You log in to check your 401(k) balance. A coworker boasts about maxing out contributions, while a friend has already hired a financial advisor. But real peace of mind doesn’t come from numbers alone—it comes from knowing your financial, tax, and legal strategies are all working together.
At Alperin Law & Wealth, we believe retirement planning is not just about saving more. It’s about smart financial planning —integrating wealth management with investments, tax strategies, and estate plans so every piece of your financial life supports the next.
In Your 20s to Early 30s: Set the Foundation With Coordination
Starting early builds more than compound interest—it builds habits and resilience. But many miss the opportunity to lock in key protections and tax efficiencies.
- Start contributing to retirement accounts, but also create foundational legal documents like a power of attorney and a healthcare directive.
- Use Roth accounts strategically while your income and tax rate are lower—this can reduce your lifetime tax burden.
- Review your beneficiaries on retirement and insurance accounts with an attorney to ensure they're legally aligned with your wishes.
- Protect your income with insurance and begin building an emergency fund to avoid tapping long-term assets early.
In Your 30s and 40s: Align Growing Wealth With Future Goals
This is a high-growth stage in both career and complexity. Your wealth should be growing—and so should your strategy.
- Maximize contributions to tax-advantaged accounts, but do so with an eye toward future withdrawals and estate plans.
- Begin coordinating college savings with retirement goals and tax planning to avoid unintentional penalties or conflicts.
- Review your estate plan to account for dependents, guardianship, and asset protection.
- Evaluate Roth conversion strategies with tax advisors to take advantage of any low-tax years.
In Your 50s: Prepare for What Comes Next
This is the time to get crystal clear about your timeline, risks, and what legacy you want to leave behind.
- Stress-test your retirement plan under market and health care scenarios with help from advisors who understand both law and finance.
- Plan for elder care and long-term care costs with legal safeguards—not just insurance.
- Integrate Social Security planning with tax efficiency—delaying benefits may make sense only if paired with a coordinated income drawdown plan.
In Your 60s: Transition From Saving to Strategizing
You’re approaching the distribution phase of life—and mistakes now can be costly without a cross-disciplinary plan.
- Build a tax-efficient income strategy, accounting for required minimum distributions (RMDs), Social Security, and Medicare.
- Review your estate and legacy plans to ensure assets pass as intended while minimizing taxes and legal conflicts.
- Reassess investment risk, liquidity needs, and the role of guaranteed income in retirement.
- Consolidate and simplify accounts to streamline management and improve your beneficiaries’ experience later on.
Stop Managing Financial Pieces—Start Building Wealth Strategically
Retirement success isn’t about guessing whether your savings are “enough.” It’s about knowing every part of your plan—from taxes to trusts—is working toward the same goals.
Schedule your discovery meeting with Alperin Law & Wealth. We bring together experienced legal, tax, and financial professionals to help you make confident, forward-looking decisions—no sales pressure, no one-size-fits-all plans.
We serve individuals, families, and professionals throughout Hampton Roads—including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Suffolk, Chesapeake, and Portsmouth—and into Northeastern North Carolina, including Moyock and the Outer Banks.
