Now is the time to review your retirement strategy. Economic shifts and evolving financial goals may impact your long-term goals. In Wealth on Purpose, financial advisor Bryan Ballentine emphasizes the importance of setting obtainable objectives for financial success. Regularly assessing your retirement plan can ensure you’re on track to reaching your goals.
Delaying retirement can offer benefits like increased savings, extended employer benefits, and higher Social Security payouts. A financial review helps ensure your plan aligns with your short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals.
Is delaying retirement the right move for you? Let’s review your strategy and plan ahead.
The Case for Delayed Retirement
Delaying retirement is becoming an increasingly common strategy, whether due to personal preference, financial necessity, or market conditions. Working longer can provide financial advantages, including increased savings, continued employer-sponsored benefits, and a higher Social Security payout. With life expectancy increasing and the full retirement age rising, many individuals find that extending their working years may lead to greater financial flexibility.
One significant factor in delaying retirement is Social Security. Claiming benefits before full retirement age reduces monthly payouts; however, delaying them up to age 70 can increase the benefits by approximately 8% per year. Continued employment also allows for further contributions to tax-advantaged accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs, which can strengthen financial security later in life.
Investment & Risk Management Considerations
For those evaluating their retirement timeline, reviewing investment allocations is important. As retirement approaches, individuals often shift toward a more conservative investment strategy. However, delaying retirement may allow for a more growth-oriented approach, giving assets more time to compound. Be sure to consider current market conditions such as interest rates and inflation when reviewing your asset allocation and withdrawal planning.
Another essential component of a retirement check-in is risk management. Assessing insurance coverage, long-term care planning, and estate strategies can help mitigate unexpected financial burdens. Delayed retirement may allow individuals to keep employer-sponsored health insurance longer, potentially reducing out-of-pocket healthcare costs before transitioning to Medicare.
Retirement Planning Action Steps
- Review Retirement Account Contributions:
Ensure contributions to 401(k)s, IRAs, and other retirement accounts are maximized based on income and tax strategies. - Assess Investment Portfolio:
Consider adjusting asset allocations to reflect changing risk tolerance, market conditions, and retirement timeline. - Plan for Healthcare & Insurance Needs:
Analyze health insurance options, long-term care planning, and other protective measures for financial security. - Evaluate Social Security Timing:
Determine whether delaying benefits align with financial needs and long-term retirement plans. - Update Retirement Income Strategy:
If delaying retirement, review income sources, including potential part-time work, passive income, or investment withdrawals.
Keeping Your Retirement Plan on Track—Together
At Ballentine Capital Advisors, we’re here to help you stay on course and make adjustments as needed. Your financial goals, retirement plans, and investment strategies evolve over time, and regular check-ins ensure you remain confident in your approach.
Whether you’re considering delaying retirement, refining your investment strategy, or adjusting for market changes, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
If you have any questions, give us a call! Have a great weekend.
Sources located at the bottom of the article
Golf Tip of the Week
Release Right Side For Straight Golf Shots
According to Golf Tips Magazine, many amateur golfers struggle with releasing the trail side through impact and follow-through, which can lead to slicing or inconsistent ball flight. Often, players try to correct this by strengthening their grip, but this doesn’t address the root issue. Instead, the proper way to square the clubface is through body rotation and weight transfer, not by forcing hand movement.
To improve swing consistency, golfers should use a neutral grip, ensuring both hands face each other with a 2.5-knuckle grip on the lead hand and a two-knuckle grip on the trail hand. The key to a smooth release is to allow natural, dynamic movement, much like walking, where weight shifts fluidly rather than being forced.
A great checkpoint for a proper follow-through is to feel the rounded motion of the trailing knee, hip, and shoulder while allowing weight to transfer onto the big toe of the trail foot in one continuous motion. This will promote a natural forward weight shift, helping golfers release the club correctly and achieve straighter, more powerful shots.
Golf Tip adapted from Golf Tips Magazine. Read the full article here: Golf Tips Magazine – Release Right Side for Straight Golf Shots.
Recipe of the Week
Stuffed Green Peppers
Ingredients
6 medium green bell peppers, tops and seeds removed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt
1 pound ground beef
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
One 28-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Directions
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Preheat your oven to 350°F and get a large pot ready with about 2 inches of water. Place a steamer insert inside and bring the water to a high simmer.
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Steam the peppers by arranging them in the steamer, covering the pot, and letting them cook for about 25 minutes. Rotate them now and then to make sure they soften evenly. Once they’re nice and pliable, carefully lift them out with a slotted spoon and place them upside-down on paper towels to drain.
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Sauté the onions by heating a bit of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in the chopped onions with a small pinch of salt, stirring occasionally until they turn soft and translucent—this should take about 8 minutes.
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Brown the beef by turning up the heat to medium-high and adding the ground beef, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Break up the meat with a spoon and cook until it’s browned and mostly done, about 5 minutes.
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Simmer the mixture by adding the diced tomatoes, bringing it to a gentle simmer, and then taking it off the heat. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes so the flavors can meld.
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Make the filling by transferring the cooled beef mixture into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the cooked rice, chopped parsley, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, breadcrumbs, eggs, and Worcestershire sauce until everything is well combined.
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Get the peppers ready by standing them upright in a 9×13-inch baking dish. If any of them are wobbly, trim a little off the bottom to help them stand flat—just don’t cut all the way through!
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Stuff the peppers generously with the filling, making sure to pack it in tightly. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese on top for that perfect melty finish.
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Bake with steam by pouring a small amount of water into the bottom of the baking dish—this helps keep the peppers tender while they cook. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Finish baking by removing the foil and letting them bake for another 10 minutes so the cheese gets golden and bubbly. Take them out of the oven, let them cool for a few minutes, and enjoy!
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Recipe Tip adapted from Food Network. Read the full article here: Stuffed Green Peppers
Travel Tip of the Week
According to Travel and Leisure Orlando, is the No. 1 Spring Break Destination for Affordable Airfare
Spring break is just around the corner. Depending on where you live — and your tolerance for cold weather — you may be more than ready to escape the seemingly endless winter and spend a few days in 80-plus-degree temperatures. But, simultaneously, you might be hoping to keep costs low.
According to recent data collected by Spirit Airlines, you wouldn’t be the only one.
The low-cost carrier just released its list of the most searched spring break destinations for 2025, and Orlando took the No.1 spot.
Orlando is famously home to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. Fort Lauderdale’s beachfront promenade, The Strip, features a range of boutiques, restaurants, and bars, and both Las Vegas and Miami are far from lacking in cultural experiences. San Juan, on the other hand, boasts reliably warm weather — but you should still set aside a day or two to explore the cobblestoned streets and colonial buildings in the historic part of the city.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Las Vegas; Miami; and San Juan; rounded out the top five cities — demonstrating a clear trend among travelers. “The five most searched destinations on spirit.com show that travelers are seeking a blend of sun, relaxation, and adventure across major U.S. metros and the Caribbean to create a memorable spring break,” the company said in a press release provided to Travel + Leisure.
Rana Ghosh, senior vice president and chief transformation officer at Spirit Airlines, also added that these are all places where warmer weather meets “major entertainment options.” So even if the fluctuating March and early April forecasts don’t allow for picture-perfect pool or beach days, spring breakers of all ages will still have plenty of options to fill their vacation.
Spirit notes that the destinations were ranked based on web searches made between Jan. 9, and Feb. 5, 2025, with users looking at travel dates between March 1 and April 19, 2025.
Travel Tip adapted from Travel and Leisure. Read full article here: This Is the No. 1 Spring Break Destination for Affordable Airfare
Sources
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Ballentine Capital Advisors
15 Halton Green Way
Greenville, SC 29607
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Ballentine Capital Advisors is a registered investment adviser. The advisory services of Ballentine Capital Advisors are not made available in any jurisdiction in which Ballentine Capital Advisors is not registered or is otherwise exempt from registration.
Please review Ballentine Capital Advisors Disclosure Brochure for a complete explanation of fees. Investing involves risks. Investments are not guaranteed and may lose value.
This material is prepared by Ballentine Capital Advisors for informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as a substitute for personalized investment advice or as a recommendation or solicitation or any particular security, strategy, or investment product.
No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve future profits or losses similar to those shown. You should not assume that investment decisions we make in the future will be profitable or equal the investment performance of the past. Past performance does not indicate future results.
