Retirement Checkup

Clear Answers for Your Family’s Financial Questions

Helpful answers about retirement, family wealth, business planning, and protecting what you have built.

Get In Touch

Clear Answers, Organized by Topic

Find simple answers to common questions about retirement income, family legacy planning, business transitions, taxes, and long-term financial planning.

Choose a category below to learn how George helps bring the different parts of your financial life into one clear plan.

About George Gadzik

Get to know George and his approach to financial planning. He combines years of professional experience with personal guidance built around your goals, values, and family’s future.

What is George Gadzik’s professional background?

George has decades of experience in the financial industry. He helps individuals, families, and business owners with retirement income planning, tax-aware strategies, business transitions, and family legacy planning.

George believes financial advice should be clear, personal, and easy to understand.

His goal is to help each client see where they stand, understand their options, and have a written plan for their future, family, business, and long-term goals.

George believes your financial plan should change as your life changes.

There are times when you are building wealth, times when you are using it for retirement income, and times when you are planning how it may support your family in the future. George helps keep these parts connected, so your plan fits each stage of life.

George believes financial planning should feel personal, not distant or confusing. He takes time to understand your goals, your family, your business, and the decisions you are facing.

Whether you meet in person or online, the focus is on making complex financial topics easier to understand and easier to act on.

Yes. George is an independent financial advisor.

This means he can focus on your needs, goals, and financial picture when building a plan. His recommendations are designed around what makes sense for you, not a one-size-fits-all approach.

George looks at more than just your investment portfolio.

He helps connect the different parts of your financial life, including retirement income, taxes, risk, business planning, and family legacy goals. The goal is to create one clear plan that works together, instead of treating each piece separately.

George believes clients should understand what they are paying for, how their plan works, and why certain recommendations are being made.

He explains fees, planning options, and next steps in clear language, so you can make informed decisions with confidence.

Yes. George can work with clients in different parts of the country.

Meetings can be held in person when possible or online through secure virtual meetings. This allows families and business owners to receive personal financial guidance no matter where they live.

George enjoys helping clients make sense of financial decisions that once felt confusing or overwhelming.

His favorite part is seeing clients feel more comfortable and confident after they understand their options and have a clear plan for what comes next.

George is happy to discuss his experience, licensing, and professional background with you.

During your first conversation, you can ask questions about his qualifications, how he works with clients, and whether his planning approach is the right fit for your needs.

Retirement Income Planning

We help you move from saving for retirement to using your money in retirement. The goal is to create a clear income plan that supports your lifestyle, taxes, and long-term needs.

How is this different from a standard investment account?

A standard investment account often focuses mainly on growth. Retirement income planning focuses on how and when you use your money, how taxes may affect it, and how your income can support your lifestyle over time.

Income flooring means planning for your most important living expenses first. This may include using more predictable income sources, when appropriate, so your basic needs are not fully dependent on market changes.

It is often helpful to start 3 to 5 years before you stop working. This gives you time to review your accounts, taxes, income needs, and investment mix before retirement begins.

Yes. George can help manage investments as part of your larger retirement income plan. The goal is to make sure your portfolio supports your income needs, risk level, and long-term goals.

We consider rising costs as part of your retirement income plan. This helps you think through how your income needs may change over time.

Yes. A retirement income plan can include money for current income and money invested for longer-term growth. The right balance depends on your needs, comfort with risk, and goals.

We help plan for market changes by reviewing cash reserves, income sources, and withdrawal timing. The goal is to reduce the need to sell long-term investments at the wrong time.

We review how money may be taken from Roth, Traditional, and taxable accounts. The goal is to make withdrawals more tax-aware and easier to understand.

Yes. You receive a written plan that explains where your retirement income may come from and how the pieces work together.

Your plan can change with you. George can review your plan over time and make updates as your life, family, income needs, or goals change.

Business Exit & Succession Planning

We help business owners prepare for selling, passing on, or stepping away from their company. The goal is to turn what you have built into a clear personal financial plan.

When is the best time to start planning a business exit?

It is often best to start planning several years before you expect to sell or transition your business. Starting 3 to 10 years ahead can give you more time to prepare the business, review your personal goals, and make thoughtful decisions.

George can help review areas that may affect business value, such as employee benefits, retirement plans, internal structure, and transition readiness. The goal is to help your business look more organized and prepared for a future buyer or successor.

A personalized exit plan connects your business transition with your personal financial needs. It looks at your retirement income, taxes, family goals, and what life may look like after you step away from the business.

Yes. George can help business owners set up, review, or improve 401(k) plans and employee benefits. A strong benefits plan can support your team and help prepare the business for the future.

George can help review company-sponsored retirement accounts and coordinate rollovers into personal retirement accounts, such as Traditional or Roth IRAs, when appropriate. The goal is to make the transition clear and tax-aware.

Exit proceeds planning means deciding how the money from a business sale may support your personal financial life. This may include retirement income, taxes, investments, family needs, and long-term legacy planning.

Yes. George can coordinate with your CPA, attorney, and other trusted professionals. This helps keep your business, tax, legal, and personal financial planning connected.

George can help review options for passing business value to the next generation. This may include working with your CPA and attorney to better understand taxes, ownership transfer, and family planning needs.

Operational readiness means preparing your business so it can continue running without depending on you every day. This can be important if you plan to sell, pass the business to family, or bring in new leadership.

That is often a good time to start planning. George can help you build a plan now, so when the time comes, you have a clearer path for your business, personal wealth, and next chapter.

Estate & Family Legacy Planning

We help families create clear plans for passing wealth to the next generation. The goal is to protect what you have built, reduce confusion, and support your family’s future with care.

Is estate planning only for the ultra-wealthy?

No. Estate planning can help any family that wants to make things easier for their loved ones.

A clear plan can help reduce confusion, avoid unnecessary delays, and make sure your wishes are better understood.

Multi-generational wealth planning looks at how your money may support your children, grandchildren, and future family needs.

George helps you review your assets, goals, and family priorities so you can create a plan that is clear and easier for your heirs to follow.

George can help you review tools like 529 College Savings Plans to save for future education costs.

These plans can help set aside money for tuition and other school expenses while keeping your family’s long-term goals in mind.

UTMA and UGMA accounts can be a simple way to set aside money for a child or grandchild.

George can help you understand how these accounts work, how they fit into your larger family plan, and how they may support a young person as they grow into adulthood.

George helps organize your financial plan so your heirs have a clearer understanding of what is in place and why.

This may include reviewing account types, beneficiary choices, estate planning goals, and how your financial plan connects with your legal documents.

A legacy roadmap is a clear written plan for how your wealth may support your family, future generations, and the causes or goals that matter to you.

The goal is to make your wishes easier to understand and easier for your family to follow.

George can help review how your assets are organized and how market changes may affect your long-term family plan.

The goal is to help reduce unnecessary risk and keep your legacy plan better prepared for changing conditions.

It is usually helpful to review your plan every 1 to 2 years, or after a major life event.

This may include a birth, death, marriage, divorce, business sale, retirement, or major change in your financial picture.

No. This does not replace your will or legal estate documents.

George can help make sure your financial plan works together with your legal documents. He can also coordinate with your attorney when needed.

George believes legacy planning should feel personal, not confusing or distant.

He takes time to understand your family, your values, and what you want your wealth to support. Whether you meet in person or online, the goal is to make the plan clear, thoughtful, and connected to what matters most.

Tax Planning

We help you look ahead, not just look back. The goal is to find tax planning opportunities, reduce unnecessary tax costs, and make your full financial plan work more efficiently over time.

How is this different from what my CPA does?

Your CPA usually focuses on preparing and filing your tax return.

George focuses on planning ahead. He helps look at how taxes may affect your retirement income, investments, business transition, and family goals. When needed, he can also coordinate with your CPA.

Asset location means deciding which types of investments belong in which types of accounts.

For example, some assets may be better suited for Roth accounts, Traditional retirement accounts, or taxable accounts. The goal is to make your plan more tax-aware over time.

Tax drag means losing more money to taxes than necessary because of how accounts, investments, or withdrawals are structured.

George helps review your plan to find areas where taxes may be reduced or better managed.

Yes. George can help review whether a Roth conversion may make sense for your situation.

This includes looking at your income, tax bracket, retirement goals, and long-term plan before deciding if and when a conversion may be helpful.

George can help review how 529 plans fit into your family’s education and tax planning goals.

These plans may offer tax benefits when used for qualified education expenses, and George can help you understand how they may support your family’s future.

Financial efficiency means looking at how well your money is working toward your goals.

George helps review whether taxes, fees, account structure, or timing may be holding your plan back.

No. George does not file tax returns.

He helps with tax-aware financial planning and can coordinate with your CPA, who handles tax filing and tax advice.

George helps business owners review how taxes may affect a sale, transition, retirement plan, or rollover.

The goal is to make business and personal planning work together in a clear and organized way.

No. The goal is not to take unnecessary risks.

George focuses on thoughtful, tax-aware planning that uses available rules and strategies in a clear and responsible way.

It means George explains the planning process clearly.

You should understand what is being recommended, why it matters, what the costs may be, and how it fits into your overall financial plan.

Insurance & Risk Planning

We help you review risks that could affect your income, family, business, and long-term financial plan. The goal is to use insurance and other planning tools, when appropriate, to help protect what you have built.

Why do I need insurance if I have a large portfolio?

A large portfolio can be helpful, but it may not cover every risk.

Insurance may provide added protection for your family, help with future income needs, or provide funds during major life events. George can help you decide whether insurance fits into your overall plan.

Life insurance can be more than a policy payout.

It may help provide money for loved ones, support estate planning needs, or make it easier to pass wealth to the next generation. George can review how it fits with your family’s goals.

Annuities may be used as one way to create more predictable retirement income.

George can help review whether an annuity makes sense for your income needs, comfort with risk, and long-term financial plan.

Asset protection means reviewing how your wealth is organized and looking for ways to reduce certain risks.

This may include planning for market changes, family needs, business concerns, and unexpected life events.

George reviews your current plan, income needs, family responsibilities, debts, business concerns, and long-term goals.

From there, he helps identify areas where more protection may be needed and where you may already be well covered.

Insurance is often best viewed as part of the larger financial plan.

When used properly, it may help protect your family, support retirement income, or make wealth transfer easier. The right answer depends on your needs and the type of coverage.

George reviews insurance as part of your broader financial picture.

The focus is not on selling a product. The focus is on whether a policy or strategy fits your income needs, family goals, and long-term plan.

Market volatility buffering means planning ahead for market ups and downs.

This may include keeping certain funds available for short-term needs, so you are less likely to sell long-term investments during a difficult market period.

 

Yes. George can review your current life insurance, annuities, or other policies to see whether they still fit your needs.

As your family, business, and goals change, your protection plan may need to change as well.

Income resilience means having a plan that helps support your basic lifestyle through different market and life conditions.

George helps review your income sources, expenses, insurance, investments, and retirement goals so your plan feels more stable and easier to understand.

No-Cost Financial Consultation

George personally reviews your financial picture and helps identify areas that may need attention. There is no obligation. The goal is to give you clearer next steps and a better understanding of where you stand.

Is the session really free?

Yes. There is no cost for the first consultation.

The goal is to help you ask questions, understand your current financial picture, and see what steps may make sense next.

George will review your goals, current plan, and any areas that feel unclear or concerning.

You may discuss retirement income, taxes, investments, estate planning, business planning, or other financial questions. The goal is to help you leave with clearer next steps.

No. The consultation is meant to be helpful and informative.

George will explain your options clearly, and you decide whether you want to take the next step.

It is helpful to have recent financial statements, retirement account information, insurance details, or business planning documents if they are relevant.

You do not need to have everything perfectly organized. The most important thing is to be ready to talk about your goals and concerns.

Yes. Meetings can be held in person when possible or online through a secure virtual meeting.

The goal is to make the process convenient, personal, and easy to follow.

Yes. You will leave with a clearer understanding of your financial picture and possible next steps.

Whether you choose to work with George or not, the information discussed is yours to use.

Yes. George uses secure tools for document sharing, communication, and virtual meetings.

Your personal, business, and financial information is handled with care and kept confidential.

The consultation is for individuals, families, and business owners who want a clearer view of their financial plan.

It may be especially helpful if you have questions about retirement income, taxes, business transition, estate planning, insurance, or family legacy goals.

It is a meeting focused on how prepared your current plan may be for market changes, income needs, and unexpected life events.

George reviews areas that may need more protection or better organization, then helps explain what steps may make sense.

You can book by filling out the contact form or clicking the schedule button on the website.

George will review your request and follow up with next steps.

Clarity in Action

Clear Planing

George helps organize your finances so your options are easier to understand.

Planning Your Way

Meet in person or online, wherever the conversation feels comfortable and easy to follow.

Clear and Simple

George helps remove confusion, explain your options, and give you a clearer path forward.

Ready to turn your financial questions into a clear plan?

Retirement Checkup
How We Help