Tyler Lavoie, CHFC, CKA

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Tyler Lavoie, CHFC, CKA Helping families within 10 years of retirement build a strong financial life through a stewardship planning process.

Co-Founder: Guardian Financial Services | Author | Founder: Brightcrumbs

Healthcare costs in retirement have a funny way of surprising even people who planned carefully. Maybe it was a Medicare...
10/16/2026

Healthcare costs in retirement have a funny way of surprising even people who planned carefully. Maybe it was a Medicare
premium that jumped more than expected, a procedure that wasn't fully covered, or the realization that long-term care isn't
something Medicare handles in the way many people assume. So here's the question: what's one healthcare expense in retirement
— yours, a parent's, a spouse's — that caught you off guard? It doesn't have to be a huge number. Sometimes it's the smaller,
recurring costs that add up in ways nobody warns you about. I'd genuinely like to hear what people have run into, because these
real experiences tend to teach more than a statistic ever could. Drop it in the comments below — no wrong answers here, just real
stories that might help someone else planning for the same stage of life.

How do you actually know if you're ready to retire? It's rarely just a savings target — readiness touches Social Securit...
10/15/2026

How do you actually know if you're ready to retire? It's rarely just a savings target — readiness touches Social Security timing,
healthcare and Medicare planning, how you'll draw income from your accounts, and the tax impact of those decisions once they're
made. A lot of these pieces interact with each other in ways that aren't obvious until you sit down and map them out. That's why I
put together a Retirement Readiness Checklist — a starting point for organizing the major categories worth thinking through before
you make the leap. It won't hand you a personalized plan (that part still takes a real conversation), but it can help you show up to
that conversation with better questions. If you're within a few years of retirement, or just starting to think seriously about the
transition, this might be a useful place to start. Comment below or send a message and I'll send a copy your way — happy to share
it with anyone who could use it.

Quick question: did you know your Medicare premium could be higher simply because of what your income looked like two ye...
10/14/2026

Quick question: did you know your Medicare premium could be higher simply because of what your income looked like two years
earlier? That's essentially how IRMAA works. It's one of the more overlooked pieces of retirement income planning — a surcharge
on Part B and Part D premiums that kicks in above certain income thresholds, calculated from your tax return two years prior. For
2026, that threshold starts at $109,000 for individuals and $218,000 for married couples filing jointly, with surcharges increasing in
tiers all the way up to nearly $700/month at the top bracket. The tricky part isn't just the cost — it's the timing. A big Roth
conversion, a large capital gain, or a hefty RMD in one year can echo into a higher Medicare bill two years down the road. There
are ways to plan around this, and if a major life change happens, there's even an appeal process (Form SSA-44). None of this is
one-size-fits-all, and every option comes with trade-offs worth understanding first. Curious whether IRMAA might affect your own
retirement income picture? That's a conversation worth having sooner rather than later.

10/13/2026

Medicare feels straightforward until you actually need to use it. Between premiums that can rise with income (hello, IRMAA),
enrollment windows that don't wait for you, and coverage gaps that surprise even well-prepared retirees, there's more to this
program than the postcard version most of us grew up hearing about. Over the next couple of weeks, we're kicking off a short video
series walking through the parts of Medicare that tend to get glossed over — what it covers, what it doesn't, and where the hidden
costs tend to hide. This is educational content, not a substitute for a conversation with a Medicare specialist or your financial
professional about your specific situation. But if you're within a few years of 65, or helping a parent navigate this, it's worth
understanding before you're in the middle of open enrollment trying to figure it out. Follow along for the rest of the series, and as
always, feel free to reach out with questions.

Click to book your consultation:https://scheduling.rjf.com/?client=RaymondJames_37006&product=Customer%20Journey&employee=31608

Here’s a question worth sitting with:What does an ideal Tuesday look like in your first year of retirement?Not the big t...
10/08/2026

Here’s a question worth sitting with:
What does an ideal Tuesday look like in your first year of retirement?

Not the big trips or milestone moments — just a regular Tuesday. What are you doing? Who are you with? What does it feel like?

Most retirement planning focuses on the financial side. But having a picture of what you’re retiring to — not just from — tends to matter more than most people expect.

And knowing what it is all for? Thats the million dollar answer.

I recently put together a three-part video series on tax planning in retirement — available at no cost on my YouTube cha...
10/07/2026

I recently put together a three-part video series on tax planning in retirement — available at no cost on my YouTube channel.

The series covers:
— How taxes work differently in retirement (brackets, RMDs, Social Security taxation)
— The Roth conversion strategy most people miss and the window to act
— The right order to withdraw from your accounts — and why sequence matters

You can find the series by searching “Lavoie Finance” on YouTube, or through the link in my bio.

At age 73, the IRS requires minimum annual withdrawals from traditional IRA and 401(k) accounts. These are called Requir...
10/06/2026

At age 73, the IRS requires minimum annual withdrawals from traditional IRA and 401(k) accounts. These are called Required Minimum Distributions, or RMDs.

How they work: Your December 31 account balance is divided by an IRS life expectancy factor. At age 73, that factor is 26.5 — so a $500,000 balance generates a required withdrawal of roughly $18,868 for that year. As the factor decreases over time, the required amounts increase.

Why they matter for taxes: RMDs are taxed as ordinary income. Combined with Social Security, investment income, and other sources, they can push total retirement income into higher brackets than many people anticipated.

The missed distribution penalty: Failing to take a required distribution results in a 25% excise tax on the amount not withdrawn. SECURE 2.0 reduced this from 50%, but it’s still a significant cost worth avoiding.

The planning implication: The years before RMDs begin are often a window for tax planning — including decisions around account drawdown, Roth conversions, and income timing. The earlier that conversation happens, the more options may be available.

As always...
Be sure to consider all available options and applicable fees and features before making any decisions.

Have you ever felt like just another account number?Not known. Not heard. Just managed.The families I work with don't ge...
10/03/2026

Have you ever felt like just another account number?

Not known. Not heard. Just managed.

The families I work with don't get handed off when things get complicated or if their assets aren't 1M+. They get me — every time. Someone who knows their name, their story, and what they're actually building toward.

That's the difference between an advisor and a guide.

Most financial plans cover the numbers.The most meaningful ones cover the person behind them — what they value, what the...
10/01/2026

Most financial plans cover the numbers.
The most meaningful ones cover the person behind them — what they value, what they want to leave behind, and what they want their money to actually do for their family.
Your money should tell your story. Not just your balance.

Address

215 Main Street
Salem, NH
03079

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Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

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+16034583155

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