Serve Others.
Retire Well.
You’ve spent a career serving our community—
now it’s our turn to protect your future.
Swan Song System + G.R.A.C.E. Framework
✅ Lock in a guaranteed-income floor
✅ Position the rest for tax-smart, strategic growth
For our community’s heroes—teachers, nurses, first responders, and devoted neighbors—age 50+ who plan to retire within the next 1-10 years.
Retire Blessed, Not Stressed.
Fears That Keep Our Community's Heroes Awake at 2 a.m. — And How We Neutralize Them
Every pain point below is solved inside our Swan Song System and G.R.A.C.E. Framework.
Fear | Our Fix |
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Social Security + Pension + 401(k)/403(b)/IRA confusion. “Will our money last when the shifts stop?” |
Guaranteed Income (G): map pension elections, coordinate spousal Social Security, and lock any gap with a rollover “personal pension” — true sleep-at-night cash flow. |
Healthcare sticker shock. “What if premiums eat our paycheck?” |
Reserves & Insurance (R): project lifetime Medicare & gap costs, build tax-free HSA reserves, and layer low-cost LTC riders to cap out-of-pocket surprises. |
Market crash right before retirement. | Asset Growth (A): guardrail portfolio that auto-adjusts risk — downside cushioned, upside still grows. |
Tax cliffs after the last paycheck. | Comprehensive Tax (C): staged Roth conversions and smart withdrawal order to keep you in the 12 % bracket and boost after-tax income. |
Leaving a spouse exposed. | Estate & Legacy (E): survivor-protected income streams, beneficiary audit, and clear legacy plan so the love of your life never has to move backwards. |

Meet Your Retirement CFO: Christopher Swan, CFP®, MBA
With over 15 years of experience, I’ve dedicated my career to helping people retire with confidence, clarity, and peace of mind.
“Chris has gone above and beyond to help me understand and manage my finances! He is very kind, personable and knowledgeable and I don’t know where I would be without him! I highly recommend his services!”
Brittany D. - Registered Nurse
“Thanks to Chris Swan's expertise and dedication, we now have a tailored financial plan that has propelled us to new heights, putting us firmly on track to achieve our long-term goals.”
Eric L. - Neighbor & Local Business Owner
“He took the time to understand my unique financial situation and provided personalized recommendations that have greatly improved my financial outlook.”
Branden R. - Neighbor & Sales Manager
Retire With Swan has not provided any compensation for the testimonials shown. The testimonials shown have been selected from among all client feedback. To our knowledge, no other conflicts of interest exist regarding these testimonials.
Christopher Swan, CFP®, MBA
Founder & Retirement CFO
“I can’t wait to help.”
Our 5 Step, No-Fee-Until-You’re-Sure Process
#1 - Explore
Free Retirement Assessment - no obligations.
#2 - Commit
E-sign Planning Agreement; fees still $0.
#3 - Clarify
RightCapital and Vault Access + data meeting.
#4 - Craft
GRACE blueprint delivered.
Decision Gate - approve to implement.
#5 - Deploy & Guide
Accounts opened, guardrails set, bi-annual check-ups.
Retirement Transformations
Learn how we use our Swan Song System to help you transform your retirement worry into confidence.
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Retirement should be a time of freedom and confidence, not uncertainty. But for many Texas teachers, navigating retirement can feel overwhelming—especially when it comes to understanding how their TRS pension, Social Security, and savings fit together.Linda, a 66-year-old retired teacher, had spent over 30 years in the Texas public school system shaping young minds. She had a TRS pension, some savings, and no debt, but she wasn’t sure if her retirement income would truly last.
Like many Texas educators, Linda didn’t pay into Social Security for most of her career. While she expected to receive survivor benefits from her late husband’s Social Security, she was shocked to learn that the Government Pension Offset (GPO) reduced those benefits to zero.
That unexpected change left a gap in her income plan, and she worried about covering her expenses, managing taxes, and protecting herself from inflation. She needed a structured plan to create reliable, lifelong income—and that’s where the Swan Song System came in.
Step 1: Organizing the Financial Picture
Before creating a plan, we helped Linda gather and organize all the key pieces of her financial life:
✔ TRS Pension: $4,060/month before taxes and healthcare deductions.
✔ Social Security Survivor Benefits: $0 (due to the Government Pension Offset).
✔ Retirement Savings: $400,000 (split between a 403(b) and IRA).
✔ Healthcare Costs: ~$300/month (Medicare and TRS-Care premiums).
✔ Spending Needs: A steady income stream with at least $1,000/month beyond her TRS pension to feel financially secure.This process allowed us to identify Linda’s income shortfall and key risk areas, giving us a clear direction for her retirement strategy.
Step 2: Solving Problems Using G.R.A.C.E.
To ensure Linda’s savings would last throughout retirement, we applied our G.R.A.C.E. framework, which focuses on five essential areas:
✔ G - Guaranteed Income:
A portion of Linda’s IRA was used to fund a Fixed Index Annuity (FIA) with an income rider, which provided an additional $1,000/month in guaranteed lifetime income.
With this strategy, her TRS pension + annuity income fully covered her essential expenses, eliminating concerns about market downturns.
✔ R - Reserves for Emergencies & Insurance:
Linda kept $30,000 in a high-yield savings account for liquidity and emergencies.
To address future long-term care needs, she secured a small Indexed Universal Life (IUL) policy with built-in long-term care benefits.
✔ A - Asset Growth:
While guaranteed income covered her core expenses, growth was needed to keep up with inflation.
Her 403(b) was rolled into a diversified, tax-efficient stock and ETF portfolio, providing long-term upside potential.
The investment strategy ensured her money continued to grow, even as she withdrew funds for retirement.
✔ C - Comprehensive Tax Planning:
A Roth conversion strategy was implemented to gradually move funds from her IRA into a Roth IRA, reducing future Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and minimizing long-term tax liabilities.
Withdrawals were structured to avoid pushing her into higher Medicare IRMAA tax brackets.
✔ E - Estate & Legacy Planning:
Linda’s trust and beneficiary designations were updated to ensure her children would inherit assets efficiently.
Since TRS pensions do not offer a lump-sum survivor benefit, a small life insurance policy was added to provide a tax-free legacy for her family.
Step 3: Implementing the Strategy
Once the plan was finalized, we helped Linda take action on every step, including:
✔ Setting up the annuity for guaranteed lifetime income
✔ Rolling over her 403(b) and optimizing her investment portfolio
✔ Executing Roth conversions in a tax-efficient way
✔ Ensuring her estate plan was structured to protect her legacyWith this system in place, she now had clarity, structure, and confidence in her financial future.
Step 4: Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustments
Retirement planning isn’t a one-time event—it’s an ongoing process. To ensure her plan remained on track, Linda receives:
✔ Annual retirement reviews to adjust for inflation, tax changes, and market conditions
✔ Investment updates to keep her portfolio aligned with her long-term needs
✔ Ongoing income monitoring to ensure her withdrawal strategy remains optimizedThis proactive approach eliminates uncertainty and gives her peace of mind, knowing that her plan will adapt as her needs evolve.
The Outcome: Confidence in Retirement
By following the Swan Song System, Linda now enjoys a secure, structured, and stress-free retirement.
✔ Her TRS pension and annuity fully cover her core expenses.
✔ Her investment portfolio continues to grow, protecting against inflation.
✔ Her tax plan minimizes her long-term liabilities, keeping more money in her pocket.
✔ Her estate plan ensures her children will inherit a well-structured legacy.She no longer worries about whether her money will last—because she has a plan designed to ensure it does.
This is what true financial freedom looks like.
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Retirement isn’t just about having enough money—it’s about having a plan that allows you to live without financial stress and focus on what truly matters.
For Kevin and Vivian, a married couple in their late 60s, that meant ensuring their retirement savings could provide steady, reliable income while still leaving room for growth, security, and legacy planning.
Kevin spent 35 years as an engineer, working on large infrastructure projects, while Vivian dedicated her career to helping others as a community pharmacist. After decades of hard work, they were excited to retire together—but they also knew that without a solid strategy, their $600,000 in savings might not be enough to provide the confidence they needed.
They turned to Retire With Swan to help them structure their assets, protect their income, and create a financial plan that would allow them to enjoy retirement without worry.
Step 1: Organizing the Financial Picture
The first step in our Swan Song System is always to bring clarity to the financial picture. We helped Kevin and Vivian consolidate their accounts and assess their income sources:
✔ Kevin’s Pension from His Engineering Firm: $3,800/month
✔ Vivian’s Social Security Benefit: $2,100/month
✔ Retirement Savings: $600,000 (split between a 401(k), IRA, and cash reserves)
✔ Healthcare Costs: ~$500/month (Medicare and supplemental insurance)
✔ Spending Needs: Their guaranteed income covered a portion of their expenses, but they needed an additional $1,500/month in stable income to maintain their desired lifestyleTheir main priority was simple: make sure they would never have to worry about outliving their money.
Step 2: Solving Problems Using G.R.A.C.E.
We structured their retirement plan using our G.R.A.C.E. framework, covering every critical area of their financial future.
✔ G - Guaranteed Income:
Kevin’s pension and Vivian’s Social Security provided a solid foundation, covering about 70% of their essential expenses.
To bridge the gap, we allocated $200,000 from their IRA into a Fixed Index Annuity (FIA) with an income rider, generating an additional $1,500/month for life.
This ensured all essential expenses were covered—without relying on stock market fluctuations.
✔ R - Reserves for Emergencies & Insurance:
$50,000 was set aside in a high-yield savings account for unexpected expenses.
To address potential long-term care needs, we helped them secure a policy that would provide benefits for assisted living or in-home care.
✔ A - Asset Growth:
With their guaranteed income in place, the rest of their savings could focus on growth.
$250,000 was invested in a diversified portfolio of ETFs and dividend-paying stocks, designed for growth while managing risk.
A dynamic guardrail withdrawal strategy was implemented to adjust distributions based on market conditions, ensuring sustainable income.
✔ C - Comprehensive Tax Planning:
Since Kevin’s pension was fully taxable, and they had funds in both pre-tax and Roth accounts, we structured a tax-efficient withdrawal strategy to minimize their tax burden.
We also implemented gradual Roth conversions to reduce future Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and lower their long-term tax liabilities.
✔ E - Estate & Legacy Planning:
We helped them update their trust and beneficiary designations, ensuring their children would inherit their assets efficiently.
Since Kevin’s pension did not offer a lump-sum survivor benefit, we structured a small life insurance policy to replace lost income if Kevin passed away first.
Step 3: Implementing the Strategy
Once the plan was finalized, we worked alongside Kevin and Vivian to execute every step, ensuring a smooth transition into retirement.
✔ Annuity income was set up to begin distributions immediately.
✔ Investment portfolios were rebalanced for growth and income sustainability.
✔ Emergency reserves were allocated for quick access.
✔ Estate planning documents were updated to align with their goals.With this system in place, they could enter retirement with clarity, structure, and peace of mind.
Step 4: Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustments
A retirement plan isn’t a one-time event—it’s an ongoing process. That’s why we continue to work with Kevin and Vivian through routine check-ins and strategy adjustments.
✔ Annual investment reviews to optimize their portfolio for changing market conditions.
✔ Withdrawal adjustments to ensure income remains sustainable over time.
✔ Ongoing tax planning to manage future Roth conversions and tax-efficient distributions.This ensures their plan remains flexible and adaptable, no matter what life throws their way.
The Outcome: A Retirement They Can Enjoy
Thanks to the Swan Song System, Kevin and Vivian now have a clear, structured plan that allows them to enjoy retirement without financial stress.
✔ Their pension, Social Security, and annuity income fully cover their expenses.
✔ Their investment portfolio continues to grow, ensuring financial flexibility for future goals.
✔ Their tax strategy keeps more money in their pockets—both now and in the future.
✔ Their estate plan protects their children and ensures a meaningful legacy.Now, instead of worrying about their finances, Kevin and Vivian are spending their time traveling, enjoying music, and making the most of their retirement together.
This is what a secure retirement looks like.
Note: These case studies are hypothetical and do not involve actual Retire With Swan clients. No portion of this content should be construed as a guarantee of specific results or satisfaction if Retire With Swan is engaged to provide investment advisory services.
Questions new clients ask.
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Our sweet spot is $300k–$3M saved and planning to retire within the next 1~10 years. Many of our Northlake neighbors fall in that range. If you’re close (maybe you’re a Pecan Square homeowner or local teacher with a solid start), let’s talk — no judgment, just honest guidance.
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• Growth bucket: custom ETF + stock portfolios with dynamic guardrails.
• Income bucket: pensions, Social Security, + next-gen annuities if needed.
Guardrails throttle withdrawals when markets dip—no forced selling.
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Both, when they solve a problem. We’re independent—no captive products. If an FIA with an income rider plugs an income gap, we’ll show you why and how.
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Assets sit at Altruist (SIPC + excess coverage). We can view and trade; we can’t touch cash without your sign-off.
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Absolutely. We already help clients manage held-away accounts like 401(k)s, 403(b)s, or TSPs while you’re still on the job. We’ll either use an in-plan brokerage window or other secure connections. One dashboard, one strategy – even if your 403(b) is with Northwest ISD or your 457 is through Denton County, we’ll incorporate it so your entire retirement gameplan is coordinated.
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• Investments: 1.00 % on the first \$2 M, negotiated above—billed monthly.
• Insurance/Annuities: carrier-paid; no advisory fee, no surrender charges from us.
No hidden kickbacks—full transparency.
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We tax-model every move before we make it. That means considering Uncle Sam and Austin – though Texas has no income tax, Northlake property taxes and federal taxes still impact your plan. We look at each withdrawal, trade, or Roth conversion and figure out the tax bite before we act.
Goal: legally keep your lifetime tax bill as low as possible (not just this year’s). For example, we might spread out a Roth conversion to avoid pushing you into a higher federal bracket or to keep property tax rebates in play -
Absolutely—faith-aligned screens and impact funds available on request.
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1️⃣ Explore – Start with a free 30‑min chat. We can meet virtually or at a local coffee spot in Northlake. I’ll gather some basics (or you can use our secure data vault) to understand your situation.
2️⃣ Clarify – Get your GRACE™ Retirement Blueprint. I’ll tailor a plan and present it for free – no obligation. This includes local insights (like timing your pension or optimizing taxes with Texas laws).
3️⃣ Commit – We decide to move forward together. When you’re ready and comfortable, you sign on as a client.
4️⃣ Craft & Deploy – We set everything up. I’ll help open accounts (with a Northlake touch – e.g. making sure your Denton County property tax plans or TRS rollover are handled). Guardrails are set on your investments, and any annuities or insurance we truly need get funded and integrated.
5️⃣ Guide – Ongoing partnership. Expect two check-ups a year (often in spring and fall) and proactive check-ins. Because I’m local, I’m only a phone call or a short drive away whenever questions come up. We might even bump into each other at Pecan Square events – I’m your neighbor as well as your advisor. 😉 -
Take the Free Retirement Assessment – it’s the easiest way to start. It’s just 6 quick multiple-choice questions about you and your goals. After that, you can book a call with me at a time that works for you. This initial process costs $0. No risk, no pressure – just a conversation with your local Northlake advisor to see if we’re the right fit.
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Item descriptionTexas is great for retirees income-tax-wise, but Northlake property taxes (around 1.3% effective rate) can bite. We help you plan for those property taxes, utilize the over-65 exemption and even the property tax freeze available in Denton County, so you’re not caught off guard.
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Northlake offers the small-town charm with big-city access. Pecan Square in particular has amenities like a community center, pools, events for families – an environment where neighbors know each other. Many of our retired clients love the sense of community and safety here. Plus, being in Denton County, you get relatively low city taxes and the benefit of Texas’s retiree-friendly policies.
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IIn Texas, most school districts (including ours) don’t pay into Social Security. So when you retire with a TRS pension, you either won’t get Social Security or it’ll be reduced by rules like the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). We help Northlake-area teachers plan around this – for example, by timing a spouse’s Social Security or using investments to fill any income gap left by the pension. TRS is a great benefit, but you want to coordinate it with your other savings (403b, Roth IRA, etc.) for a secure retirement.
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First responders often have a pension through programs like TMRS or a 457 deferred comp plan. In Northlake and surrounding areas, many police and fire personnel can retire young (50s) after 20–25 years of service. We help you answer big questions: Can you afford to retire when eligible? Should you enroll in the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) if available? How do you handle insurance if you retire before Medicare? We’ve worked with local heroes to map out income from pensions, back-up savings for early retirement, and even second careers or businesses if you ‘retire’ from the force but want to keep working in the community.
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Small-business owners in our area often have most of their wealth tied up in the business – whether it’s a local restaurant, farm, or tech startup. We help you set up tax-advantaged retirement plans (like a SEP-IRA or Solo 401k) to save beyond just building the business. We’ll also talk exit strategy: do you plan to sell your Northlake business or pass it on? If so, we coordinate that with your retirement timeline. Many local owners forget to pay themselves first – we make sure your retirement doesn’t get lost while you’re busy running the company.
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Yes, a few! Denton County offers an additional homestead exemption for homeowners over 65 (currently $55,000 off your home’s taxable value, plus a tax ceiling on school taxes). Also, the Northlake area has perks like discounted trash services for seniors and free local events (for example, the Pecan Square community hosts social gatherings that retirees love). We keep tabs on these so you don’t miss out. Part of our service is ensuring you take advantage of every local break – whether it’s a tax exemption or a community program.