A framework for bringing retirement decisions into one coordinated plan
The 7 Pillars Planning Framework™
Retirement planning often involves more than one important decision at a time. Income, investments, taxes, healthcare, risk, long-term care, and legacy goals may each deserve thoughtful attention, but they are rarely independent of one another. The 7 Pillars Planning Framework™ reflects how KFP thinks about retirement planning: as a set of interconnected decisions that are best considered together rather than in isolation:
A thoughtful framework for bringing your retirement vision, income, investments, taxes, and other decisions into relationship with one another.
Under one framework, financial decions can be made in relationship to one another. A choice about Social Security may affect taxes. A withdrawal strategy may influence portfolio design. Healthcare costs, long-term care considerations, and legacy goals may all shape how a retirement plan needs to function over time.
This framework helps organize those relationships into one coordinated planning approach. It is designed to bring greater clarity to the financial questions that often become more important as retirement approaches and unfolds.
A thoughtful framework for bringing your retirement vision, income, investments, taxes, and other decisions into relationship with one another.
Under one framework, financial decions can be made in relationship to one another. A choice about Social Security may affect taxes. A withdrawal strategy may influence portfolio design. Healthcare costs, long-term care considerations, and legacy goals may all shape how a retirement plan needs to function over time.
This framework helps organize those relationships into one coordinated planning approach. It is designed to bring greater clarity to the financial questions that often become more important as retirement approaches and unfolds.
How KFP Thinks About Retirement Planning
1. We encourage the use of our no-cost Retirement Profiler to gain the bigger picture of what retirement looks like for you. It helps us to have a perspective on your lifestyle, goals and purpose in retirement before we begin the planning process. The Retirement Profiler gives us the opportunity to create a retirement plan that best supports the retirement vision you created and the "Planning First" philosophy at KFP.
2. At KFP, we provide a written plan that provides you with the analysis results, strategies and steps to implement your retirement plan. The written plan includes an executive summary with action plan. The analysis results show projections of your Retirement Paycheck, how long your assets may last, a recommended investment portfolio and other highlights of the 7 Pillars Retirement Planning® process. The written plan is your roadmap.
3. The plan can be implemented by you, KFP, or your another advisory firm. If you contracted us for Ongoing Support, we work with you to implement the initial plan and review it with you on a regular basis. It is the Ongoing Support that gives your plan the best chance to succeed over the long-term.
2. At KFP, we provide a written plan that provides you with the analysis results, strategies and steps to implement your retirement plan. The written plan includes an executive summary with action plan. The analysis results show projections of your Retirement Paycheck, how long your assets may last, a recommended investment portfolio and other highlights of the 7 Pillars Retirement Planning® process. The written plan is your roadmap.
3. The plan can be implemented by you, KFP, or your another advisory firm. If you contracted us for Ongoing Support, we work with you to implement the initial plan and review it with you on a regular basis. It is the Ongoing Support that gives your plan the best chance to succeed over the long-term.
The Foundation: 7 Pillars Retirement Planning®
Our retirement planning begins with your retirement vision and goals from the Retirement Profiler and continues with our deep analysis work that brings together your vision and financials into a cohesive written plan. The process to create the plan is our 7 Pillars Retirement Planning® process.
Because many financial decisions are often connected, retirement planning can benefit from a framework that brings the broader picture into view. The goal is not complexity for its own sake, but thoughtful coordination.
At the center of our approach is 7 Pillars Retirement Planning®, the planning process KFP uses to organize the major areas of retirement planning. It provides a practical way to evaluate the parts of retirement that often need to work together within one coordinated plan.
Because many financial decisions are often connected, retirement planning can benefit from a framework that brings the broader picture into view. The goal is not complexity for its own sake, but thoughtful coordination.
At the center of our approach is 7 Pillars Retirement Planning®, the planning process KFP uses to organize the major areas of retirement planning. It provides a practical way to evaluate the parts of retirement that often need to work together within one coordinated plan.
• Income Planning
• Investment Planning
• Tax Planning
• Risk Analysis
• Healthcare Planning
• Long-Term Care Planning
• Estate and Legacy Planning
• Investment Planning
• Tax Planning
• Risk Analysis
• Healthcare Planning
• Long-Term Care Planning
• Estate and Legacy Planning
Together, these seven areas help bring shape and structure to the broader retirement picture. This reflects the planning-first philosophy that guides our work at Kastler Financial Planning. Rather than beginning with products or isolated strategies, we begin with the broader retirement picture and work thoughtfully from there.
To see how this broad structure is applied in practice, visit our Retirement Planning Services page.
To see how this broad structure is applied in practice, visit our Retirement Planning Services page.
Applying the Framework to Retirement Income
One practical expression of The 7 Pillars Planning Framework™ is retirement income planning. A retirement paycheck often involves more than portfolio withdrawals alone. It may include Social Security, pensions, required minimum distributions, tax considerations, spending needs, and long-term sustainability.
7 Pillars Purpose-Driven Income Plan™ reflects how the broader framework is applied to the work of designing a coordinated retirement paycheck. The goal is to help align income sources and withdrawal decisions with the broader retirement plan rather than treating them as isolated cash-flow choices.
To learn more, visit our Income Planning page.
7 Pillars Purpose-Driven Income Plan™ reflects how the broader framework is applied to the work of designing a coordinated retirement paycheck. The goal is to help align income sources and withdrawal decisions with the broader retirement plan rather than treating them as isolated cash-flow choices.
To learn more, visit our Income Planning page.
Applying the Framework to Investment Planning
7 Pillars Investment Planning®
Investment decisions are most useful when they support the retirement plan they are meant to serve. 7 Pillars Investment Planning® reflects the investment-planning component of the broader framework, helping align portfolio decisions with retirement income needs, tax considerations, risk profile, long-term objectives, and personal values.
This is part of what KFP means by a planning-first approach to investing. Rather than viewing the portfolio in isolation, investment decisions are evaluated in the context of the broader retirement picture they are intended to support.
This is part of what KFP means by a planning-first approach to investing. Rather than viewing the portfolio in isolation, investment decisions are evaluated in the context of the broader retirement picture they are intended to support.
7 Pillars Purpose-Driven Portfolios™
For some clients, the investment-planning component becomes more specific through 7 Pillars Purpose-Driven Portfolios™, the portfolio-design expression of the broader framework. This is where portfolio structure is shaped around retirement needs, long-term objectives, and, where appropriate, personal values and purpose.
Depending on the situation, implementation may include a broadly diversified Core portfolio with selected Satellite themes that support the broader retirement plan. The aim is not customization for its own sake, but thoughtful alignment between the portfolio and the work that portfolio is meant to do.
To explore this further, visit our Portfolio Design for Retirement page.
Depending on the situation, implementation may include a broadly diversified Core portfolio with selected Satellite themes that support the broader retirement plan. The aim is not customization for its own sake, but thoughtful alignment between the portfolio and the work that portfolio is meant to do.
To explore this further, visit our Portfolio Design for Retirement page.
A Planning Approach Designed to Bring Coordination
The purpose of this framework is not to make retirement planning feel more complicated. It is to bring greater clarity, structure, and thoughtful coordination to the decisions that often matter most. For those who value a planning approach that is personal, fiduciary, and attentive to the bigger picture, The 7 Pillars Planning Framework™ helps show how the pieces fit together.
Through the 7 Pillars Retirement Planning® process, clients can visually "see" how the financial components interact with one another. Example videos of our planning software are on our Retirement Planning Videos page.
Through the 7 Pillars Retirement Planning® process, clients can visually "see" how the financial components interact with one another. Example videos of our planning software are on our Retirement Planning Videos page.
Explore Whether This Planning Approach is a Good Fit
Schedule a ConsultationIf you would like to explore whether this planning approach may be a good fit for your situation, we invite you to schedule a no-charge, no-obligation consultation—a chance to get acquainted and decide whether it makes sense to take a next step together.