Securing Your Retirement with State Pension Advisors

1. Securing Your Retirement with State Pension Advisors Planning for retirement can feel overwhelming. Between state pension rules, employer benefits, taxes, investments, and future life changes, there’s a lot to consider. That’s where State Pension Advisors come in. A network of independent, fully‐licensed financial advisors and insurance agents, State Pension Advisors helps state and university employees design retirement, pension, and financial plans that match their goals and circumstances. Who They Serve & What They Do State Pension Advisors specializes in helping state government employees and university (or higher-education) personnel. Their clients benefit from advisors familiar with state pension systems at the local level — meaning they know state regulations, required contributions, and common pitfalls to avoid. Their key services include: ● Retirement Planning: Helping you clarify when you can/should retire, how much income you’ll need, and what steps are required to get there. ● Pension Planning: Reviewing existing pension commitments, figuring out what your pension is worth, how contributions work, and how to optimize your benefits. ● Investment Planning: Ensuring your retirement savings / additional income sources are invested in ways that balance risk and return, according to your age, goals, and comfort with volatility. ● Financial Planning more broadly: It’s not just about pensions. Advice covers assets, liabilities, expenses, taxes, estate planning, etc. State Pension Advisors’ network tailors plans to each client’s unique financial situation. ● Wealth Management: Protecting and growing your money, not just for retirement, but ensuring your lifestyle, legacy, and unexpected events are accounted for. ● Life Insurance & 401(k) Advisory: Guidance on insurance to cover risk (health, death, etc.), and support for making the most of employer-sponsored plans like 401(k)s. Their Process & Philosophy

2. Here’s how they usually work with clients: 1. Initial Matching / Consultation You provide basic info such as your state, whether you're a state or university employee, how many years you’ve worked, etc. They match you with an advisor who knows your state’s pension rules and has experience in your role. 2. Assessment of Assets, Income, Expenses, Goals In the meeting, the advisor will want to get a full view: what you’ve saved, what your current income is, what you expect in your pension, your desired retirement age, what lifestyle you want in retirement, etc. 3. Customized Strategy Based on that, the advisor helps build a plan — how much to contribute, how to allocate investments, possibly adjusting when to retire, etc. They’ll also include tax planning, inflation, and risk. 4. Ongoing Review & Adjustment Life changes. Markets change. Laws change. The plan is revisited periodically to make sure it’s still on track. The advisors at State Pension Advisors offer follow-ups, adjustments, and rebalancing as needed. What Makes Them Different ● State-Specific Expertise: Since pensions vary significantly from state to state, having advisors who understand the local systems is very valuable. State Pension Advisors emphasizes matching clients with state-trained advisors. ● Independence and Unbiased Advice: The advisors are independent (i.e. not employed by your state agency or university) so they can provide advice that is more objective. There are no hidden incentives tied to employers or providers. ● Holistic View: They don’t just look at your pension; they consider your whole financial life — other savings, debts, insurance, risk, tax considerations, etc. This tends to produce more realistic, sustainable plans. ● Accessibility & Free Initial Meetings: The initial consultation is offered for free, which lowers the barrier to getting professional guidance. Common Questions & Things to Watch Out For From their FAQ and blog content, here are some things people often ask, or should ask:

3. ● Vesting & Eligibility: How many years you need to work to become “vested” (i.e. have the legal right to pension), whether part-time work counts, etc. Understanding this influences when you’ll actually receive benefits. ● Payout Options: Lump sum vs monthly annuity vs mixed payouts. The tax implications can differ. Which is best depends on your situation. ● Retirement Age & Penalties: If you retire early, there may be reductions. Also, consider how long you need funds to last; estimating life expectancy, inflation, etc., is critical. ● Investment Risk & Diversification: For non-pension assets (or supplemental savings), how much risk can you tolerate? Advisors will help you understand how investment mix affects growth and risk. ● Tax Efficiency: How your contributions are taxed, how withdrawals will be taxed, and other implications in your state. This can have big impact on net income in retirement. Why It Matters: The Benefits Using services like those provided by State Pension Advisors gives some concrete advantages: ● Peace of Mind & Reduced Stress: Retirement presents many moving parts. Having a guide helps avoid costly mistakes, missed deadlines, or misunderstandings about state pension rules. ● Potential for More Retirement Income: Through better timing, smarter investing, maximizing benefits (e.g. avoiding pitfalls), you could end up with significantly more in actual spendable retirement income. ● Better Planning around Life Events: Changing jobs, health issues, family responsibilities — a good plan anticipates adjustments. Advisors can help you rework your plan when things shift. ● Sustained Lifestyle in Retirement: Having a well-designed plan helps you maintain your quality of life rather than just “getting by.” Steps You Can Take Now Whether you use an advisor or start planning on your own, here are actionable steps to get started:

4. 1. Gather documents: recent statements of pension benefits, pay history, current savings, debts, insurance policies. 2. Estimate desired retirement age and lifestyle: where you want to live, what expenses you expect, what kind of travel or leisure you want. 3. Project your pension: find out how your pension is calculated in your state (years of service, final salary, any bonuses or adjustments) and estimate the monthly benefit. 4. Evaluate other income sources: Social Security, other retirement accounts (401(k), IRAs), personal savings. 5. Consider inflation and taxes: what cost-of-living adjustments your pension might have, what tax state you’ll be in, etc. 6. Plan for risks: what if medical costs rise, or you live much longer than expected? What if markets do poorly? Conclusion Planning retirement around state pensions is not a “set it and forget it” matter. Because pension systems have state-specific rules, financial markets shift, and you (and life) evolve, getting good, state-aware advice can make a big difference. State Pension Advisors seeks to fill that need by connecting state and university employees with vetted professionals who understand state pension systems intimately and can help craft customized, sustainable plans. If you’re thinking about retirement now, sooner rather than later is better — a proactive plan can help maximize benefits, avoid surprises, and secure financial confidence for the years ahead.