After building a successful career as a marketing director for several national food corporations, Angela knows it is time to take back control of her life and start stepping back from her incredibly hectic work schedule. She's just not quite sure what that requires. She knows she wants to trade frequent flier miles for pursuits closer to home, but she doesn't know if she can change careers without sacrificing her current retirement plan. She needs to know how much longer she will have to work at her current job or whether fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a professional baker might finally be possible. Life changes. We're here to help her plan for it.

This case study is for illustrative purposes only. Individual cases will vary.

While Betty has just moved into an assisted living facility, she doesn't see that as a reason to quietly withdraw into her memories. She's having too much fun sharing those memories with her new friends. She knows that because of careful planning for this time in her life, she will have enough assets to remain in her new home until she is at least 105, even as her medical challenges inevitably increase. She's also planning to leave her children, grandchildren and soon, her great-grandchildren a financial cushion should they need one, and to give a meaningful gift to her beloved church. But she's not going anywhere just yet – she has too many laughs to share. Life changes. We're here to help her plan for it.

This case study is for illustrative purposes only. Individual cases will vary.

While Joanna is a full-time chauffeur for their four sports-crazy boys, Keith is hitting his stride as CEO of a startup software company. And if there's anything heading up a rapidly growing company has taught Keith, it's that there's no such thing as too early when it comes to planning. His challenge is finding the time to get it all done, not only professionally but personally as well. He and Joanna need to plan for the boys' college educations and, just as importantly, their own retirement – not to mention wisely investing the recent inheritance Joanna's favorite uncle left them. Life changes. We're here to help them plan for it.

This case study is for illustrative purposes only. Individual cases will vary.

For the first 10 years after Tom retired, he and Fran eagerly fulfilled their dream of cruising to the world's most famous sightseeing destinations. Now in their late 70s, they are happy homebodies, venturing no further than Pennsylvania to spoil their three grandchildren. The downtime has led Tom to discover that he has quite a green thumb. And while he is now adding more flowers to their backyard garden, Fran is organizing the annual church bazaar and quilting beautiful table runners. They're enjoying life, but the more time they spend in retirement, the more they worry that medical expenses and inflation could eat away at their savings. They are even more concerned that nursing home costs could one day threaten their long-term independence. Life changes. We're here to help them plan for it.

This case study is for illustrative purposes only. Individual cases will vary.

John and Ruth were high school sweethearts who both became schoolteachers. They saved well and retired early, but they know life doesn't just stop with retirement. They keep busy tutoring, leading rehearsals for their local community theater and entertaining their many friends. And they know they need to keep managing their investments wisely because their goal is to stay this busy for another 10 years. At least. Life changes. We're here to help them plan for it.

This case study is for illustrative purposes only. Individual cases will vary.

In the middle of a promising career as a research scientist, Karen would occasionally envision a distant retirement when she'd finally have the time to tour the world's great art museums. What she didn't envision was a multiple sclerosis diagnosis that would confine her to a wheelchair, end her high-powered career and force her to look for new ways to fund her sudden "retirement." She's wheelchair-free for now and has turned her passion for art into a new career as an artist. Her stark black and white portraits are even generating interest from local galleries and private collectors. Life changes. We're here to help her plan for it.

This case study is for illustrative purposes only. Individual cases will vary.

Married to David, a prominent trial lawyer, Carol was busy running a household in Connecticut, as well as vacation homes in Florida and Utah. The couple's two children were in their early-30s – Rachel busy raising a young family and Brian was about to start his own business. Carol and David's prosperous lifestyle had left the couple with little motivation to worry about retirement. Then, out of the blue, David suffered a fatal heart attack. He had always managed the family's finances, and a still-grieving Carol was forced to take a crash course in planning a future without David's reliable income. Fortunately, Carol is back on her feet, managing current expenses and confident that she is on course for an independent retirement. She is also beginning to enjoy life again, and helping teach her granddaughter how to swim. Life changes. We're here to help her plan for it.

This case study is for illustrative purposes only. Individual cases will vary.

As the owner of a growing veterinary practice, Elena faced the challenge of effectively splitting her time between caring for her canine and feline patients and managing the demands of running a small business. And she's finally struck just the right balance. Now that everything is running smoothly, Elena wants to reward those staff members who stood by her by establishing an employee retirement plan. She's also ready for some help with her own retirement plans – she has always handled her own investments, contributing to multiple accounts at several locations, and she's coming to realize she just doesn't have the time. She'd much prefer spending what little free time she has horseback riding in the woods with her husband, Leon, and her recently adopted pup, Willy. Life changes. We're here to help her plan for it.

This case study is for illustrative purposes only. Individual cases will vary.

Frank and Barbara have logged countless hours as both business owners and parents. Now, with their business well-established and the kids moved out, they're ready to reclaim some time for themselves. They want to sell the business, pack up the RV, see all 50 states – and all seven grandkids – and then sit back and admire the view from their retirement home on Maine's coast. Life changes. We're here to help them plan for it.

This case study is for illustrative purposes only. Individual cases will vary.