Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely, and for many people at that level, the timing is right. When you have accumulated $2 million or more in investable assets, your financial life tends to carry a level of complexity that benefits greatly from coordinated, comprehensive guidance.

At that stage, the questions shift. Retirement income, tax efficiency, Social Security timing, estate planning, and long-term healthcare costs all begin to intersect in meaningful ways. Having a clear, integrated strategy helps ensure those moving parts are working together toward the same goal rather than pulling in different directions.

We primarily work with individuals and families who have $1 million or more in investable assets, including executives, business owners, and pre-retirees who want their financial life organized around a vision for what comes next. If that sounds like where you are, we'd be glad to have a conversation.

The best way to find out is to ask directly, and then listen carefully to how they answer.

A true fiduciary is legally and ethically obligated to act in your best interest at all times - not just some of the time, and not just when it's convenient. Some advisors use the term loosely while still earning commissions from the products they recommend, which creates a built-in tension between their compensation and your outcomes.

A few questions worth asking any advisor you are considering:

• Do you work under the fiduciary standard?
• Are you fee-only, or do you earn commissions?
• Do you sell insurance or investment products?
• How exactly are you compensated?
• Do you receive any incentives or referral fees from third parties?

The answers will tell you a great deal.

At Intentional Wealth Planning, we are a fee-only firm, working under the fiduciary standard. Our compensation comes directly from our clients, full stop. We do not sell commission-based products, and we do not accept incentives from outside parties. That structure keeps our advice objective and our focus exactly where it belongs - on your goals, your plan, and your long-term financial well-being.

The difference comes down to the standard they are held to when giving you advice.

A financial advisor works under the fiduciary standard and is legally required to act in your best interest at all times. Every recommendation has to be the right choice for you, based on your goals, your situation, and your long-term plan.

A broker operates under the "suitability" standard. Under that framework, a recommendation simply needs to be suitable for you - not necessarily the best option available. That distinction becomes important when you consider that brokers can earn commissions from the investment or insurance products they recommend, which can influence what gets suggested.

Understanding how your advisor is compensated (and what standard they are held to) gives you a clearer picture of whose interests are being prioritized when recommendations are made.

At Intentional Wealth Planning, we operate under the fiduciary standard. We do not sell commission-based financial products or investments. Our work is focused entirely on comprehensive financial planning, retirement planning, investment management, and tax-efficient strategies built around your specific goals. When we make a recommendation, it is because we believe it is genuinely the right move for you.

For most people seeking comprehensive, objective financial guidance, fee-only tends to be the more transparent and aligned structure. Here is why that matters.

When an advisor earns commissions from the products they recommend, a natural tension can develop between what pays them well and what serves you well. That does not mean every commission-based advisor gives poor advice, but the structure itself creates an incentive that is worth understanding before you place your trust in someone.

Fee-only advisors are compensated directly by their clients. There are no commissions, no product sales, and no payments from outside companies. That structure makes it easier to give advice that is genuinely built around your goals rather than shaped by what generates the most compensation.

At Intentional Wealth Planning, we are fee-only firm working under the fiduciary standard. We do not sell commission-based products or investments, and we do not receive payments from third parties. Our focus is on providing clear, objective guidance - whether that involves investment management, retirement planning, tax strategy, or broader financial planning decisions. Every recommendation we make is grounded in what we believe is right for your plan and your future.

Not at all. In fact, for many people, 55 is one of the most valuable times to get serious about retirement planning.

Your 50s are often your peak earning years, which means the financial decisions you make in this season carry significant weight. There is real opportunity here - to accelerate savings, reduce unnecessary tax exposure, pay down debt strategically, and begin building a clear picture of what retirement income will actually look like for you.

The decisions that matter most tend to cluster around this stage of life: when to claim Social Security, how to maximize 401(k) contributions, how to handle a pension, how to plan for healthcare costs, and how to position your investments as retirement draws closer. Getting intentional about those choices now can make a meaningful difference in how prepared and confident you feel when the time comes.

If you feel like you are starting later than you would have liked, a structured plan helps bring clarity to where you stand and what steps make the most sense going forward. The goal is to make the most of the time and resources you have, and build a retirement strategy that reflects the life you actually want to live.

Business owners often have more planning flexibility than they realize, and that flexibility creates some of the most meaningful opportunities to reduce taxes over time.

The key is being proactive. Entrepreneurs tend to experience variable income, concentrated business risk, and a financial picture that blends personal and business decisions in ways that require careful coordination. When tax planning is integrated into the broader financial strategy rather than treated as a once-a-year task, the long-term impact can be significant.

Strategies worth exploring often include:

• Retirement plan optimization
• Strategic business entity selection
• Tax-efficient investment management
• Defined benefit or cash balance plans
• Coordinated income distribution strategies
• Capital gains planning
• Charitable giving strategies
• Business succession planning

No two business owners are in exactly the same situation, which is why the right combination of strategies depends on your income structure, your goals, your timeline, and how your business and personal finances interact with each other.

At Intentional Wealth Planning, we work closely with business owners and their existing tax professionals to build coordinated strategies that address both sides of that equation. The goal is a plan that protects what you have built, reduces unnecessary tax burden, and keeps your financial life moving in the same direction as your long-term vision.

Our firm does not offer tax or legal advice. Consult your tax or legal advisor regarding your situation.

Retirement planning considerations vary based on an individual's financial situation, retirement benefits, savings, healthcare needs, and retirement goals.

Employees of large employers such as Toyota may wish to evaluate factors including:

• Pension benefit options
• 401(k) distribution and rollover decisions
• Tax-efficient retirement income strategies
• Healthcare and Medicare planning
• Social Security claiming strategies
• Investment allocation and risk management

A comprehensive retirement plan can help individuals evaluate how these factors fit within their overall financial goals.

Intentional Wealth Planning is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Toyota Motor Corporation or any Toyota-sponsored retirement plan.

When retiring from Toyota, employees generally have several options for their 401(k), including:

• Leaving funds in the employer plan
• Rolling the account into an IRA
• Consolidating retirement accounts
• Beginning retirement income distributions

The right decision depends on investment options, fees, tax considerations, withdrawal flexibility, and your broader retirement income plan.

A rollover should not be treated as a one-size-fits-all decision. Evaluating taxes, required minimum distributions, income needs, and long-term investment strategy is essential before making changes.

We help Toyota retirees evaluate their options carefully and develop tax-efficient retirement income strategies aligned with their long-term goals.

Intentional Wealth Planning is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Toyota Motor Corporation or any Toyota-sponsored retirement plan.

For some people, yes. For others, the answer depends on decisions that have not been made yet - and that is exactly why this question deserves a real plan rather than a general answer.

Whether $1 million is enough to support the retirement you want at age 60 comes down to a combination of factors that are unique to your situation:

• Your expected spending needs and lifestyle in retirement
• When you plan to claim Social Security
• How you will handle healthcare costs before Medicare eligibility
• Your tax strategy and how withdrawals will be structured
• How your investments are positioned for both growth and protection
• How long your retirement may last
• Any additional income sources available to you

What matters most is how all of those pieces fit together. A portfolio that supports one person's retirement comfortably may fall short for someone else with different spending patterns, healthcare needs, or income expectations.

A well-built retirement plan stress tests your situation across multiple scenarios - market downturns, rising healthcare costs, inflation, and different withdrawal rates - so you can see clearly where you stand and what adjustments, if any, would strengthen your position.

At Intentional Wealth Planning, we help clients build retirement income strategies designed for long-term sustainability and confidence. If you are wondering whether retiring at 60 is realistic for you, the best place to start is with a clear picture of your full financial situation and a plan built around the life you want to live.