We’ll work with you to develop a tax strategy.

Determining your current and future tax liability and developing a strategy that minimizes how much you pay during retirement is one part of building a retirement strategy. Taxes can impact your legacy and the assets you’ll be able to transfer to your heirs and beneficiaries. We recommend taking steps to help ensure that your retirement strategy takes advantage of any possible tax credits and deductions to help maintain what you’ve worked hard to build.

Utilizing the skills of certified public accountants can be important to your finances. Such a team can help monitor tax law changes specific to your retirement strategy and provide different tax strategy options

We do not offer tax planning services.

Explore strategies to help maximize your Social Security benefit.

If you’re like many retirees, your Social Security benefit represents years of savings and hard work and may be the foundation upon which you plan to build and grow your retirement income. Though most Americans have some basic familiarity and knowledge on the topic, far less are able to determine — on their own — the optimal way to file so they can maximize their benefit and carefully integrate it into the rest of their retirement strategy.
At %%COMPANY NAME%%, we help our valued clients develop an understanding of their Social Security benefit, and both educate and inform them on the optimal time to start accepting their benefit. According to the Social Security Administration1, delaying your benefit may potentially increase your benefit amount by as much as 8% per year.
There is a lot to know about Social Security, and it is important for you to be educated so you head into retirement with a strategy on how you will rely on your benefits. Our firm is committed to helping you get the most you can out of your benefit, so you can take one step closer toward the comfortable and enjoyable retirement you’ve been working so hard for!
We have put together an informative brochure that helps answer the following questions:
• What is your Social Security benefit amount?
• What are the Social Security benefit filing options to help achieve your maximum lifetime income?
• Are there different options if you are married?
• Does earning additional income while you are on Social Security impact the value of your benefit?
• Do you pay tax on your benefit?

Please contact us to receive your brochure today.
¹ https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/1943-delay.html

Optimize your assets for retirement.

Many Americans entering retirement come to find that the right strategy can be just as important as the actual dollar amount they have saved. You’ve worked hard for years to save for retirement, and now that time is upon you. Perhaps you’re now wondering if all the pieces are in place for you to enjoy a happy and worry-free retirement. Do you have the proper strategy in place to help ensure you have the retirement you’ve always wanted?

Our organization prides itself on providing retirement strategies to %%CITY, STATE%% and the surrounding communities. We take an extensive look at each client’s unique mix of assets — this includes everything from your bank accounts, pension, and Social Security benefits, to your estate plans, wills, taxes, insurance policies and more. Our services and strategic partnerships allow us to integrate all aspects of our clients’ wealth into a coordinated effort. Our end goal is to create financial clarity for you and your loved ones, and to promote multi-generational wealth.
We offer:
• Insurance planning
• Beneficiary review
• Retirement strategies
• Financial needs analysis
• Analysis of present and future expenses
• Estate preservation
• Income planning

When you work with us, we organize all of your financial, estate and tax preparation materials into a customized binder. Crafting your comprehensive retirement strategy is a coordinated effort on our part, and is done so using an all-inclusive view. Although many financial services professionals focus on specific products, our experience has proven that our clients’ needs are best fulfilled focusing on processes, and most importantly, people.

Making a recommendation on a retirement strategy is not a one-size-fits-all proposal. When you speak with Five Star Life And Wealth, we provide you a framework that aims to satisfy your retirement income budgeting needs to go along with a risk tolerance that satisfies your growth expectations. A retirement strategy simply isn’t something you do once, but something that may be ever-evolving throughout your retirement, and knowing who to turn to for advice can make a world of difference.

Life insurance may offer multi-faceted retirement strategies.

Although some people view life insurance as a way to replace lost income or pay off debt after a loved one passes, it also offers other potential benefits that may make it a valuable tool to help accomplish different financial goals in retirement.
First, life insurance may provide some degree of comfort for the policyholder (the insured) because their loved ones (the beneficiaries) will receive a death benefit when they pass away. Additionally, life insurance can be a tool for small business owners to help protect their business if something should happen to them.
In addition to a death benefit, life insurance is one of a few products that may help you reduce or avoid certain taxes. Some of these benefits may include:
Death benefits
• Policy death benefits may be income tax-free
• Some life insurance policies may allow the death benefit to accelerate before the insured’s death due to terminal or chronic illness, and that benefit may be income-tax free
Tax-free exchanges
• The insured may exchange their existing life insurance policy for a new policy and the gains on the original contract may be tax free
• The insured may exchange their existing life insurance policy for an annuity and the gains on the original contract may be tax free
Policy cash values
• Cash values may grow tax-deferred during the insured’s lifetime
• Income from cash value, when properly structured, may not be subject to income taxes

We’re able to shop dozens of insurance carriers to find rates and products that fit your specific needs and goals. That means we’re not relegated to simply one line of products or one brand name like a captive agent. In addition, we offer complimentary reviews on your existing life insurance contracts.

*Guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Policy loans and withdrawals will reduce available cash values and death benefits and may cause the policy to lapse or affect any guarantees against lapse. Additional premium payments may be required to keep the policy in force. In the event of a lapse, outstanding policy loans in excess of unrecovered cost basis will be subject to ordinary income tax. Withdrawals are generally income tax-fee, unless the withdrawal amount exceeds the amount of premium paid. Policy loans are not usually subject to income tax unless the policy is classified as a modified endowment contract (MEC) under IRC Section 7702A. However, withdrawals or partial surrenders from a non-MEC policy are subject to income tax to the extent that the amount distributed exceeds the owner’s cost basis in the policy. Tax laws are subject to change. Clients should consult their tax professional. Keep in mind that most life insurance policies require health underwriting and, in some cases, financial underwriting.

Enjoy smooth sailing in retirement with proper income planning.

Income planning for retirement can be daunting because there’s a lot to learn and for many people the information is new. Whether you’re just beginning your retirement journey or it’s already underway, you may be skeptical about whether you’ll have enough retirement income to maintain your preferred lifestyle.
There are three major phases in managing retirement income:
• The accumulation phase
• The distribution phase
• The preservation or transfer phase

Preparing for retirement may require a shift in mindset and knowing the difference between retirement savings and retirement income. Prior to retirement, your financial life was dictated by your paycheck. Once you retire, however, you can no longer rely on a paycheck, which means you must find other sources of income. You’ve worked hard to save for retirement and now it’s time to create additional income from what you’ve saved. Although it can be a challenge, it’s also a great opportunity to grow your money beyond what you’ve saved — and that’s usually made easier by enlisting the help of a financial services professional.
We’ll work with you to uncover various opportunities and concerns of each phase. Additionally, we’ll walk you through:
• Determining how much retirement income you’ll need
• Estimating how long your current income plan may last
• Calculating how much additional income you may need
• Evaluating your additional income sources

Because taxes play a major role in any retirement income planning process, we utilize tax advantaged vehicles to help accomplish your retirement income goals, such as traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, 401(k)s, and IRA rollovers.
While the numerous options for your retirement savings may seem overwhelming, all of us at Five Star Life And Wealth are here to help you make sense of it all.

*We do not provide legal or tax advice and you should consult an attorney or tax advisor for such advice.

Gianna is known for her exceptional communication skills and has often been described as a consummate professional. Her genuine and personal approach reflects her deep commitment to her clients’ well-being. With a passion for helping individuals design retirement income strategies that can weather all economic cycles, Gianna believes there is no substitute for true peace of mind—especially during times of uncertainty.

Originally from Huntington, West Virginia, Gianna maintains close ties to her hometown, where many of her family members and friends still reside. She has called Lexington, Kentucky home since 1995, where she enjoys raising her two children. Gianna is actively involved in their school and sports activities and dedicates time to volunteering with her church and the local community.

Investment management at your service.

Our main objective is to assist you in navigating today’s complex marketplace to accomplish your investment aspirations and goals. The recommendations you receive are tailored to you, factoring in your risk tolerance, time frame, and income specifications.