Asset Protection Advisor in Seattle

Fiduciary | Fee Only | Certified and Experienced

After you have worked hard to build financial security, the last thing you want is to see your savings threatened by rising healthcare costs, unexpected lawsuits, or tax inefficiencies. In our view, asset protection is about building a retirement and succession plan that can withstand stormy times and curveballs.

At Retirement Planning Partner, we help clients throughout the Seattle area understand how their assets are structured, where they may be exposed, and what steps can help reduce that risk. Chris Maggio offers deep insight into asset protection planning for retirees. While she is not an attorney or CPA, she will collaborate with your legal and tax professionals and help you shape a plan that works. For an introductory call, send us a note. We would be happy to listen to you and explain how we can help.

What Is Asset Protection in Retirement?

Asset protection refers to the legal and financial tools used to shield your wealth from potential threats. In retirement, those threats often look different than they did during your working years. They may include:

• High long-term care costs
• Legal judgments or liability issues
• Divorce or inheritance complications
• Tax exposure due to required minimum distributions or capital gains
• The rising cost of living eroding fixed income

A good asset protection plan considers how your income sources (investment accounts, home equity, insurance coverage, estate plans, and long-term care strategy) all work together. Each component affects the others. And the plan should reflect how you want to live, not just what you want to protect.

Chris Maggio's Role as a Financial Planner

Chris Maggio is a fiduciary and a Retirement income Certified Planner. Her role in asset protection is advisory and strategic. She can help you evaluate how your accounts are titled, how your estate plan aligns with your financial goals, and how to structure income and asset ownership in a way that supports stability.

She does not offer legal advice or prepare tax filings. Instead, she works closely with your estate attorney or CPA to coordinate efforts and avoid missed opportunities. Many clients find this collaborative approach helpful, especially when trying to sort through overlapping advice or understand how different rules interact. Chris brings a valuable perspective to the conversation, and she can help you see how various asset protection techniques apply to your specific life stage.

Practical Asset Protection Strategies for Retirees

Reviewing Account Titling and Ownership

Joint ownership may work well in a marriage but create challenges for estate planning, and naming individual beneficiaries on retirement accounts can override the instructions in your will. Chris can help you review how your assets are titled, including retirement accounts, real estate, brokerage holdings, and trusts, to make sure they match your current goals.

Trusts as Part of Your Asset Protection Strategy

While Chris doesn't draft legal documents, she frequently works with clients who use revocable or irrevocable trusts as part of their asset protection strategy. Revocable living trusts help with probate avoidance and privacy. Irrevocable trusts may offer creditor protection or preserve Medicaid eligibility, but they come with strict rules. Chris can help you understand how these tools affect your financial plan and prepare you to discuss them with your attorney.

Long-Term Care Planning

One of the most significant threats to retirement savings is the cost of long-term care. Whether it's a memory care facility or in-home support, these expenses can quickly deplete savings that took decades to build. Asset protection planning includes reviewing options for long-term care insurance, hybrid policies, or self-funding strategies.

If protecting assets from spend-down is a concern, Chris can help you assess what's realistic and how it interacts with Medicaid planning or other support programs. These conversations are best started early, and planning ahead gives you more control over your options.

Liability and Insurance Coverage

For retirees who own rental property, drive frequently, or serve on a board, personal liability protection becomes a serious consideration. Umbrella insurance policies can provide added protection above your homeowners or auto insurance limits, often at a relatively low cost. Chris can review current coverage levels and help you think through risk exposure that might be easy to overlook. Don't let lawsuits and litigation endanger your retirement stability or the legacy you wish to leave behind.

Tax-Aware Withdrawal and Gifting Strategies

The way you take income from your retirement accounts can create avoidable tax burdens if not managed carefully. For example, large RMDs from pre-tax accounts can push you into a higher bracket and increase exposure to capital gains taxes or Medicare premium surcharges. Chris can work with clients to stagger withdrawals, time Roth conversions, and structure charitable giving in a way that preserves assets across generations.

In some cases, clients want to give assets to children or grandchildren during their lifetime. That may involve using the annual gift tax exclusion, setting up a 529 plan, or working with a CPA to file a gift tax return. Chris can help walk through the planning side of these decisions so they're coordinated with your overall financial picture.

A Holistic Approach to Retirement Planning

Asset protection isn't a one-time decision or a document you check off. It's a dynamic part of your retirement strategy. It touches income planning, estate goals, healthcare decisions, and tax strategy. Chris can help tie these areas together so that your plan works as a whole.

At Retirement Planning Partner, you'll get guidance that's easy to understand and free from product sales. Chris doesn't work for an insurance company or investment firm. She works for you. Her fee-only structure means you receive objective, personalized advice designed to help you protect your assets and live the retirement you've planned for.

If you're in Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Woodinville, or any nearby community, reach out for a 30-minute introductory call. We're happy to answer your questions and see if working together is the right fit.