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Are We Spending Too Much to Retire?

In Articles, Articles: Kansas City Office, Articles: Salt Lake City Office by Scott Dougan

It’s one of the most important – and frustrating – questions to answer as you approach retirement: “How much will I actually spend?” It seems like something we should all know, but many people realize as they near the finish line that they’re just guessing. This question sits at the core of retirement planning. Your expenses, now and in retirement, determine how …

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Can Financial Planning Improve Your Health and Vitality?

In Articles, Articles: Kansas City Office, Articles: Salt Lake City Office, Back to the Basics, Fall 2025, SLC Fall 2025 by Scott Dougan

When most people think of financial planning, they imagine spreadsheets, retirement projections, or investment accounts. But a well-designed financial plan does more than grow your net worth; it can improve your health, reduce stress, and even add vitality to your life. Let’s explore how. 1. Financial Planning Reduces Stress and Anxiety One of the most immediate and noticeable health benefits …

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The Widowhood Curve: Why Retirement Planning Must Include the ‘After’

In Articles, Articles: Kansas City Office, Articles: Salt Lake City Office, Briefcase Studies, Fall 2025, SLC Fall 2025 by Scott Dougan

We recently helped a widowed client navigate the heartbreaking process of getting her affairs in order after the untimely death of her husband. Naturally, these experiences leave us all a bit raw. So, when I saw these statistics, I was stopped in my tracks: 80% of men die married. 80% of women die single. And among those who live to …

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Is Success Baked into Your Retirement Plan?

In Articles, Articles: Kansas City Office, Articles: Salt Lake City Office by Scott Dougan

If you enjoy cooking or baking, you know the satisfaction of preparing a cherished family recipe just right. Maybe it’s your grandmother’s apple pie at Thanksgiving or the signature side dish that makes Christmas dinner complete. But imagine the disappointment of forgetting an ingredient or misjudging the baking time—what comes out of the oven might look familiar, but it won’t …

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Is Now a Good Time to Retire?

In Articles, Articles: Kansas City Office, Articles: Salt Lake City Office by Scott Dougan

Is Now a Good Time to Retire? Here’s How to Decide Whenever someone says, “This time it’s different,” most of us instinctively raise an eyebrow. After all, a few decades of life experience teaches us that history tends to repeat itself. We’ve seen market crashes, recoveries, inflation, and political squabbles before. And yet, when it comes to retirement, this time truly can be different, …

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Forced Savings for Retirement Success

In Articles, Articles: Kansas City Office, Articles: Salt Lake City Office by Scott Dougan

If you were to gather a group of retirees and ask them what single factor most contributed to their ability to retire successfully, you’d likely hear some variation of the same theme: “I started saving early, kept saving consistently, and didn’t stop.” It’s simple in theory but powerful in practice. And it’s rooted in one key principle that underlies nearly every …

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What Recent Retirees Tell Us About Retiring

In Articles, Articles: Kansas City Office, Articles: Salt Lake City Office by Scott Dougan

Here’s something surprising that we’ve noticed after many conversations with recent retirees: not a single one has told us that retirement is awful. That’s right – not once has someone said, “I regret retiring.” Instead, we hear about long-awaited trips, cherished time with grandkids, leisurely mornings, and household projects that may or may not get finished (but no one seems too …

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Client Corner: Kent and Karla

In Articles, Articles: Salt Lake City Office, SLC Summer 2025 by Scott Dougan

Retirement at 65 had always been our goal. We felt confident we were financially prepared and wouldn’t need to change our lifestyle. Still, it wasn’t until we sat down with Chris Cordova that we received the confirmation we needed to move forward with peace of mind. Thanks to Melissa Ceballos, Elevated Retirement’s Director of Talent and Business Acquisition, we connected …

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A Retirement Plan Includes Long Term Care

In Articles, Articles: Kansas City Office, Articles: Salt Lake City Office by Scott Dougan

Long-term care is one of the most unpredictable and emotionally charged aspects of retirement planning. It’s also one of the most frequently overlooked, either because it’s uncomfortable to think about or because many people assume it won’t apply to them. But the truth is, nearly 70% of people over age 65 will require some form of long-term care during their …