The Bases Covered Retirement System
At Gariano Wealth Management, we understand that every individual's financial journey is unique. That's why our comprehensive retirement planning process, called The Bases Covered Retirement System, is designed to provide you with a personalized roadmap towards retiring with confidence. We're here to guide you every step of the way.
Phase 1: Getting Started
PART 1:
Consultation
This is a focused conversation to learn where you are today, where you'd like to go, and whether we’re the right fit.
What we cover:
- Your current financial situation
- Your most important questions
- About Gariano Wealth Management
- Logistics of a financial planning relationship
- What the onboarding process looks like (and what you can expect next)
Outcome: You leave with clarity on next steps and whether it makes sense to move forward.
PART 2:
Onboarding
If we’re a fit, onboarding is where we gather the inputs needed to build a plan you can actually use.
What happens during onboarding:
- Financial Planning Agreement
- Scheduling the Plan Proposal Meeting
- Invitation to our planning tools
- Completion of new client tasks (documents, statements, data gathering)
- Ongoing contact with your Planner and ParaPlanner via email/text/phone
Outcome: By the end of onboarding, we have a complete picture of your household finances and financial goals, as well as everything needed to build a retirement plan with real numbers, not generic assumptions, specific to your life.
Phase 2: Plan Delivery + Implementation
PART 1:
Plan Proposal Meeting
This is where the plan comes to life and you see exactly what’s possible. At this meeting, we go through the first draft of your baseline retirement plan, as well as two alternative scenarios to be discussed.
What we cover:
- Income Labs Guardrail presentation (how we build a spending plan that adapts to markets)
- Your safe withdrawal rate (in both % and dollars)
- Your Bases Covered Income Plan (your monthly/annual withdrawal and income amounts)
- Questions + clear next steps
Outcome: You walk away with a retirement spending strategy you understand — and confidence that it’s designed to hold up in the real world.
PART 2:
Cash Flow & Taxes Meeting
Good retirement plans are built on tax-aware cash flow decisions, especially in your 60s and early retirement years. During this meeting, we will create a framework to answer questions on Social Security claiming, Roth Conversions, and Healthcare pre and post retirement.
What we cover:
- Review additional plan scenarios (so you understand tradeoffs before making decisions)
- Reinforce guardrails (how your spending adjusts over time)
- Social Security framework (when to claim, why, and what it changes)
- Medicare/private health insurance framework
- Roth conversion framework (when it helps, when it hurts, and how to size it)
Outcome: You leave with a strategy to reduce lifetime taxes, avoid costly mistakes, and coordinate income sources intelligently.
PART 3:
Investments 1
This meeting connects your investment strategy to your retirement income plan, not the other way around.
What we cover:
- Audit of your current investment portfolio
- Recommended target rate of return (based on your plan — not guesswork)
- Asset allocation framework
- Explanation of portfolio risk measures (so you understand what you own and why)
Outcome: You understand what your portfolio is designed to do and what needs to change (if anything) to support your retirement plan.
PART 4:
Investments 2
This meeting finalizes the strategy and sets expectations for how we manage and monitor going forward.
What we cover:
- Recap of the Investments 1 conversation
- Explanation of the framework for your recommended portfolio
- Mechanics of the ongoing relationship
- Investment monitoring frequency and structure
Outcome: You have a portfolio strategy you can explain in plain English plus a clear plan for how it will be monitored and adjusted over time.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What You Get From This Process
By the end of Phase 2, you should have clarity on:
- When you can safely retire
- How much you can spend (and how that number changes with markets)
- Which accounts to spend from and when (tax-smart sequencing)
- Social Security timing and how it affects your plan
- Healthcare planning before and after Medicare
- Roth conversion strategy
- An investment plan designed to support the income plan
2. What Happens After The Plan?
Planning isn’t a one-time event. The real value comes from ongoing decisions, such as tax changes, market shifts, health insurance transitions, portfolio monitoring and updating, as well as spending adjustments.
We continue to monitor, communicate, and update the plan so you stay on track, without needing to guess.
Take the Next Step Toward Financial Independence
Take the next step in your financial journey today. Contact us to schedule an introductory call so we can begin our work to help you progress toward greater financial confidence.
Services
Gariano Wealth Management is there with you every step of the way through your retirement planning journey.
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Our multi-generational firm brings a unique perspective to our role as your long-term, trusted financial partner.
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