A career in academia has been rewarding for Michael.  He continues to work not because he feels he has to but because he still gets a sense of being part of something bigger than himself. 

He isn’t worried about saving enough, having enough, or even giving enough.  He’s been a diligent saver and even paid off the mortgage on his home.  But he doesn’t know if there is something he is missing.  Is there a trap door he is unaware? 

Lastly, there is concern with taxation.

Michael met with a planner who helped him:

  • Reduce costs on his investments
  • Created a tax smart portfolio
  • Reduced the riskiness of the overall portfolio
  • Reduction of taxes paid through Roth conversions, charitable giving and optimizing when to take Social Security

Today, Michael has stopped working full-time and began to work on the book he has always dreamed of publishing.  The calming sense of freedom and having a plan has helped him live his best life.