5 Things Our Clients Love About the Five Pine Wealth Difference

admin • April 3, 2023
CDA Idaho

 

Imagine this: You’re starting to get serious about saving for retirement. You want to make sure you’re prepared for this major life transition, so you decide it’s time to hire a financial advisor. On the recommendation of your brother-in-law, you begin a relationship with an advisor—let’s call him Bill—and start to map out your path to retirement. 

During the first year, everything is going great. Bill puts together a portfolio of investments for you and supplies you with a bunch of fancy charts showing you your chances of success. You’re feeling good about the fact that you have a plan to follow! And so you start taking the actions that you and Bill outlined in your plan. 

But after a while, you stop hearing from Bill. You’re not sure if you’re still on the right track to reach your goals. You’re wondering whether recent market events have any bearing on the performance of your portfolio. And when you call Bill to ask these questions, he doesn’t get back to you for an entire week.

If you’ve ever experienced this type of relationship with a financial advisor, you’re not alone. A shocking amount of our clients have come to our firm with stories about feeling ignored or overlooked by their financial advisors. 

In our opinion, this is inexcusable. You deserve better, which is why we’ve committed to a higher level of customer service and communication in our firm. Below are five differences that set the Five Pine Wealth Management team apart:

  1. We approach wealth management holistically
  2. We are fee-only fiduciaries
  3. We are proactive communicators
  4. We believe in long-term, low-cost investment options
  5. We are younger than most other advisors

1. We Approach Wealth Management Holistically

There are “investment guys” a-plenty out there who can help investors manage their money and make trades on their behalf. Holistic financial planners, however, are harder to come by. We differentiate ourselves from those other “investment guys” with our holistic approach and breadth of knowledge within the financial planning realm. 

In our opinion, the “other guys” focus too heavily on return rates and forget that there are real dreams, goals, fears, and needs behind the numbers. By fixating on the numbers, they miss out on creative, more effective opportunities and approaches that will help their clients achieve the real results they’re looking for. 

From our point of view, investments are just one component of a healthy financial plan. 

Sure, they’re certainly important, and managing your portfolio is one of our core services. But things like insurance planning, estate planning, college planning, tax planning, and strategic asset allocation are equally important areas of financial planning. We help with all of these areas, and they’re automatically included in the annual fee our clients pay for our services.

2. We Are Fee-Only Fiduciaries

Lots of “financial advisors” are willing to sell annuities and permanent life insurance policies to anyone who will sign on the dotted line. But we feel strongly about identifying ourselves as fee-only fiduciaries . 

Being a fiduciary means that we are legally and ethically obligated to place our client’s best interests ahead of our own, so our clients can rest assured that we don’t make recommendations that are a poor fit for their needs.

Additionally, we pride ourselves on having built a fee-only book of business from scratch. Fee-only means that we do not sell financial products such as life insurance policies or annuities to our clients. We also do not collect referral fees or earn commissions on any investments we recommend. 

Beyond being fiduciaries, the fee-only model ensures that we are actually incentivized to work in your best interest. Because when you do well, we do well.

3. We Are Proactive in Our Communication

As holistic financial advisors, we know life happens. And when life happens, your plan might need to change. 

Plus, one of the main reasons we got into this business is because we like people. Developing strong relationships with our clients is one of our core values. While we always welcome calls from our clients, we understand that the phone works both ways. So we promise to stay in touch with you on a yearly basis at a minimum . 

Annual and semi-annual reviews provide us with more opportunities to identify possible challenges in your plan and make the most of any favorable circumstances that come your way. You can also expect to hear from us with intermittent updates throughout the year so that you’re never in the dark about what we’re doing and how we’re responding to changes in the markets.

4. We Believe in Long-Term, Low-Cost Investment Options

We advocate passive, long-term investing strategies, and are often opposed to using actively managed and potentially tax-inefficient mutual funds. To help our clients keep more of their money, we believe in using ETFs and indexing strategies to keep costs as low as possible without sacrificing performance. (Some of our favorites include Vanguard and BlackRock funds.)

We see value in diversification and utilizing nontraditional assets to help our clients reach their goals. The portfolios we design and manage consist of a mix of publicly traded equities (i.e., stocks), publicly traded fixed-income instruments (i.e., bonds), and private equity/credit investments (i.e., alternative assets). A Five Pine Wealth client’s portfolio may have up to 15% allocated to these non traditional assets, depending on their personal goals and risk tolerance. 

It’s important to note that alternative assets are not always accessible to individual investors, as they typically have a $1 million minimum purchase price. Therefore, many investors can only purchase alternative assets by working with a financial advisor. We believe our commitment to including alternative assets in our portfolios is a huge value-add to our clients.

5. We Are Younger Than Most Other Advisors

In the financial planning world, most advisors are 50 or older . And while advisors certainly need to have experience on their side, there are some serious downsides to working with an older advisor. 

For one, you risk that a financial advisor who is older than you will retire before you do! Then you’re left in the dust, scrambling to develop a new relationship right before you’re about to make one of the biggest transitions of your lifetime.

Secondly, many (not all!) of these older advisors are simply behind the times. They’re missing the mark on issues that are relevant to investors today—issues like income-replacement alternative assets,  the role of Bitcoin in a diversified portfolio, student loan repayment strategies, and the frequent career changes so many people are choosing to make these days. 

As younger advisors, we help our clients take advantage of modern, creative strategies and technology to help them plan for the challenges they’ll need to overcome and reach the goals they’re set on achieving. 

We Choose Our Clients Carefully

At Five Pine Wealth , we don’t work with just anyone. We are not the right fit for day traders or for investors with a market-timer mentality. Our clients don’t engage in frequent buying and selling of shares, and they don’t try to predict what’s going to happen in the markets. 

Instead, we’re best suited to work with long-term investors who understand that markets experience natural cycles of growth and decline. These investors are committed to holding onto their investments—even when prices drop—because they understand that history tells us the markets will eventually go back up.

We prefer to work with individuals and families who recognize they have cognitive and behavioral biases that can negatively impact their investment decisions. While they may naturally experience emotional reactions to market activity, our clients do not allow their financial decisions to be driven by alarming headlines. Instead, they reach out to us first.

The individuals and families we work with are willing to delay gratification because of the opportunity costs associated with not saving for retirement. Our clients understand that to retire well, they must live below their means today—and that their savings rate is more important than their rate of return.

Ultimately, our clients value holistic financial planning. They recognize that proper insurance protection, strategic tax planning, and detailed estate planning are just as important for a healthy financial life as investment management. And finally, our clients care about being good stewards of their wealth so they can leave a lasting legacy behind to their loved ones and charities of their choice.

How to Become a Five Pine Wealth Client

At Five Pine Wealth , we’re a little picky when it comes to choosing our clients. But that’s because we want to ensure that we’re the right fit—both for ourselves and for you! If the Five Pine Wealth difference resonates with you, we invite you to schedule a complimentary meeting with us today. Give us a call at 877.333.1015, email us at info@fivepinewealth.com , or visit our website to learn more about what it’s like to work with us.

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What's the Best Asset Allocation for Someone 10 Years Away from Retirement?

December 22, 2025
Key Takeaways Your guaranteed income sources (pensions, Social Security) matter more than your age when deciding allocation. Retiring at 65 doesn't mean your timeline ends. You likely have 20-30 years of investing ahead. Think in time buckets: near-term stability, mid-term balance, long-term growth. You're 55 years old with over a million dollars saved for retirement. Your 401(k) statements arrive each month, and you find yourself questioning whether your current allocation still makes sense. Should you be moving everything to bonds? Keeping it all in stocks? Something in between? There's no single "correct" asset allocation for everyone in this position. What works for you depends on factors unique to your situation: your retirement income sources, spending needs, and risk tolerance. Let's look at what matters most as you approach this major life transition. Why Asset Allocation Changes as Retirement Approaches When you’re 30 or 40, your investment timeline stretches decades into the future. When you’re 55 and looking to retire at 65, that equation changes because you’re no longer just building wealth: you’re preparing to start spending it. You need enough growth to keep pace with inflation and fund decades of retirement, but you also need stability to avoid the need to sell investments during market downturns. At this point, asset allocation 10 years before retirement is more nuanced than a simple “more conservative” approach. Understanding Your Actual Time Horizon Hitting retirement age doesn't make your investment timeline shrink to zero. If you retire at 65 and live to 90, that's a 25-year investment horizon. Think about your money in buckets based on when you'll need it: Time Horizon Investment Approach Example Needs Short-Term (Years 1-5 of Retirement) Stable & accessible funds Monthly living expenses, healthcare costs, and early travel plans Medium-Term (Years 6-15) Moderate risk; balanced growth Home repairs, care and income replacement, and helping grandchildren with college Long-Term (Years 16+) Growth-oriented with a Long-term care expenses, decades-long timeline legacy planning, and extended longevity needs This bucket approach helps you think beyond simple stock-versus-bond percentages. Asset Allocation 10 Years Before Retirement: Starting Points While there's no one-size-fits-all answer, here are some reasonable starting frameworks: Conservative Approach (60% stocks / 40% bonds) : Makes sense if you have minimal guaranteed income or plan to begin drawing heavily from your portfolio upon retirement. Moderate Approach (70% stocks / 30% bonds) : Works well for those with some guaranteed income sources, moderate risk tolerance, and a flexible withdrawal strategy. Growth-Oriented Approach (80% stocks / 20% bonds) : Can be appropriate if you have substantial guaranteed income covering basic expenses and the flexibility to reduce spending temporarily as needed. Remember, these are starting points for discussion, not recommendations. 3 Steps to Evaluate Your Current Allocation Ready to see if your current allocation still makes sense? Here's how to start: Step 1: Calculate your current stock/bond split. Pull your recent statements and add up everything in stocks (including mutual funds and ETFs) versus bonds. Divide each by your total portfolio to get percentages. Step 2: List your guaranteed retirement income. Write down income sources that aren't portfolio-dependent: Social Security (estimate at ssa.gov), pensions, annuities, rental income, or planned part-time work. Total the monthly amount. Step 3: Calculate your coverage gap. Estimate monthly retirement expenses, then subtract your guaranteed income. If guaranteed income covers 70-80%+ of expenses, you can be more growth-oriented. Under 50% coverage means you'll need a more balanced approach. When to Adjust Your Allocation Here are specific triggers that signal it's time to review and potentially adjust: Your allocation has drifted more than 5% from target. If you started at 70/30 stocks to bonds and market movements have pushed you to 77/23, it's time to rebalance back to your target. Your retirement timeline changes significantly. Planning to retire at 60 instead of 65? That's a trigger. Every two years of timeline shift warrants a fresh look at your allocation. Major health changes occur. A serious diagnosis that changes your life expectancy or healthcare costs should prompt an allocation review. You gain or lose a guaranteed income source. Inheriting a pension through remarriage, losing expected Social Security benefits through divorce, or discovering your pension is underfunded. Market volatility affects your sleep. If you're checking your portfolio daily and feeling genuine anxiety about normal market movements, your allocation might be too aggressive for your comfort, and that's a valid reason to adjust. Beyond Stocks and Bonds Modern retirement planning involves more than just deciding your stock-to-bond ratio. Consider international diversification (20-30% of your stock allocation), real estate exposure through REITs, cash reserves covering 1-2 years of spending, and income-producing investments such as dividend-paying stocks. The Biggest Mistake: Becoming Too Conservative Too Soon Moving everything to bonds at 55 might feel safer, but it creates two significant problems. First, you're almost guaranteeing that inflation will outpace your returns over a 30-year retirement. Second, you're missing a decade of potential growth during your peak earning and saving years. The difference between 60% and 80% stock allocation over 10 years can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars in portfolio value. Being too conservative can be just as risky as being too aggressive, just in different ways. Questions to Ask Yourself As you think about your asset allocation for the next 10 years: What percentage of my retirement spending will be covered by Social Security, pensions, or other guaranteed income? How flexible is my retirement budget? Could I reduce spending by 10-20% during a market downturn? What's my emotional reaction to seeing my portfolio drop 20% or more? Do I plan to leave money to heirs, or is my goal to spend most of it during retirement? Your honest answers to these questions matter more than your age or any generic allocation rule. Work With Professionals Who Understand Your Complete Picture At Five Pine Wealth Management, we help clients work through these decisions by looking at their complete financial picture. We stress-test different allocation strategies against various market scenarios, coordinate withdrawal strategies with tax planning, and help clients understand the trade-offs between different approaches. If you're within 10 years of retirement and wondering whether your current allocation still makes sense, let's talk. Email us at info@fivepinewealth.com or call 877.333.1015 to schedule a conversation. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q: What is the rule of thumb for asset allocation by age? A: Traditional rules like "subtract your age from 100" are oversimplified. Your allocation should be based on your guaranteed income sources, spending flexibility, and risk tolerance; not just your age. Q: Should I move my 401(k) to bonds before retirement? A: Not entirely. You still need growth to outpace inflation. Gradually shift toward a balanced allocation (60-80% stocks, depending on your situation) and keep 1-2 years of expenses in stable investments. Q: What's the difference between stocks and bonds in a retirement portfolio?  A: Stocks provide growth potential to keep pace with inflation but come with volatility. Bonds offer stability and income but typically don't grow as much.

Rebuilding Wealth After Divorce: A Complete Guide to Your Financial Fresh Start

November 21, 2025
Key Takeaways Divorced spouses married 10+ years can claim Social Security benefits based on their ex’s record without reducing anyone else's benefits. Splitting retirement accounts requires specific legal documents (QDROs for 401(k)s) drafted precisely to your plan's requirements. Investment properties and taxable accounts carry hidden tax liabilities that significantly reduce their actual value. No one gets married planning for divorce. Yet here you are, facing a fresh financial start you never wanted. Maybe you’re 43 with two kids and suddenly managing on your own. Or you’re 56, staring down retirement in a decade, wondering how you’ll catch up after splitting assets down the middle. We get it. Divorce is brutal, emotionally and financially. And the financial piece often feels overwhelming when you're still processing everything else. According to research , women's household income drops by an average of 41% after divorce, while men's falls by about 23%. Those aren't just statistics. They're the reality many of our clients face when they first come to us. But here's something we've seen time and again: While you can't control what happened, you absolutely can control what happens next. Financial planning after divorce isn't just damage control. With the right approach, it can be the beginning of a more intentional and empowered relationship with your money. Here’s how to get there: First, Understand What You’re Working With Before you can move forward, you need a clear picture of your current financial situation. Start by gathering every financial document related to your divorce settlement: property division agreements, retirement account splits, alimony or child support arrangements, and any debt you’re responsible for. Then create a simple inventory: What you have: Bank account balances Investment and retirement accounts Home equity Expected alimony or child support income What you owe: Mortgage or rent obligations Credit card debt Car loans Student loans This baseline gives you something concrete to work with. You can't build a plan without knowing where you're starting from. Social Security Benefits for Divorced Spouses This one surprises people. If you were married for at least 10 years, you may be entitled to benefits based on your ex-spouse's work record, even if they've remarried. You can claim benefits based on your ex’s record if: Your marriage lasted 10+ years You’re currently unmarried You’re 62+ years old Your ex-spouse is eligible for Social Security benefits The benefit you can receive is up to 50% of your ex-spouse’s full retirement benefit if you wait until full retirement age to claim. Importantly, claiming benefits on your ex’s record doesn’t reduce their benefits or their current spouse’s benefits. If you’re eligible for both your own benefits and your ex’s, Social Security will automatically pay whichever amount is higher. What About Splitting Retirement Accounts in Divorce? Retirement accounts often represent one of the largest assets in a divorce settlement. Understanding how to handle the division properly can save you thousands in taxes and penalties. The QDRO Process For 401(k)s and most employer-sponsored retirement plans, you’ll need a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). This legal document outlines the plan administrator's instructions for splitting the account without triggering early withdrawal penalties. QDROs must be drafted precisely according to both your divorce decree and the specific plan’s rules and requirements. We’ve seen clients lose thousands of dollars because their QDRO wasn’t accepted and had to be redrafted. Work with an attorney who specializes in QDROs. The upfront cost will be worth it to avoid expensive problems later. What About IRAs? Traditional and Roth IRAs can be split through your divorce decree without a QDRO. The transfer must be made directly from one IRA to another (not withdrawn or deposited) to avoid taxes and penalties. Tax Implications to Consider When you receive retirement assets in a divorce, you’re getting the account value and its future tax liability. A $200k traditional 401(k) isn’t worth the same as $200k in a Roth IRA or home equity, because of the different tax treatments. Many settlements divide assets dollar-for-dollar without considering how those dollars are taxed, so make sure yours addresses these differences. Dividing Investment Properties and Taxable Accounts Retirement accounts aren’t the only assets that require careful handling. If you own real estate investments or taxable brokerage accounts, the way you divide them matters. The Capital Gains Dilemma Let’s say you own a rental property purchased for $200k and is now worth $400k. Selling it as part of the divorce triggers capital gains tax on that gain, potentially $30,000-$60,000, depending on your tax bracket. Some couples avoid this by having one spouse keep the property and buy out the other’s share. This defers the tax hit, but you’ll want to ensure the buyout price accounts for future tax liability. Taxable Investment Accounts Brokerage accounts can be divided without triggering taxes if you transfer shares directly rather than selling and splitting proceeds. However, not all shares are equal from a tax perspective. Smart divorce settlements account for the cost basis of investments. These decisions require coordination between your divorce attorney, a CPA who understands divorce taxation, and a financial advisor who can model different scenarios. We remember a client whose settlement gave her a rental property “worth” $350,000. But the $80,000 in deferred capital gains owed when selling wasn’t accounted for. She effectively received $270,000 in value, not $350,000, a massive difference in her actual financial position. Building Your New Budget and Savings Strategy Living on one income after years of two requires adjustment. Start with your new essential expenses: housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, insurance, and any child-related costs. Then look at what’s left: this is where you begin rebuilding your financial cushion. Rebuilding Your Emergency Fund If you had to split or use your emergency savings during the divorce, rebuilding should be your first priority. Aim for at least three months of expenses, then work toward six months. Even $100 a month adds up to $1,200 each year. Maximize Retirement Contributions This feels counterintuitive when money is tight, but if your employer offers a 401(k) match, contribute at least enough to get a full match. Otherwise, you’re leaving free money on the table. If you’re over 50, take advantage of catch-up contributions. For 2025, you can contribute up to $23,500 to a 401(k), plus an additional $7,500 in catch-up contributions. If you're between 60-63, that catch-up increases to $11,250. Address Debt Strategically Post-divorce debt looks different for everyone. If you accumulated credit card debt while covering legal fees or temporary living expenses during divorce proceedings, prioritize paying these off once your settlement funds are available. Updating Your Estate Documents Updating beneficiaries and estate documents, a critical step, is sometimes overlooked. Check beneficiaries on: Life insurance policies Retirement accounts Bank accounts with payable-on-death designations Investment accounts Beneficiary designations override what’s in your will. We’ve seen ex-spouses receive retirement assets years after a divorce simply because the account owner failed to update beneficiaries. Address your will, healthcare power of attorney, and financial power of attorney, too. You're Not Starting from Zero Rebuilding wealth after divorce is about creating a financial foundation that supports the life you want to build moving forward. You have experience, earning potential, and time. It’s not a matter of if you can rebuild, but how efficiently you’ll do it. If you’re navigating financial planning after divorce, we can help. At Five Pine Wealth Management, we work with clients through major life transitions, creating practical strategies tailored to your specific situation. Call us at 877.333.1015 or email info@fivepinewealth.com to schedule a conversation. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q: Will I lose my ex-spouse's Social Security benefits if I remarry? A: Yes. Once you remarry, you can no longer collect your ex-spouse’s benefits. However, if your new marriage ends, you may claim benefits based on whichever ex-spouse's record is higher. Q: How long after divorce should I wait before making major financial decisions? A: Most advisors recommend waiting 6-12 months before making irreversible decisions like selling your home or making large investments. Focus first on understanding your new financial situation and letting the emotional dust settle. Q: Should I keep the house or take more retirement assets in the settlement?  A: This depends on your specific situation, but remember: houses have ongoing costs like property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and utilities that retirement accounts don't. We help clients run scenarios comparing both options, factoring in everything from cash flow needs to long-term growth potential, before deciding what makes sense for their situation.