Merrill Lynch - Total Merrill - Preparing for Retirement

Preparing for Retirement

To help you have the income you need in retirement, it's essential to have a plan that identifies appropriate investment strategies for your age, risk tolerance and circumstances. Even if you aren't nearing retirement, it's never too early to ask: Are you invested in the right mix of stocks, bonds, alternative investments, and liquid assets to build a comfortable income stream? Should you be purchasing long-term care insurance? Have you maxed out your tax-deductible contributions to your retirement plan at work? If so, what else can you do now to help you achieve your retirement goals later in life?

Once you have a strategy in place, you should review your retirement investments every year to make sure that they are performing as expected and that they still align with your needs. Let a Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor offer advice and solutions, and work with you to prepare you for your post-career life. You may want to start by asking your Financial Advisor about the Retirement Income Service, which can help you plan for the income you need, no matter how ambitious your goals may be.
SUCCESS STORIES: Meet Clients Who Achieved Life Goals with the Help of Their Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor

Test-Driving Retirement

"I'm Not Planning to Ever Retire in the Traditional Sense," Says This 56-Year-Old. With the Help of his Financial Advisor, He Doesn't Have to.

"It's a misnomer to call it retirement," says Michael Guthrie, 56, an entrepreneur who has begun to ease out of the business he owns after more than 30 years of a successful career and fatherhood. He sees the future as wide open. "I'm not planning to ever retire in the traditional sense," he says. In fact, he intends to continue investing in other small businesses and dreams of funding a foundation that provides capital and mentoring to young entrepreneurs.

With a portion of the Guthries' wealth already earmarked for family and philanthropy, Michael explains, "We want our portfolio to create retirement income so that we can continue our current standard of living without having to dip into our assets." Guthrie's Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor has helped him structure a portfolio that is designed to do just that.

Educating Gifted Children

Before he could retire, this parent needed to free up cash so that he'd be able to cover singing and music lessons for his talented sons.

Taking a Permanent Sabbatical to Work for Good

With a Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor watching over his portfolio, this client was able to quit his job and pursue his passion — international volunteer work — full time.
Thumbnail of Brenda and Rich Scholl

Laddered bonds and other investments gave Brenda and Rich Scholl ready access to the cash they needed to build their dream home.

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