Many retirees assume their highest tax years are behind them. For some, their biggest tax surprise is still ahead.

Retirement planning often focuses on a date or a dollar amount. But retirement itself is a major life transition. The most successful retirements aren’t just well funded. They’re well thought out.

It’s difficult to overstate how important Social Security benefits are to retirees in the United States. Consider the following: Social Security benefits typically replace about 40% of pre-retirement income for average earners. The system provides inflation-adjusted benefits to over 70 million Americans. 50% of the senior population rely on Social Security for at least half of their income.

This series of blog posts is a candid look at how I view end-of-life planning as a financial advisor. There is a meaningful difference between learning something in theory and understanding it firsthand. End-of-life planning is often discussed in abstract terms. It looks orderly on paper. In practice, it rarely is.

When you’re planning your retirement or already retired, your advisor can add a lot of value in your quest to turn retirement assets into income.