Cynthia & Dennis:
From Confusion to Clarity — Together
The Story
Cynthia, 65, is a public school teacher preparing to retire next year after a 30-year career. Her husband, Dennis, is 66 and still working as a software engineer. He enjoys his work and hasn’t set a firm retirement date—but together, they’ve started thinking more seriously about what the next chapter could look like.
Dennis has consistently contributed the maximum to his 401(k), taking full advantage of his employer’s generous 7% match. While he’s made occasional adjustments over the years, a thorough review of the plan’s investment options has been one of those things that’s stayed on the back burner—something he’s been meaning to do, but hadn’t gotten around to. When the fund lineup changed several years ago, he found it more difficult to navigate and has largely kept things the same since. Now, he’s ready to sit down with a professional to evaluate the options and make sure everything is aligned with his goals.
Meanwhile, Cynthia has a pension through the school system, but the wide range of payout options—different start dates, lump sums, survivor benefits—felt confusing. A phone call with the pension provider didn’t make things any clearer. Though they’ve managed their finances well and feel stable overall, Cynthia and Dennis both recognized that their needs were shifting. They each had different priorities, investment styles, and questions—and wanted to work with someone who could address both perspectives and help them align around a shared plan.
How Evergreen Helped
During onboarding, Cynthia and Dennis quickly built trust with Nick at Evergreen Wealth Management. Nick joined a call with the pension provider, helping Cynthia articulate her questions and adding his own to clarify the information. He then walked them through each payout option in the context of their broader retirement goals, tax picture, and income needs.
Together, they decided to delay Cynthia’s pension until age 67, using non-retirement savings to bridge the two-year gap. This preserved their emergency fund and gave them greater financial flexibility. Dennis plans to continue working during that time but now has a clearer plan in place—and the ability to reassess when the time feels right.
Cynthia also rolled over her retirement account into a professionally managed IRA at Evergreen, aligned with her risk tolerance and invested in a diversified mix of low-cost index funds.
For Dennis, Nick conducted a comprehensive review of his 401(k) using Nitrogen, Evergreen’s investment analysis software.
Comparing Dennis’s current portfolio to his personalized risk score,
they uncovered three key areas for improvement:
Equity Allocation
Dennis’s stock exposure was more aggressive than his comfort level suggested. A rebalance helped bring the portfolio back into alignment.
Bond Duration
Most of his fixed income exposure was in long-term bonds, which didn’t match his shorter time horizon. Nick recommended shifting toward shorter-duration bonds and money market options with similar yields but less interest rate risk.
Cost Efficiency
Several of the mutual funds in Dennis’s plan carried higher fees. Nick identified lower-cost index fund alternatives within the plan lineup, helping reduce expenses without sacrificing diversification.
The Outcome
Around the same time, Cynthia connected their daughter, Rebecca, with Nick after she started a new job. Rebecca had questions about what to do with her old 401(k), as well as how to navigate her new employer’s plan and stock option offering. When reviewing her options, she appreciated that Nick didn’t pressure her to roll the account into an IRA—something she sensed was a common recommendation in the industry. Rebecca preferred simplicity and having as few accounts and logins as possible, so Nick supported that preference and helped her consolidate the old plan into her new 401(k). He also explained the basics of how company stock options work, helping her move forward with clarity and confidence. All of this was included as part of the family’s relationship with Evergreen—at no additional cost.
With Cynthia retiring first, she and Dennis are planning a few “trial-run” travel experiences using his vacation time—testing out what retirement could look like together. Their plan now gives them structure, peace of mind, and the flexibility to adjust as life unfolds.