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Echelon Planning Group

At Echelon Planning Group, we help our clients create retirement strategies that work for them.

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Echelon's Holistic Guidance

In order to achieve financial health, we believe you need a holistic management approach that addresses spending and saving, investment management, debt management, insurance, taxes, estate planning, employee and government benefits, and every other aspect of your overall financial status. Echelon Planning Group is an independent financial advisor.

Why is independent better?

The Benefits of Independence

Advice You Can Trust

Independent financial professionals are not bound to any family of funds, investment products, or services. This helps to provide clients with confidence  that the products and services recommended by their advisors are in their best interests.
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The Benefits of Independence

Relationships Built On Accountability

To best serve their clients, independent financial professionals often seek to develop deep personal relationships, so as to fully understand each client’s specific needs and goals. What’s more, because professionals are entrepreneurial business owners, they value their client relationships and hold themselves accountable to their clients.

The Benefits of Independence

Deep Expertise Catered to Your Needs

Acting as financial coaches, we help clients come up with a financial game plan that looks at the big picture, no matter how complex their financial needs. While some independent advisors concentrate on specific investment strategies, others can assist with comprehensive services, offering a high level of expertise on financial planning, estate planning strategies, complicated tax situations, charitable giving, intergenerational wealth transfer, and more.

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the echelon advisor system

Attorney, Accountant CPA, and Banker services are by referral.

Echelon Planning Group

The Echelon Advisor System

Echelon Planning Group can be your resource for all of your insurance and financial planning needs. Because of our team’s diverse background and many years of experience, we can lend a hand in almost any financial scenario for our clients. If you’re interested in working with us or have any questions about any of our services, just give us a quick call and someone will be able to connect you with the right person.

Meet the Team

Retirement

Here's a few things you should consider

  • Save up to the match in your employer plan. If your employer offers a retirement plan (like a 401(k) or 403(b) plan) and will match your contributions up to a certain percentage, make sure you take advantage of this option that's available to you.
  • Open an IRA. It's great if you can save more than what's needed to get the maximum company match in your employer plan. Opening an IRA for your additional savings will give you a chance to shop around. You can hold many types of investments in an IRA, including any mutual fund, ETF, stock, or bond—many of which might cost less than those offered through your employer plan. And you can use a Roth IRA to save money that may not be subject to taxes in retirement—an option that isn't available in many employer plans.

    The annual contribution limit for IRAs is $6,000 for most people, although it depends on your income. (If you're age 50 or over, you can contribute up to $7,000.) If you have an employer-sponsored plan from a previous job, rolling it over to an IRA can give you additional flexibility and make your portfolio easier to manage.
  • Max out your contributions to your employer plan.After you've saved up to the match in your employer plan and maxed out your IRA, go back to your employer plan. The annual limit for employee contributions is $19,000 ($25,000 if you're age 50 or older and your plan allows catch-up contributions).
  • Thrift Savings Accounts. This is an option for government employees and can be a good way to save although there is no match from the employer.
  • Continue saving in a taxable account. For most people who want to save even more, the next step is to save in a general investment account. These accounts won't have the tax breaks associated with retirement accounts, so you'll have to pay investment taxes on interest, dividends, and capital gains as your account grows, and you won't receive any tax deductions for your contributions.

Do you want to learn more about our retirement planning services? Contact us to discuss what’s best for you. 

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Estate Planning Documents You May Need

Which documents make sense for you?

  • Last Will and Testament: This document directs how your assets will be given away after your death. Your assets can be given directly to individuals or can be given to a trust that will then distribute the assets. Having a Will does not mean you avoid probate.
  • Living Will (aka “DNR” declaration): You decide what instructions you want to give regarding life-sustaining procedures (i.e. do not resuscitate), artificial nourishment and organ donation. This document is used to carry out your wishes in the event you are terminally ill, comatose or otherwise incompetent or unable to make decisions for yourself.
  • Durable Power of Attorney—General and Financial: This document is used to grant to another the right to act for you in financial and business matters. This authority is granted if you are temporarily or permanently incapacitated.
  • Durable Power of Attorney—Health Care: This document is very similar to the above except it is to address the various health care needs and decisions required for an incapacitated individual.
  • HIPAA Authorization: In the event of your temporary or permanent incapacity, this authorizes your Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care giving access to your private health care information if you are incapacitated.
  • Revocable Living Trust: Generally used to avoid probate and avoid public viewing of your estate and can be changed at any time by the grantor(s). It is also a very helpful tool if you have a child with special needs, a beneficiary with challenges or have real property in multiple states.
  • Irrevocable Trust: Assets are transferred into the trust, effectively removing the grantor's (owner's) rights of ownership to the assets and the trust. The main reasons for an irrevocable trust are for preserving assets from estate taxes, long term care/Medicaid planning, and avoiding probate.

Securities America and its representatives do not provide legal advice; therefore it is important to coordinate with your legal advisor regarding your specific situation. 

Do you want to learn more about our estate planning services? Contact us to discuss what’s best for you.

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Stop into our office, give us a call, or fill out our short form below and someone from the EPG team will get back to you promptly.

Echelon Planning Group
3 Carriage Road
Bow, NH 03304

Telephone
T: (603) 224-2777 

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