URS Advisory

Welcome to our new Refirement series.

The first stage of Refirement is reflection.

For many people, this can be surprisingly difficult. Not because they lack interests, but because they've spent decades prioritizing work over almost everything else.

Refirement is an opportunity to ask meaningful questions about purpose, fulfillment, and how you want to spend your time moving forward.

Because the goal isn't just to retire.

It's to create a life you genuinely enjoy living.

Follow along as we continue exploring the Refirement Framework in the weeks ahead.

Want to learn more?
Watch the full video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ 🎥

Roth conversions are about much more than simply comparing your tax bracket today to your tax bracket in retirement.

Factors like Medicare IRMAA surcharges, the widow's penalty, required minimum distributions, legacy goals, charitable giving plans, and your ability to pay the tax bill from cash outside of retirement accounts all matter.

But at its core, Roth conversion planning is about one thing: paying taxes in the lowest possible bracket over your lifetime.

The goal isn't necessarily to eliminate taxes. It's to be intentional about when you pay them.

Has your advisor walked through this analysis with you?

Withdrawal sequence matters because the order in which you tap your accounts can dramatically impact your lifetime tax bill.

One of the biggest mistakes I see retirees make is spending down their cash and brokerage accounts first while leaving their traditional IRAs and 401(k)s untouched.

It feels logical because brokerage assets are often the easiest to access and may generate lower taxes today.

The problem is that many retirees are in the lowest tax brackets of their adult lives during the years between retirement and Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).

Those years are often a golden opportunity to withdraw money from pre-tax accounts at relatively low tax rates or complete strategic Roth conversions. Instead, many retirees preserve their IRAs, only to watch them grow for another decade until large RMDs force substantial taxable income later in life.

The result? Higher tax brackets, more taxable Social Security benefits, higher Medicare premiums, and less control over their tax situation.

The goal isn't to pay the least amount of tax this year. The goal is to pay the least amount of tax over your lifetime.

That's why withdrawal sequence matters so much. A dollar withdrawn from the wrong account at the wrong time can create a much larger tax bill down the road.

Come take a tour of our new office! 🎉

One of my favorite parts of this video isn't the office itself. It's seeing everyone in their element.

You'll see Corinne helping clients navigate retirement planning, Roger tackling Medicare and client service questions, Kristen keeping all of us organized, Erik overseeing operations and investments, and me doing what I love most: helping people make sense of retirement.

Every room has a purpose, and every person has a role. And together, we're working toward one goal: helping our clients retire with confidence.

Building this space has been incredibly exciting, but what makes it special isn't the furniture, the conference rooms, or the décor. It's the people who walk through these halls every day and care deeply about the work they do.

We're proud of what we've built, and we're excited to welcome clients, friends, and family into our new home.

Take a look around! 🏡✨