Retirement Income Planning for Retirees in Del Mar, CA

Ongoing, coordinated planning for income, taxes, Social Security, and Medicare decisions once the paycheck stops.

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It is complimentary, with no obligation. If we are not the right fit, we will tell you honestly.
Serving Families in Southern
California since 2015
Chad Waters is a CERTIFIED
FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional
Affiliated with LPL Financial, a Fortune
500 company; Member FINRA/SIPC

Check the background of this firm on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

“How much can I spend each year without running out of money?”

Retirement is not a finish line. It is a transition into what is arguably one of the most financially complex chapters of your life.

Once the paycheck stops, the questions change and the stakes go up. How much can you actually spend each year? Which accounts should you draw from first? When should you start Social Security, and how does that interact with everything else?

Many retirees are carrying an accumulation-era portfolio, a set of insurance policies, and estate documents that were never restructured as circumstances changed. The plan that made sense during your earning years may not reflect the life stage you are actually in now.

Required Minimum Distributions can push you into a higher tax bracket if the timing is not considered carefully. In California, that RMD is taxed as ordinary income at the state level as well, on top of federal tax, with no preferential treatment for retirement income.

Unlike mistakes made during the accumulation years, the ones made in retirement can be among the hardest to recover from. There is no paycheck coming in to absorb an unplanned hit.

The questions our retired clients bring to us:

How much can I spend each year?

Which accounts should I draw from first to help manage my lifetime tax burden?

When should I start taking Social Security, and how does that interact with everything else?

How do I think about Required Minimum Distributions so they do not create an unexpected tax burden?

Is my portfolio still structured appropriately now that I am in distribution mode?

Is my estate plan current? Do my beneficiary designations reflect what I actually want?

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What a Good Retirement Income Strategy Looks Like

You have a clearer sense of how much you can sustainably spend each year and what that means for your long-term financial picture.

Your withdrawals are sequenced in a way that aims to help manage your lifetime tax burden, not just this year's bill.

Your Social Security claiming decision was made thoughtfully, with your full financial situation considered as part of the conversation.

Your estate plan and beneficiary designations reflect what you actually want today.

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Retirement Income Planning at Trifecta Wealth Management

At Trifecta Wealth Management, your retirement income plan is developed around your specific goals, income needs, and tax situation.

That includes a conversation around income modeling, tax-efficient withdrawal sequencing, Social Security analysis, and portfolio restructuring where appropriate.

It also includes estate and legacy conversations that raise beneficiary designation and trust titling questions worth exploring with your attorney. The goal is for every piece to work together as one coordinated strategy rather than a set of separate decisions made in isolation.

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Complimentary Second Opinion

A no-obligation conversation about your current income sources, accounts, and financial picture.

Income Modeling

We model how your assets may perform under different spending and market scenarios, to help give you a clearer sense of what your retirement income picture could look like.

Withdrawal and Tax Strategy

We evaluate withdrawal sequencing across accounts and discuss Roth conversion and RMD timing in the context of your broader tax situation.

Social Security and Medicare Review

We discuss claiming strategy and potential IRMAA exposure based on your income, health, and spousal situation.

Ongoing Partnership

We meet regularly and aim to reach out when something in your plan may warrant a conversation or adjustment.

Why Work With Trifecta Wealth Management

Retirees Are Our Focus

Retired clients represent a large portion of the clients we serve. This is not a sideline for us. It is the core of what we do.

One Advisor, One Relationship

You work directly with Chad Waters, CFP®, as your primary point of contact, supported by his team. The person who knows your plan is the person you call when something comes up.

One Coordinated Plan

Withdrawal sequencing, RMDs, Social Security, estate planning conversations, and your investment strategy are considered together as part of one integrated picture, not managed as separate decisions.

Fortune 500 Backing

Through our affiliation with LPL Financial, we have access to the resources and infrastructure to support complex retirement income planning.

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What Our Clients Say

Chad and Heather are an amazing team and they are always there to handle our financial questions and concerns. We feel they always have our best interest in mind. We would and have highly recommended them for financial planning.

Deb H.
Retired
August 5, 2026

Judy and I have been with Heather and Chad for several years, and we find them both very easy to talk to. Chad is managing our accounts in accordance with our wishes, and we have quarterly updates with him to keep things on track. We can, and do, call at other times to discuss aspects of our portfolio, and Chad is always prompt in responding. Judy and I are both happy with the relationship.

John S.
Retired
July 31, 2026

We have worked with Chad for years. He is smart, personable, and a good communicator. Not only has he sought to protect our assets over ups and downs, but we have also seen excellent growth. We trust Chad completely. He and Heather are always accessible, responsive, and transparent. If you are looking for a competent, trustworthy, pleasant advisor, I recommend you talk with Chad.

Debbie B.
Retired
July 29, 2026

This statement is a testimonial by a client of the financial professional as of the indicated date. The client has not been paid or received any other compensation for making these statements. As a result, the client does not receive any material incentives or benefits for providing the testimonial. These views may not be representative of the views of other clients and are not indicative of future performance or success.

Frequently Asked Questions

I am already retired. Is it too late to benefit from financial planning?

Not at all. Ongoing financial planning is arguably more important in retirement than during your accumulation years. Decisions about income, taxes, Social Security, RMDs, Medicare, and estate planning can have a meaningful effect on how long your assets last and how efficiently they are distributed.

How much can I spend each year without running out of money?

We develop an income model based on your assets, spending needs, and time horizon, and we test it against different scenarios. The goal is to give you a clearer, more grounded sense of what your spending picture could look like rather than a rough estimate.

How do you help manage RMDs?

RMDs are IRS-mandated withdrawals that can meaningfully affect your taxable income if the timing is not considered carefully. We work with you to think through the timing, amount, and potential tax impact of your distributions as part of your broader income and tax strategy.

Will you coordinate with my CPA and estate attorney?

Yes, at your request. We are happy to work alongside your CPA and estate attorney, though we do not provide tax or legal advice ourselves. Our role is to help raise the right questions and facilitate coordination across your planning team.

What happens to my spouse financially if something happens to me?

This is one of the questions we raise directly as part of the ongoing planning relationship. We review beneficiary designations you share with us, discuss spousal income considerations, and where you choose to involve your estate attorney, we are happy to help facilitate that conversation at your request.

How often will we meet?

At minimum, one comprehensive annual review and one dedicated planning meeting each year, with additional check-ins throughout the year as your situation warrants.

Are you a fiduciary?

In our fee-based advisory relationships, yes. We are required to act as a fiduciary, and as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, held to a fiduciary standard under the CFP Board's Code of Ethics.

Got questions?

Apply for a Second Opinion call with our team to get all your questions answered.

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Let's look at your retirement income picture together, and see whether your plan fits your current phase of life.

Get a Second Opinion
It is complimentary, with no obligation. If we are not the right fit, we will tell you honestly.
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+1 858-703-6033

Trifecta Wealth Management does not provide tax or legal advice. Social Security, Medicare, and tax-related information discussed here is general in nature. Decisions regarding Social Security claiming, RMDs, and Roth conversions should be made in coordination with your CPA. Estate-related matters should be coordinated with your estate attorney.