Clear answers to the financial questions that matter.

The Financial Intelligence Center answers the questions successful business owners and pre-retirees actually ask about retirement, taxes, retirement plan design, business value, succession and Social Security — and shows how those decisions connect.

Retirement & Wealth Decisions

Retirement readiness, retirement income, Social Security, Roth conversions, taxes, healthcare, investment decisions and withdrawal strategies.

Can I retire at 60 with $2 million?
Should I do a Roth conversion before I retire?
How do I know if I can afford to retire early?
How can I access retirement money before age 59½?
What is the Rule of 55, and can I use it to retire early?
What is a 72(t) substantially equal periodic payment plan?
How can I pay for health insurance if I retire before 65?
How do retirement withdrawals affect ACA health-insurance subsidies?
How can I create income between retiring and starting Social Security?
Which accounts should I use first if I retire early?

Business Owner Tax & Retirement

S-corp compensation, retirement-plan design, Solo 401(k)s, Cash Balance Plans and tax-efficient wealth accumulation.

Is a cash balance plan worth it?
How much should I pay myself from my S corp?
Solo 401(k) or SEP IRA — which is better for me?
What can I do to reduce taxes as a business owner?
Which retirement plan lets me save the most without creating a problem for my business or employees?
Can I collect Social Security and still own or work in my business?

Business Wealth & Exit

Business value, succession, selling a business, taxes and converting business wealth into personal wealth.

How much is my business worth?
If I sell my business, how much will I actually keep after taxes?
What happens to my business if I die or can no longer run it?
How do I choose the right successor for my business?
Should I transfer my business to a child, employee, partner, or outside buyer?
What if none of my children wants the business?
How early should I begin succession planning?
What should a business succession plan include?
What happens to my business if I become disabled or unable to manage it?
Do I need a buy-sell agreement?
How often should a buy-sell agreement be reviewed?
How is the purchase price established in a buy-sell agreement?
How is a buy-sell agreement funded?
Can life insurance fund a business buyout after an owner dies?
What happens if a buy-sell agreement is not adequately funded?
What is the difference between a cross-purchase and entity-purchase agreement?
Does my business need a formal valuation for succession planning?
Can a key employee take over my business?
How can I retain key employees during an ownership transition?
How do I transfer ownership without giving up control immediately?
How do taxes affect transferring a business to a successor?
How does succession planning affect my retirement income?
What happens when most of my net worth is tied up in the business?
How do I turn the value of my business into diversified personal wealth?
How should my business succession plan coordinate with my estate plan?
Who should be involved in creating a business succession plan?

Educational information only. Nothing here is individualized financial, tax, legal or investment advice.