Frequently Asked Questions

Retirement financial advisors specialize in helping retirees and pre-retirees navigate the complex transition from accumulating wealth to spending it wisely.

At Longevity Wealth Strategies in Vienna, Virginia, we coordinate all aspects of your retirement: income planning, investment management, tax-efficient withdrawal strategies, Social Security optimization, Medicare planning, estate coordination, and risk management.

Unlike general financial advisors who focus primarily on growing your portfolio, retirement financial advisors for retirees focus on making your money last throughout retirement while minimizing taxes and managing risks like healthcare costs, inflation, and market volatility. We help answer critical questions like "Can I retire when I want?" and "Will I run out of money?"

Serving clients throughout Northern Virginia, we act as your Personal CFO, coordinating every financial decision to work together toward your retirement goals.

When searching for financial advisors for retirees near Vienna or Fairfax County, look for these key qualities:

• Specialization in Retirement Planning: Prioritize firms that focus on retirement income strategies, not just general investment management.

• Fiduciary Standard: Ensure the advisor is a fiduciary, legally required to act in your best interest at all times.

• Relevant Credentials: Look for designations like MSM Finance, or a CFP® (Certified Financial Planner), each of which indicates a high level of expertise in comprehensive financial planning.

• Local Expertise: A firm with a strong local presence will better understand Virginia taxes, regional cost of living, and local healthcare options.

• Transparent Fees: Demand a clear, upfront explanation of how the advisor is compensated.

Retirement investment planning is the strategic coordination of your portfolio with your income needs, tax situation, and risk tolerance throughout retirement. It goes far beyond simply managing investments.

Key components include:

• Withdrawal strategies - Determining which accounts to tap first (taxable, tax-deferred, Roth) to minimize lifetime taxes

• Asset allocation adjustments - Shifting from growth to income-focused investments as you age

• Tax optimization - Managing capital gains, RMDs, and Roth conversions strategically

• Sequence of returns risk - Protecting against market downturns early in retirement

• Income planning - Coordinating Social Security, pensions, withdrawals, and annuities

Without proper retirement investment planning, you risk withdrawing too much (running out of money), too little (not enjoying retirement), or paying unnecessary taxes. Our clients in Vienna and Northern Virginia benefit from coordinated strategies that make their wealth work smarter, not just harder.

The ideal time is 5-10 years before your planned retirement date. This runway gives you time to:

✓ Optimize Social Security claiming strategies (can mean $100K+ in additional lifetime benefits) ✓ Implement tax-efficient Roth conversions while still working ✓ Stress-test your retirement income plan and adjust if needed ✓ Plan Medicare enrollment and healthcare bridge strategies ✓ Maximize final working years' savings and equity compensation

However, it's never too late. Many of our Northern Virginia clients engage us when they're 1-2 years from retirement or already retired. Professional financial advice at any stage helps you avoid costly mistakes and optimize what you have.

Red flags you should talk to a retirement financial advisor now:

• You're asking "Can I afford to retire?"

• You're unsure about Social Security timing

• You don't have a withdrawal strategy

• You're worried about market volatility

• You haven't updated your estate plan in 5+ years

Schedule a complimentary strategy session with Longevity Wealth Strategies in Vienna, VA to assess where you stand.

Financial advisors typically focus on wealth accumulation, helping you save and invest during your working years. Their primary goal is growing your portfolio.

Retirement planners (or retirement financial advisors) specialize in the distribution phase, helping you safely convert your nest egg into reliable lifetime income. This requires different expertise:

Retirement planners focus on:

• Social Security optimization strategies

• Medicare and healthcare planning

• Tax-efficient withdrawal sequencing

• Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) management

• Longevity planning and long-term care

• Estate and legacy strategies

• Managing income without a paycheck

At Longevity Wealth Strategies in Vienna, we exclusively serve retirees and pre-retirees in Northern Virginia. We don't do wealth accumulation for 30-year-olds, we focus entirely on the unique financial challenges of making your money last throughout retirement. This specialization allows us to provide deeper expertise in retirement income planning, tax strategies for retirees, and risk management specific to the retirement years.

Absolutely. In fact, retirement requires MORE active financial management than the accumulation years. Here's why:

During working years: Market drops are buying opportunities. You have time to recover. You're adding money regularly.

During retirement: Market drops deplete your principal. You're withdrawing money. Sequence of returns matters enormously. You can't just "wait it out."

Critical retirement-year decisions that benefit from professional advice:

• Optimizing RMDs to minimize taxes and Medicare surcharges

• Adjusting withdrawal rates based on market conditions

• Managing healthcare costs and Medicare enrollment

• Implementing Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)

• Updating estate plans as laws change

• Coordinating survivor benefits and Social Security

• Planning for potential long-term care needs

Many clients come to Longevity Wealth Strategies in Vienna after retirement because they realized managing retirement wealth is far more complex than they anticipated. Our comprehensive financial planning services ensure your money lasts and works efficiently, even as markets, laws, and your life circumstances evolve.

Retirement financial advisors typically use one of three fee structures:

1. Assets Under Management (AUM) - Most common, typically 0.75%-1.5% annually 2. Flat fee - Annual retainer, typically $2,500-$10,000+ depending on complexity 3. Hourly - $200-$500/hour for specific advice

At Longevity Wealth Strategies, we're primarily fee-based, charging a clear, tiered percentage based on assets we actively manage (typically starting at 1% and decreasing as your wealth grows). This single fee covers everything:

• Comprehensive financial planning services

• Investment management and rebalancing

• Ongoing advice and adjustments

• Tax strategy coordination

• Estate planning guidance

For clients who need standalone retirement planning advice without ongoing management, we also offer flat-fee financial planning.

You'll always know exactly what you're paying and why, complete transparency is central to our approach. If we're not delivering value that exceeds the cost, you're free to walk away.

No long-term commitments, no surprises.

Most financial advisors focus primarily on investment management, picking funds and reporting performance. That's important, but it's only one piece.

We coordinate your entire financial life:

• Investment strategy (yes, but integrated with everything else)

• Tax optimization (account sequencing, Roth conversions, RMD planning)

• Retirement income planning (where money comes from, in what order)

• Healthcare strategy (pre-Medicare bridge, Medicare optimization)

• Estate and legacy planning (coordination, not just beneficiaries)

• Risk management (longevity, market volatility, healthcare costs)

Think of it this way:

A traditional advisor manages your investments.

We act as your personal CFO coordinating all financial decisions to work together toward your goals.

Curious? Schedule time to talk with us and see if we are a fit to help you.

Once you become a client, we create your initial comprehensive financial plan within 3-4 weeks. We keep momentum going so you can move forward quickly and with confidence.

Your plan includes retirement projections, tax strategies, investment allocation, estate planning, and Social Security optimization. We present it to you, answer all your questions, refine based on your feedback, and immediately begin implementation.

Financial planning is a continuous process. It's living and breathing. It means actively coordinating your investments, taxes, estate strategy, and retirement income throughout the year, adjusting as your life evolves.

But here's what makes us different:

You'll have three proactive meetings per year, not just one annual review. We provide:

• Continuous portfolio management and rebalancing

• Year-round tax planning and optimization

• Same-day to next-day response to questions

• Annual plan updates as your life and laws change

• Proactive outreach when opportunities or concerns arise

We actively coordinate all aspects of your financial life throughout the year, investments, taxes, income, estate, insurance and more ensuring everything works together as circumstances evolve.

Think of us as your financial quarterback. Fast initial planning (3-4 weeks), then continuous partnership. You'll always know where you stand and what's next.

You can schedule a complimentary first strategy session by contacting us through our website.

This session is designed to help you determine if personal financial planning is right for you and if our firm is a good fit to help you achieve your goals.

Transferring your investment accounts is a straightforward and secure process. We use the ACAT system, which moves your assets “in-kind”, so nothing is sold, and your investments remain exactly as they are during the transfer.

Whether you're moving an IRA or a brokerage account, the only change is the login. You maintain full ownership and continuity. We won’t make any adjustments to your portfolio until you’ve reviewed and approved a personalized plan tailored to your goals and tax strategy.

We provide comprehensive, ongoing financial planning that evolves with your life. Our services include retirement income planning, investment management, tax-efficient strategies, estate planning, risk analysis, and insurance review. We also offer specialized expertise in areas like equity compensation and business owner planning.

Financial planning isn't a one-time event, it's a continuous process. We actively coordinate your investments, taxes, estate strategy, and retirement income throughout the year, adjusting as your circumstances change. Every piece works together, and we're with you every step of the way.

We specialize in proactive tax planning, not tax return preparation.

Our goal is to help you uncover opportunities such as Roth conversions, tax loss or gain harvesting, charitable giving strategies, and income optimization to better manage healthcare costs or subsidies.

Everything we do is aligned with your overall financial planning. While we don’t prepare or file your taxes, we work closely with your CPA to ensure each strategy is executed smoothly and effectively.

Yes, These are critical components of retirement planning that we address proactively.

Social Security Optimization: We analyze your claiming options to maximize lifetime benefits. Timing decisions can impact your lifetime income by $50,000-$200,000+ depending on your situation. We consider:

• Your break-even analysis

• Spousal and survivor benefits coordination

• Impact on taxes and Medicare premiums

• Longevity expectations and health factors

• Other income sources and timing

Medicare Planning: We help Northern Virginia clients navigate:

• Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage decisions

• Medigap policy selection

• Part D prescription drug coverage

• IRMAA surcharge management (income-related premium adjustments)

• Healthcare bridge strategies if retiring before 65

These decisions are interconnected with your overall retirement income planning, tax strategies, and investment withdrawals, which is why coordinating everything together produces better outcomes than making isolated decisions.

This is often the first question we help clients answer and it's exactly where our Wealthspan Review™ process begins.

We'll help you determine: ✓ If you can retire on your target date ✓ How much monthly income your assets can safely generate ✓ What lifestyle your current savings support ✓ Gaps or risks in your current plan ✓ Whether you need to adjust retirement timing or spending

Our analysis includes:

• Monte Carlo simulations (probability of success under various market conditions)

• Tax projections throughout retirement

• Healthcare cost planning

• Inflation adjustments

• Longevity planning (what if you live to 95+?)

• Social Security optimization impact

Many of our Vienna and Fairfax County clients come to us asking this exact question. Within 3-4 weeks, you'll have a clear, visual answer, not guesswork, but a comprehensive plan showing exactly where you stand and what adjustments (if any) you need to make.

Schedule a complimentary strategy session to get started.

Market volatility is far more dangerous in retirement than during accumulation years because of sequence of returns risk, the risk that poor market returns early in retirement can permanently damage your financial security.

Our approach to managing this risk:

1. Strategic asset allocation - Age-appropriate balance between growth and stability 2. Cash reserve buffers - 1-3 years of expenses in stable assets so you're not forced to sell in downturns 3. Dynamic withdrawal strategies - Adjusting spending in down years to preserve principal 4. Tax-efficient rebalancing - Using market volatility as an opportunity to harvest losses and optimize taxes 5. Diversification beyond stocks/bonds - Real assets, alternative strategies when appropriate 6. Regular stress testing - Continuous monitoring and adjustments as conditions change

We provide three proactive meetings annually, plus year-round access, so you're never wondering "What should I do?" during volatile markets. Our investment management coordinates with your retirement income planning to ensure you can weather downturns without derailing your lifestyle.

For our Northern Virginia clients, this comprehensive approach provides confidence and clarity even when markets are uncertain.

Wealthspan is the period during which your finances support your desired lifestyle without the fear of running out of money.

This concept is at the core of our practice and differentiates us by focusing on the long-term sustainability of your wealth and lifestyle.

Click to read more about Wealthspan

Our "Wealthspan" approach is unique to our firm. It focuses on helping you ensure that your finances support your desired lifestyle without the fear of running out of money.

We build a personalized plan to help you achieve this long-term financial security.

We work with individuals who want to align their wealth with their values to build a life that is financially secure both for today and tomorrow.

We help people navigate complex financial decisions and build a plan to achieve their unique goals.

You can expect a true partnership where we regularly review your financial plan and make adjustments as life changes. We call this our Longevity Circle - a continuous process where together we review and revise your planning as needed.

Our goal is to be a consistent partner in your financial journey, helping you navigate life's changes and stay on track toward your goals.

Our Service Model

Three Proactive Meetings Annually

We proactively schedule three main meetings with you each year. This structured approach allows us to focus on different crucial aspects of your plan without rushing:

• Meeting 1 (The Annual Review): A comprehensive review of your entire financial planning, investment performance, and any major life changes from the past year.

• Meeting 2 (Strategy Deep Dive): A dedicated session focusing on a key area, such as tax planning for the upcoming year or Social Security optimization.

• Meeting 3 (End of Year Check-in): A focused check-in to re-evaluate your cash flow and ensure your investments are on track for your retirement goals.

We're flexible and can conduct these meetings virtually or in person, based on your preference.

Accessibility and Response Time

Outside of our scheduled meetings, we commit to a next business-day response for all your inquiries. You'll never wait days for us to acknowledge your email or call. We strive to either provide the full answer immediately or, at the very least, acknowledge receipt and let you know we're actively working on it.

Direct Access to Principals

You'll work directly with our principals, no being passed around. We're with you for the long term, providing the attention and expertise you deserve at every stage.

Your financial plan will be personalized to your unique values, goals and situation.

We believe in a non-one-size-fits-all approach and will work with you to create a plan that reflects your values and desired outcomes.

We provide access to a trusted network of professionals, including Certified Financial Planners (CFP®), Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), and estate attorneys.

We can work in coordination with your existing professionals to ensure all aspects of your financial life are aligned.

You absolutely can try. Many smart, capable people do.

Here's what we've observed:

The DIY Challenges:

• Time: Building a comprehensive plan takes 60-100+ hours if you're learning as you go

• Knowledge Gaps: Tax law, estate planning, Medicare rules, Social Security optimization, each requires specialized knowledge

• Emotional Bias: It's hard to be objective about your own money and retirement

• Coordination Complexity: Getting investments, taxes, estate, and income planning to work together is where most DIY plans fall short

• Ongoing Management: Markets change, laws change, life changes so your planing need continuous adaptation

When DIY Makes Sense:

• You have deep financial expertise yourself

• You enjoy the research and learning process

• You have the time.

Thinking you might want some help? Schedule time to talk and see if we are a fit for you.

At Longevity Wealth Strategies, we start with your values, which guide your goals and decisions. We provide personalized financial planning and wealth management to help you navigate life’s changes, grow and protect your wealth, and plan confidently for the future.

Our approach ensures your resources are aligned with what matters most to you.

Our founder, Mark Sweeney, brings a unique perspective with over 30 years of experience as a former IT and government contracting professional. This background instilled in him a focus on systems, logic, and precision that he now applies to financial planning. Mark also holds a Master of Science - Finance (MS). His passion for financial planning was born from personal experience, helping his own family navigate complex financial challenges drove him to provide others with the clarity, structure, and support they need.

You'll work directly with either Mark or Khy, the two principals of the firm.

We're supported by a dedicated team and strong institutional resources through our partnerships with two Fortune 500 firms, allowing us to offer you a comprehensive range of services.

What Makes Us Different

We didn't start in financial services. We came from the corporate world—AT&T, Bell Labs, tech startups, and government contracting. This background gives us a distinct advantage:

• We manage complexity with precision – Multi-million dollar contracts and government compliance taught us that details matter

• We understand equity compensation – We've worked with tech professionals and understand RSUs, stock options, and complex compensation structures

• We meet mission-critical deadlines – We approach your retirement timeline with urgency and accountability

• We integrate systems seamlessly – Just like coordinating departments toward a common goal, we coordinate all aspects of your financial life

Behind us is a team of specialists in tax strategy, estate planning, and retirement income, ensuring you receive expert guidance at every level.

The first step is to schedule a complimentary strategy session.

This is a no-obligation conversation where we can discuss your financial goals and determine how we can help you achieve them.

Great question! Being an informed consumer helps you find the right fit. Here are essential questions to ask:

About their practice:

1. Do you specialize in retirement planning, or is that just one service you offer?

2. What percentage of your clients are retirees or pre-retirees?

3. Are you a fiduciary 100% of the time?

4. How are you compensated? (Fee-only, fee-based, commission?)

About their approach:

5. What does your financial planning process look like?

6. How often will we meet, and what's included?

7. How do you coordinate investments, taxes, and estate planning?

8. Who will I actually work with day-to-day?

About credentials and experience: 9. What professional credentials do you hold? (CFP®, CPA, MSM.)

10. How long have you been advising retirees?

11. Can you provide client references?

About services:

12. Do you help with Social Security and Medicare decisions?

13. Do you provide proactive tax planning or just investment management?

14. Will you work with my CPA and estate attorney?

At Longevity Wealth Strategies in Vienna, we welcome these questions.

Our complimentary strategy session is designed for you to interview us, no pressure, just honest conversation to determine if we're the right fit for your retirement goals.

The Wealthspan Review™ is our proprietary approach to comprehensive retirement planning that helps pre-retirees visualize their entire financial world and make confident, values-aligned decisions.