About
We use a program that helps you see where you are in your financial planning and gives the two of us a road map to guide you with a process to help you select a tax-efficient approach towards ultimate retirement. In doing so we believe we can uncover areas that we can assist with our evaluation in an easy and understandable format.
Our team will provide you with an Asset-Map that provides a road map and confidence that you are on track for your major goals while evaluating your level of risk as well as when you might run out of money.
Mark is a member of Ed Slott’s Master Elite IRA Advisor GroupSM. He trains with Ed Slott & Co., America’s IRA Experts, on in-depth technical training on advanced Pre & Post-Retirement accounts & tax strategies, estate planning techniques, and new tax laws, including an emphasis on tax reduction methods for retirees and business owners as they transition into the distribution phase of retirement. Dedicated to being leaders in the retirement industry and protecting their clients’ families’ futures. Mark is Certified in Social Security Claiming Strategies (CSSCS) designation & College Solution Funding.
(99+) Mark S Gardner I Managing Director | LinkedIn
https://www.redwoodtaxspecialist.expert/
Offering THE DIFFERENCE
If you’re nearing retirement or recently celebrated that milestone, our entire practice is built around serving your needs. There are many mutual fund companies, many stock brokers, wealth managers and insurance professionals. None of these specifically address, all under one roof, the greatest financial needs in retirement!
Intentional Preservation
Respectable Growth
Sustainable Income
Tax Efficiency
Our focus is on providing these core needs for our retirement clients. We recognize, that after working a 90,000-hour career, you can’t afford to re-earn your life savings. We understand that aggressive growth is not as important as avoiding major setbacks and sleeping well at night. We see clearly, that having a reliable monthly income in retirement will enable you to enjoy your wealth without spending too much or living too little! We know that you have to stay current with taxes, but, optimal timing, can help you avoid leaving the IRS a tip!
When you retire with the RetireWellDallas team, we will build a personalized, comprehensive retirement income plan just for you. From this roadmap, we’ll address your greatest retirement concerns, dispel myths, and reinforce the wise financial decisions you’ve already made. It’s been our privilege over the years to help hundreds of people retire happy. So, let’s choose that retirement date with confidence and start planning your financial future!
Specialties
Comfort with finances
Career stage
Annual income
Service type
Photos and videos
Reviews
Bruce B.
Robert W.
Francois B.
Brad G.
Barbara C.
Tom L.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
AS A BOUTIQUE RETIREMENT PLANNING FIRM, RetireWellDallas OFFERS THE EXACT SAME SERVICES AS THE CORPORATE GIANTS, BUT WE PREFER TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS ONE AT A TIME.
WE INVITE YOU TO MEET WITH US UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO YOU AND ASK US THE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT YOUR FINANCES AND HOW YOU CAN USE THEM TO ACHIEVE A PATH TO RETIREMENT -OR, HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE UPON THE RETIREMENT YOU ARE ALREADY ENJOYING
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Mark is a member of Ed Slott’s Master Elite IRA Advisor Group℠. He trains with Ed Slott & Co., America’s IRA Experts, on in-depth technical training on advanced Pre & Post-Retirement accounts & tax strategies, estate planning techniques and new tax laws, including an emphasis on tax reduction methods for retirees and business owners as they transition into the distribution phase of retirement. Dedicated to being leaders in the retirement industry and protecting their clients’ families’ futures. Mark is Certified in Social Security Claiming Strategies (CSSCS) designation & College Funding Solution Advisor
Mark S. Gardner is a speaker and an educator. Mark has spent over 4 plus decades in the financial services industry. He has helped hundreds of clients by utilizing comprehensive tax strategies to reduce their taxes and seeing significant tax reductions and building a reirement plan geared for the individual and/or couple based on their goals, needs and risk tolerance.
Mark Gardner and his team will review with you retirement topics including income planning, annuities, and happiness in retirement.
After interviewing over Thousands of Pre & Post Retirees the Number One concerned is “Outliving their life savings” because they [retirees] don’t know how long they’re going to live.” “The long-term care threat…can wipe out your life savings.”
To lower longevity risks, Mark recommends that an individual self-fund a pension with their 401K life accounts. An individual can create a pension by converting a 401K with a fixed index annuity into “a safe opportunity to grow to generate income.”
Mark recommends that individuals work with a financial advisor to assist in developing a retirement income plan. One Book he likes is “Don’t Worry, Retire Happy” Mark provides seven simple steps:
1. Develop a Retirement Plan
2. Maximize your Social Security Benefits
3. Consider a hybrid retirement and work a few extra years.
4. Protect your savings from inflation
5. Save a little more and secure more guaranteed retirement income
6. Plan for long-term medical costs.
7. Use your home equity wisely.
Mark noted that if possible, individuals should use life insurance as the most efficient way to transfer wealth. Mark feels a percentage of one's secure and guaranteed income should come from fixed index annuities to many of his clients to produce income in retirement. “When you’re going to quit your job, you need income.”
Today’s media is all about investing in the market. Mark reminds Baby Boomers, “once you retire, you’re in the preservation and distribution phase and it’s all about guaranteed income while taking key risks off the table.”
A key to a happy retirement is eliminating or lower the longevity risks.” An individual does not know how long they are going to live. That is a longevity risk and most retirees never get the income right. They have a pile of assets. They either take too much and run out of money, or take too little, and then they sacrifice the quality of their retirement.” Every day we help individuals with retirement income plans. This is the first step in your having a happy and quality retirement.
For a complimentary assessment of your financial plan contact Mark via email at [email protected] or call 214-762-2327
Do you have a standard pricing system for your services? If so, please share the details here.
Frankly, my team and I have decided to offer our 100 plus years of experience and knowledge with no upfront fee.
We feel that we may spend 10-20 plus hours depending on the client's needs, goals, and risk tolerance by delivering a fully holistic approach. Our areas of expertise are Pre & Post-retirement planning, social security maximization, college funding solutions, tax reduction, and helping clients become debt-free.
With this in mind should the individual or couple see the value of our work that they will use us for whatever we propose to them that addresses their concerns?
How did you get started in this business?
Went to college on an Athletic and Academic scholarship. Having finished college in about 3 years, I had to work to put money away for law school as I was accepted to Loyola University School of Law. As I was walking thru an underground tunnel in Chicago. I stood there a bit lost as the tunnel combined three buildings. So I stopped a lady and asked her for directions. She asked me where I was going and I told her to get a resume completed so I could find a job to put money away for law school.
She told me what about commodities I said the only thing about commodities is that you eat them. She laughed and gave me a person to apply for a job. And the rest was history as I worked on the exchange floor and then eventually I moved back to my home to become an investment advisor. Years later I ran Bear Stearns Private Client Services Wealth Management Division overseeing One Billion in Clients’ assets.
What types of customers have you worked with?
I have had the pleasure of working with over 7500 clients in my career in all aspects of their needs. Overseeing the 100th largest bank in the world investment portfolio, to bringing a company public on the New York Stock, to handling 40 to 100 million dollar individual or retirement accounts to a simple $2,000.00 IRA.
The size of one's portfolio is not as important to me as the quality of the person. I have been referred to some of my wealthiest clients from people I did not work with since they had a relative or best friend in the business but they liked me or felt I was best suited to work with the referral.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
Having a vast network of friends and professionals, this past Friday I came to know from Mr. Richard Abramowitz, an executive at Duracell (The Battery Company) was giving away 10 million batteries complimentary to First responder, hospitals & Nursing homes. Richard on Friday 7/24/202 late afternoon. The problem was Duracell was closing their generous offer, not on the following Monday. So, Richard Abramowitz and I spent around 4 plus hours making calls to various places. One of the assisted living facilities in Houston was selected to receive 10,000 batteries.
Makes you feel incredible inside when you know someone that can use a special gift free! Knowing you can make a difference in their life. This makes me feel I have a purpose in life!!!
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a pro in your area of expertise?
In retirement planning, a priority must be placed on secure income. Once you hang up the J-O-B, you’ll need I-N-C-O-M-E.
We know from experience that the happiest retirees are the ones with reliable and systematic monthly income. We help by identifying which investments should be income-producing assets and in what products or strategies to place these assets. The successful result of this planning yields monthly income that is sufficient to meet your needs even when the market is not performing well. We know that in the future, you’ll need income even when stocks are underwater.
What questions should customers think through before talking to pros about their needs?
What Alternatives Are Available To Grow my Assets Tax Efficiently? INCREASE MY TAX EFFICIENCY
Are you wondering if ROTH conversions are right for you? Have you thought about selling an investment property, but capital gains taxes are keeping you from it? Maybe you have an ongoing or future RMD that’s creating tax bills that you would like to get rid of? All of these topics and many more are addressed in our comprehensive retirement income tax analysis. We don’t look at taxes as a separate topic, we analyze every source of your retirement income simultaneously to determine the most tax-efficient strategy and show you exactly what you’ll be paying in retirement. You have to pay your taxes, but nobody said you have to leave a tip!