Client Login
Request Appointment
Client Login
Request Appointment

Distribution Planning

Financial Distribution Resource Planning

At Equilibrium Wealth Advisors (EWA), we believe retirement isn’t just about saving enough. It’s about learning how to spend with confidence. For many high achievers who benefit from our integrated services, the paradox is real: The best savers are the worst spenders and often struggle the most with turning their portfolio into income. Our role is to provide both clarity and confidence — a plan that lets you live richly now while preserving security for tomorrow. With offices based in Pittsburgh, we serve clients locally and across the U.S. Contact us at (412) 991-1385 or request an appointment now.

How We Approach It: Distribution Requirements Planning

01

Guardrails, Not Guesses

Rules of thumb like the “4% rule” are blunt instruments. Instead, we set dynamic guardrails: upper and lower spending bands that adjust as markets and your goals shift. This system balances security and flexibility, while ensuring you never run out of money and maintain principal (if that is your goal).

02

Buckets of Safety

We keep seven years of your baseline spending in safe assets, such as cash, short-term bonds, or cash value life insurance. This goes beyond traditional “bucket strategies.” Our seven-year safety runway is tested through historical drawdowns — ensuring clients never have to sell stocks at market lows to fund lifestyle needs. When markets dip, we pull from this safety net, which allows equities time to recover and your lifestyle to remain the same. This usually allows our clients to invest the majority of their net worth in long term, high quality equities, without losing any sleep at night.

03

Tax-Efficient Withdrawals

Distribution isn’t just about designating which account pays you. Distribution planning also includes strategically sequencing withdrawals to control your lifetime tax bill. We blend Roth conversions, calculated IRA withdrawals, and taxable account management to “fill the brackets” year by year.

04

Social Security & Medicare Integration

We determine the optimal time to claim Social Security, guide you in avoiding Medicare surcharges, and help you reduce the widow’s penalty (which occurs when a spouse passes away and tax brackets narrow).

05

Healthcare & Legacy Alignment

Distribution planning isn’t just financial; it’s about aligning money with values. We clarify whether your goal is to maximize spending, leave a legacy, or balance both, while also earmarking resources for long-term care and rising healthcare costs.

Client Story: Will We Run Out of Money?

EWA bases your distribution plan on the facts that our research provides. This lets you spend within your budget, with the confidence that your financial future is secure. 

A retired couple with a $5 million net worth came to us, worried that they were spending too much money, and they would deplete their retirement funds. 

After building a guardrail system and stress-testing their numbers against the 2000 to 2020 market scenarios, the facts showed they were actually spending only half of what they safely could. We were able to project their budget out over decades, demonstrating they could confidently spend $20,000 to $25,000 per month — while maintaining full protection.

The Result

The couple gained financial clarity, equilibrium, and peace of mind due to their professional wealth management plan. They booked the trip to Italy they’d talked about for years and came home knowing their future was still fully on track.

Is Our Wealth Management Approach the Right Fit for You?

See our Planning Philosophy, Investment Philosophy, and Our Process for more details.

Distribution Services as Part of Your Complete Financial Plan

 Distribution planning is the second mountain of wealth management. Accumulating assets gets you to the peak; safely and joyfully spending them gets you down. EWA arms you with a plan that keeps you financially secure, emotionally confident, and free to live retirement without regret. With offices based in Pittsburgh, we serve clients locally and across the U.S. Request an appointment now.