We invested the remaining funds in a balanced growth bucket to allow their money to continue growing. We employed a dynamic guardrail strategy that allowed for increased withdrawals in favorable markets and reduced withdrawals during market downturns to preserve their capital.

    • C - Comprehensive Tax Planning: To minimize their tax liability, we structured withdrawals strategically to avoid moving them into higher tax brackets. We also utilized tax-efficient withdrawal techniques to maximize their after-tax income.

    • E - Estate Planning: With Samir's health in decline, it was important to plan ahead. We worked with them to establish a living trust, update their wills, and designate beneficiaries to ensure that Aditya would be financially secure in the future and their assets would pass smoothly to their children.

    Step 3: Project Management to Execution

    We guided Samir and Aditya through the process of implementing their financial plan, including setting up their guaranteed income and investing their growth bucket. We provided ongoing education and support to help them understand and feel confident about each decision made along the way.

    Step 4: Routine Updates and Monitoring

    We scheduled regular follow-ups with Samir and Aditya to ensure their financial plan remained on track, making adjustments as needed based on Samir’s health and their evolving needs. These routine check-ins provided reassurance that their financial future was secure despite unforeseen circumstances.

    Outcome

    Through the Swan Song System, Samir and Aditya were able to navigate an unexpected and challenging early retirement with confidence. Their guaranteed income provided the stability they needed to cover their essential expenses, while their emergency reserves protected them from unexpected medical costs. The growth investments gave them flexibility for future financial needs. With a solid plan in place, Samir and Aditya could focus on Samir's health and their quality of life, knowing that their finances were well-managed.

Note: These case studies are hypothetical and do not involve actual Retire With Swan clients. No portion of this content should be construed as a guarantee of specific results or satisfaction if Retire With Swan is engaged to provide investment advisory services.

Your Journey into Retirement is about more than numbers.

It’s about you navigating one of life's biggest transitions.

Through our Swan Song System, we help you address both the financial and personal aspects of retirement.

#1 - Consolidate and Organize

We help you gather and organize all of your most important financial information.

Gather Financial Data: We collect all your financial accounts, policies, and documents to get a clear picture of your situation. Check out our checklist

Facilitate Goal Sharing: We connect, chat, and help you define what a successful retirement means for you, including your goals and expectations.

Organize Information: We use our firm’s planning tools to organize all your information in one place, making it easy to access, understand, and share.

#2 - Solve Problems

We solve your problems by leading with G.R.A.C.E.

G - Guaranteed Income - We focus on making sure you have enough secure, reliable income to cover your core costs in retirement. We analyze and explore ways to optimize your social security, pension, and annuity income to make sure you can Sleep Well At Night for the rest of your life.

R - Reserves for Emergencies - We buffer against unplanned costs and wrong assumptions by allocating money towards reserves. We look to enhance these reserves with competitive growth, tax favor, long term care, death benefits, and liquidity.

A - Asset and Income Growth - We have to protect your retirement income and plans from future inflation and unplanned life events. So, investing some of your money for growth is necessary. We craft a bespoke portfolio of stocks and ETFs to help you reduce risk & increase your future expected rates of return. If needed, we’ll help you implement a dynamic guardrail income strategy to help you increase your income. Learn more.

C - Comprehensive Tax Planning - Now that you’re not working, you have to keep more of your hard earned money in your pocket. We help you reduce your tax bill now and for the rest of your life.

E - Estate and Legacy Planning - Good people are a blessing on their families, even in death. We help you create a practical estate plan that you, your spouse, and family understand and can follow through on.

#3 - Manage The Execution

Start enjoying the fruits of your labor without unnecessary stress.

Implementation: We handle the heavy lifting - setting up income, allocating investments, and ensuring all the paperwork is complete. You can focus on enjoying your life while we bring your financial plan to reality.

Customer Support: We don’t just hand you a plan and walk away. During this phase, we provide ongoing support, answering questions, and making adjustments as needed to ensure your plan is implemented quickly and without hick-ups.

Collaboration: Most plans require conversations and collaboration with tax advisors, social security department, 401k plan admins, insurance agents, and a variety of other people. We are there with you to make sure the work gets done and your plan is executed the right way.

#4 - Work The Plan

Monitor progress & avoid knee-jerk reactions so you can stay on the path - a fulfilling retirement.

Timely Updates and Monitoring: We set up regular check-ins to update your information, track progress, and make adjustments as needed. Check out client service calendar

Life Events: We check in with you regularly to make sure your retirement plans endure what life throws your way.

Take The First Step!