Who We Serve

Planning for and living in retirement

Many of our clients are individuals or couples in their 50s, 60s, and 70s who are either preparing for retirement or already enjoying it. If you’re in this stage, you likely have questions about retirement income, Social Security, Medicare, and making sure your money lasts. You might be a long-time Denver professional (perhaps you’ve worked in tech downtown, or for the state, or in healthcare) ready to shift gears. Or you might have moved to Colorado to retire near those gorgeous mountains. Either way, we specialize in retirement planning – from figuring out when you can comfortably retire, to structuring withdrawals from your 401(k)/IRAs, to ensuring your investment portfolio is allocated for a smoother ride in your golden years. We understand the concerns retirees face, like rising healthcare costs and the desire to not be a burden to children. We also know retirees want to enjoy the fruits of their labor – whether that means traveling, spending time with grandkids, or pursuing hobbies (fly-fishing in the Rockies, anyone?). We help you balance enjoying today and securing tomorrow. Many of our retired clients appreciate that we offer ongoing partnership – as life expectancy grows, having a trusted advisor monitor your plan year after year can be reassuring. If you’re a pre-retiree, we can also help with those crucial last working years: maximizing catch-up contributions, evaluating any early retirement packages or pensions, and creating a concrete retirement date game plan. In short, if you’re age 50 or above and thinking about life after full-time work, we speak your language and are here to help make that transition a smooth one.

From building wealth to transitioning out

We love working with the vibrant small business community here in Colorado. Our business owner clients range from contractors, consultants, and medical practice owners to tech start-up founders and family business owners. If you’re an entrepreneur, you know that your personal finances and business finances are often intertwined. You’re pouring energy into growing the company, but questions loom: “Am I saving enough for myself?” “How do I eventually exit the business?” “Am I optimizing taxes between my personal and business income?” We step in as your financial partner to ensure you’re not neglecting your own retirement and security while you build your enterprise. This can include setting up and managing a retirement plan for your business (such as a SEP IRA, 401(k), or Defined Benefit plan) to help you save aggressively and take advantage of tax breaks. We’ll also work on diversifying your wealth – often business owners have most of their net worth tied in the company, so we strategize on ways to build outside investments or real estate as a safety net. When the time comes to transition or sell your business, we guide you through that too (as detailed in our Business Transition Planning page). Being fellow entrepreneurs (Helping Hand Financial is a small business itself), we understand the challenges and pride that come with running a company. Our advice is practical: we often help with cash flow management, estimated tax planning, and even selecting insurance to protect your business’s value (like key person insurance or business overhead insurance). If you’re a Denver-area business owner seeking someone who “gets it” and can help align your business success with personal financial success, we’d be delighted to assist.

Busy individuals in their peak career years

Some of our clients are younger – in their 30s, 40s, or early 50s – and are what we’d call high-earning professionals. These might be people in technology, engineering, law, medicine, or corporate leadership roles (we serve a few executives of local companies, for example). If you’re in this category, you likely have a strong income but limited time. You may be juggling building your career, raising a family, and trying to make smart financial moves, all at once. You might wonder, “Am I investing correctly?” “How do I minimize taxes?” “What about college costs for the kids, or buying a larger home?” We help bring order and strategy to your busy financial life. For high earners, tax planning is often a big focus – we ensure you’re maxing out all available retirement plans, utilizing things like backdoor Roth IRAs if appropriate, and leveraging any stock options or equity compensation wisely. We also do comprehensive planningfor goals like funding your children’s college (e.g., setting up 529 plans) and protecting your family with adequate life and disability insurance. High earners in Denver often appreciate our guidance on balancing enjoying their income now versus saving for financial independence. Perhaps you aim to reach financial freedom earlier than the traditional retirement age – we can create a plan that might allow for options like an encore career or semi-retirement in your 50s. Our high-earning clients value that we act as a “personal CFO,” coordinating with their accountants and attorneys when needed, and making sure no financial detail falls through the cracks despite their hectic schedules. If you’re making good money but want to be sure you’re building real wealth and not just lifestyle-inflating, we’re the right partner to keep you on track.

Widows, divorcees, and those navigating big changes

Life can throw curveballs – and we’re here to catch them with you. Some of the people we serve come to us during or after major life transitions. This could be someone who recently lost their spouse and is now managing finances solo for the first time. It could be someone going through a divorce, worried about how to plan for the future on one income. Or it could be someone who received a substantial inheritance or sold a property and isn’t sure how to handle the windfall. We have a soft spot for helping clients in these situations, because we know it’s not just about money – it’s about adjusting to a new normal. If you’re a widow or widower, for example, you might need help understanding your cash flow now, claiming Social Security survivor benefits, retitling accounts, and investing life insurance proceeds wisely. We take a compassionate, step-by-step approach so you feel supported, not rushed. For those in or post-divorce, we help in the process of dividing assets, setting up your own accounts, and creating a plan that gives you stability and direction as you start a new chapter. We often run “post-divorce” retirement scenarios to assure clients they’ll still be OK on their own – and if not, we strategize on steps to get there. People who have a sudden change (good or bad) often tell us they appreciate our steady guidance and clear plan when everything else feels up in the air. We’re proud to have become a trusted advisor to many who came to us in a time of transition and then stayed with us for years after, as their lives evolved. If you’re in the midst of a big life change or about to go through one (like selling a house, retiring from a long career, etc.), we can be the reliable financial partner by your side.