The Gestalt Method™ · Retirement Income Proposal
Your Plan, Connected.
The whole of your financial life is greater than the sum of its parts — income, surplus, taxes, and oversight, paired and connected for clarity and confidence.
TAB 01 · SECURING RETIREMENT INCOME
01
The Retirement Income Wheel
Two categories of expenses. Two categories of money. Pair them correctly and the income picture clarifies itself.
Monthly Essentials
$0
Bills that must be paid
Lifetime Income Sources
$0
SS, pension, rental, other
Income Gap
$0
Solve with annuity strategy
Annual Expenses
$0
Travel, gifting, irregular
Asset Income
$0
From assets · 6% withdrawal
The Portfolio Waterfall — How Remaining Assets Generate Annual / Discretionary Income
1
Cashflow Harvest
Dividends & interest accumulate as cash — like rent from properties.
2
Annual / Discretionary Spending
Withdrawals come from accumulated cash — not from selling shares.
3
Buy Shares On Sale
When markets dip, excess cash buys more units at lower prices.
4
Compounding Resilience
Unit count grows over time, increasing future cashflow capacity.
Premium figures are estimates based on age/joint-life payout-rate ranges typical of the current rate environment and are presented for design discussion only. Actual premium and payout will be determined by a binding carrier illustration. Lafayette Life Insurance Company products are for use with financial professionals only.
TAB 01 · RECOMMENDED ANNUITY STRATEGY
01
Recommended Strategy to Close the Gap
This path covers 100% of essential monthly income using the least amount of assets required. The premium estimate is based on a payout-rate range and must be confirmed with a carrier illustration.
Income Now
Single Premium Immediate Annuity
SPIA · Highest payout, immediate income
$0
Pension-style monthly income starts immediately. Lowest premium for a guaranteed lifetime floor.
- Begins paying month one
- Trade-off: limited liquidity / legacy
- Covers 100% of essential bills
Income Later
Deferred Income Annuity
DIA · Smaller premium, larger income
$0
Smaller premium today, income switches on later. Bridges the gap from non-annuity assets in the meantime.
- Lower up-front cost
- Higher lifetime payout per premium dollar
- Pairs with a 5-yr withdrawal bridge
Hybrid
Fixed Indexed Annuity + Income Rider
FIA · Floor + growth + flexibility
$0
Guaranteed lifetime income with continued accumulation potential and access to remaining cash value.
- Lifetime income floor
- Index-linked growth on cash value
- Liquidity / death benefit retained
Least Assets Required
—
Premium figures are estimates based on age/joint-life payout-rate ranges typical of the current rate environment and are presented for design discussion only. Actual premium and payout will be determined by a binding carrier illustration.
TAB 02 · PURPOSE FOR SURPLUS ASSETS
02
Once Income Is Secured, Every Surplus Dollar Gets a Job.
Surplus without purpose drifts. We narrow surplus to one or two priorities so capital stays aligned with what the client cares about most.
Total Investable Assets
$0
Satisfy Lifetime Income Gap
$0
Annuity premium
Funds Needed for Annual Expenses
$0
Annual ÷ 6% withdrawal
Surplus to Allocate
$0
Free to assign purpose
Purpose Allocation
⚖
De-risk the Plan
More conservative positions, additional reserves, lower volatility.
↗
Invest for Future Opportunities
Earmarked for a specific event — business, real estate, major expense.
♥
Charity
Structured giving vehicles and philanthropic commitments.
❦
Legacy Plan
Wealth transfer to heirs and beneficiaries.
TAB 03 · TAX EFFICIENCY
03
Tax Efficiency Is the Foundation, Not an Afterthought.
Asset location, withdrawal sequencing, and Roth opportunities are coordinated annually so the plan performs as designed.
Taxable
$0
0% of investable
After-tax basis. Liquidity reserve and source for charitable gifting of highly-appreciated assets.
Tax-Deferred
$0
0% of investable
Pre-tax. Best location for fixed-income / annuity premium when used to fund the income floor.
Tax-Free
$0
0% of investable
Tax-free growth. Includes Roth accounts and cash value life insurance — both grow and are accessed without federal income tax. Ideal for highest-expected-return equity exposure and long-horizon legacy.
Annual Tax Snapshot
Each year we review:
RMD coordination across tax-deferred accounts
Roth conversion windows in low-bracket years
Capital-gains harvesting in taxable accounts
QCDs for charitable goals (age 70½+)
Tax-loss harvesting against current/future gains
Withholding adjustments before year-end
TAB 04 · ONGOING PLAN MONITORING
04
The Plan Is a Living System.
Quarterly check-ins for clients drawing income; annual reviews for accumulators. Every cycle includes the Annual Tax Snapshot.
Q1
Tax Snapshot & Roth Window
Coordinate prior-year filings with current-year conversion opportunities.
Q2
Income & Spending Check
Confirm guaranteed income matches the bills; rebalance the cash bucket.
Q3
Mid-Year Strategy Review
Surplus purpose progress, opportunity capital, charitable timing.
Q4
Year-End Optimization
RMDs, QCDs, gains/losses, withholding, gifting deadlines.
First PrinciplesWhat is the actual problem? Strip away convention. Find the truth specific to this client.
Think in PairsIncome pairs with expenses. Risk pairs with purpose. Growth pairs with protection.
Constructivist TeachingAsk before you tell. The client builds their own understanding through guided discovery.
NEXT STEPS
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All figures are estimates prepared for case-design discussion only and are not an offer to insure. Final premium, payout, fees, and benefits will be confirmed by a binding carrier illustration. Annuity guarantees are subject to the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurer. This proposal is for use only with the named client. Gestalt Financial Group · gestaltfinancialgroup.com