Two Waters Wealth Management
Build a retirement plan around the life you want to live.
Retirement is more than an investment question. It is a transition that can affect your income, taxes, healthcare, relationships, family, and the way you use your time. The SMART Retirement Blueprint® is our six-area process for organizing those conversations around what matters most to you.
Who we serve
We work with professionals and couples who are approaching retirement or already retired, including households in the Lake Norman and greater Charlotte area and families we serve virtually. Many have saved diligently but want a clearer view of how the pieces fit together before the paycheck changes.
Plan over portfolio
A portfolio matters, but it is only one part of a retirement plan. We begin with your vision, then use the SMART Retirement Blueprint® to examine income, healthcare, assets, risk, taxes, and legacy considerations together.
A place to start
Start with the Questions Before You Leave Work assessment, explore our educational resources, or schedule a Retirement Brainstorm Session when you want to talk through the questions most relevant to your household.
Questions people ask
How do I know if I have enough to retire?
A balance alone doesn't answer that question. Start with the life you want, what it may cost, and the income sources you expect to have. Then bring healthcare, taxes, emergencies, and changes in your circumstances into the conversation. Our SMART Retirement Blueprint® organizes those questions into a coordinated planning discussion. A rule of thumb is not a personalized retirement plan, and no plan can remove every uncertainty.
What does it mean to work with a fiduciary financial advisor?
Investment advisory services are offered by Signal Advisors Wealth, LLC (Signal Wealth). Investment advisory services are provided in accordance with a fiduciary duty of care and loyalty that includes putting client interests first and disclosing conflicts. Insurance products and services are offered through Two Waters Wealth Management. When recommending or selling insurance products, Two Waters Wealth Management and its agents are not acting on behalf of Signal Wealth or in a fiduciary capacity. Insurance services have a best interest standard which requires recommendations to be in the client's best interest. Advisors may receive commissions and other compensation for the sale of insurance and annuity products.
When should I start planning for retirement?
You don't need to have every answer before you begin. If leaving work is becoming a real possibility, start by organizing your priorities, expected spending, income sources, healthcare questions, and the decisions that still need attention. Whether retirement is close or farther away, the first conversation can help identify what information you need to gather next.
What is the SMART Retirement Blueprint?
The SMART Retirement Blueprint® is our planning framework built around six planning areas: Vision & Values, Secure Your Foundation, Medical & Healthcare Plan, Asset Management, Risk Management, and Tax-Conscious Planning & Legacy. Vision comes first. The purpose is to connect your money with the life you want and organize the decisions that deserve a closer look, rather than treat your portfolio as the whole plan.
How much does a financial advisor cost?
Our initial Retirement Brainstorm Session is complimentary, with no cost or obligation. Any paid planning engagement or investment-management relationship is separate, with its scope and applicable fees discussed before you decide to proceed. Two Waters Wealth Management is fee-based, not fee-only. Advisory services involve advisory fees, and advisors may receive commissions and other compensation for insurance and annuity products. Ask about the services, costs, and conflicts before entering an engagement.
What are the most significant risks we should plan for?
Our retirement-planning conversations consider longevity, healthcare and long-term care, the loss of a spouse, market and withdrawal timing, and changing family needs. Which risks need attention depends on your circumstances. We look at how those questions connect to your income, resources, and priorities. Planning cannot eliminate risk or guarantee an outcome.
Continue Exploring
All published articles · Employer resources · Guides and educational tools · Questions Before You Leave Work
- Retirement Vision and Priorities
Almost everyone leads with "Do I have enough?" But that's not the first question. The one that actually matters, the one that almost nobody thinks to ask, is the one that changes everything about how a retirement plan gets built.
- When Should You Take Social Security? Key Questions to Consider
A Social Security claiming decision depends on income needs, health, family circumstances, survivor benefits, taxes, and other individual factors. This article outlines questions to consider.
- Understanding Pre-Tax Retirement Account Tax Questions
Pre-tax retirement accounts can create future tax questions involving distributions, tax rates, Medicare premiums, and beneficiaries. This article outlines educational considerations under current law.
- Understanding Sequence-of-Returns Risk
An educational overview of how the timing and order of investment returns can affect withdrawals and account values. It does not predict an individual portfolio outcome.