Meenes Wealth Partners

04/09/2026

How Much Cash Do You Need Before Retirement?

Most conventional advice says three to six months. But when the paychecks stop and the portfolio becomes the paycheck, the math changes entirely. In this article, Jeffrey Meenes, CFP® breaks down how to build a multi-year retirement cash buffer and avoid the most common mistakes retirees make with their cash position.

How much cash do you really need before retirement? CFP® Jeffrey Meenes explains how to build a multi-year retirement cash buffer, avoid common mistakes, and protect your portfolio from sequence-of-returns risk. Meenes Wealth Partners, Shrewsbury, MA.

03/03/2026

I've seen retirees with $3 million worry constantly — and retirees with $1.2 million sleep peacefully.

The difference is rarely the portfolio. It's how they prepared for the five to ten years surrounding retirement.

New article on what I've seen the most successful retirees do differently.

I've seen retirees with $3 million worry constantly—and retirees with $1.2 million sleep peacefully. The difference? It's not the portfolio. It's how they prepared.

02/05/2026

5 Questions to Ask Financial Advisors Before Hiring Them
By Jeffrey Meenes, CFP® (Published Date February 5, 2026)

Think of this first meeting with an advisor as the beginning of what could be a decades-long partnership. You’re interviewing for one of the most important positions in your life: the person who will help guide your family’s financial future.

Good advisors welcome questions because they know that understanding builds trust, and trust is the foundation for everything that follows. So here are some questions to consider asking.

Most people walk into their first meeting with a financial advisor unsure what to ask. Here are 5 questions that reveal whether an advisor's interests align with yours—from how they get paid to how they handle the next market crisis.

11/20/2025

The Retirement Danger Zone, the years just before and after retirement, is a crucial period where decisions can significantly impact your financial future.

Careful short-term planning during this time can determine when you retire and how much you can sustainably withdraw each year.

There are a few times in your financial life when the short-term view must be more closely monitored. One of these times is called the Danger Zone, or the several years before and right after you retire. These windows of opportunity can drastically impact when and how well you retire.

09/16/2025

Are you within 10 years of retirement, or have you retired in the last few years? The financial decisions you make now will determine whether you enjoy a comfortable retirement or face financial stress in your golden years.

The years leading up to retirement represent what we call the "Danger Zone" – a period where poor decisions can derail decades of careful planning. Unlike your earlier career when you had time to recover from market downturns, these final years demand strategic precision.

Here are the five essential pre-retirement financial moves that can secure your financial future.

Planning to retire in the next 10 years? These 5 financial moves could be worth hundreds of thousands to your retirement security. From maximizing catch-up contributions to avoiding costly Social Security mistakes, get the strategic guidance you need for your final working years.

09/03/2025

Artificial intelligence has experienced significant growth in recent years, with tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and other AI platforms making headlines for their ability to draft emails, write code, and answer complex questions.

But when it comes to something as personal and high-stakes as retirement planning, can AI really take the place of a trusted financial professional?

It seems like AI can do everything these days, from passing complex exams to telling jokes! But can it help you plan for your retirement? Learn more about whether or not AI is replacing financial advisors and how you can use AI to aid in your financial planning journey.

08/26/2025

The real opportunity isn’t in the adjustment—it’s in how you strategically claim benefits and align to your longer-term plan.

When integrated with tax, investment, and retirement planning, Social Security can be a six-figure lever that increases your probability of long-term plan success and reduces reliance on portfolio withdrawals.

The real value comes from using Social Security as a planning lever—strengthening cash flow, improving tax efficiency, and increasing the probability your financial plan succeeds under a variety of scenarios.

04/10/2025

The Retirement Danger Zone, the years just before and after retirement, is a crucial period during which decisions can significantly impact one's financial future.

Careful short-term planning during this time can determine when you retire and how much you can sustainably withdraw each year.

There are a few times in your financial life when the short-term view must be more closely monitored. One of these times is called the Danger Zone, or the several years before and right after you retire. These windows of opportunity can drastically impact when and how well you retire.

04/04/2025

Strategies and tips on navigating Market Volatility to achieve your financial objectives.

03/11/2025

Approximately half of U.S. households lack retirement assets, highlighting a significant gap in retirement preparedness.

03/04/2025

GROWTH OF $1 DURING PRESIDENT TRUMP'S FIRST TERM

Tariff Concerns and Market Impact: Following the presidential election, investors are watching the impact of repeat tariff increases on foreign goods on markets.

Beginning in 2017, the administration targeted China, imposing tariffs by 2018. Despite ongoing trade disputes, the U.S. and Chinese markets outperformed the MSCI World ex USA Index during the four-year period (January 2017- December 2020).

Markets are forward-looking, meaning tariff expectations may already be factored into prices. As a result, implementing tariffs might have a limited effect on market performance in the long term.

While tariffs can influence security prices, they are just one of many factors. Investors may be better off sticking to their financial plans rather than attempting to predict market movements based on policy changes.

02/27/2025

The stock market is known for its unpredictability and volatility, making investing and financial planning more challenging. However, there are ways to manage these changes and achieve your financial goals.

Our latest article explores some top strategies and tips for navigating market volatility and managing your finances effectively:

Strategies and tips on navigating Market Volatility to achieve your financial objectives.