The 611 Group Wealth Advisors

16/07/2026

When a client tells me they're going to do that trip later, I really encourage them to go now.

These are your go-go years. You're at your healthiest. And costs are only going up. We've all felt that inflationary pressure. Five years from now this trip will cost more, and you may have less energy to enjoy it.

My job is to say: Go, go, go. Now, now, now.

15/07/2026

I love telling clients to use AI for travel planning. It's such a great tool.

Looking for destinations? Ask AI. Want to know the history of a place before you go? Ask AI. Traveling with a mixed group, grandkids and grandparents together, and trying to find something everyone will enjoy? AI is perfect for that.

It can find hotels, activities, and experiences tailored to exactly who's coming along. Give it a try before your next trip.

13/07/2026

Here is something I tell almost every client who is thinking about travel in retirement: upgrade it.

We are in the middle of the largest transfer of wealth in history. Research shows a third of what gets passed down gets spent in the first year. So I tell my clients, take some of that and make the experience the best it can possibly be. First class if you can. Better accommodations. The real trip, not the budget version.

You worked hard for this. The people who will eventually inherit it will be fine. Spend it on yourself now.

10/07/2026

What does travel actually cost in retirement?

It's one of the most common retirement goals and one of the least planned-for expenses.

The honest answer is that it depends on how you like to travel, where you go, and what phase of retirement you're in. But what most people don't realize is that travel tends to peak early in retirement, when energy and motivation are highest, and naturally slows down over time.

That pattern matters for how your plan is built.

We wrote a practical post on how to think about travel costs in retirement and the questions worth working through before the trips start.

Travel is the number one retirement goal for adults over 50. But most retirement plans never account for it. Here is what to think about when building travel into your financial picture.

08/07/2026

🚤 Looking for a fun Midwest getaway?

One of our family's favorite traditions is visiting Wisconsin Dells each year. From the nostalgic downtown and famous taffy to waterparks and scenic attractions, it's a destination that truly has something for everyone.

Learn more:
👉 https://www.wisdells.com/

06/07/2026

Most people I talk to say travel is the number one thing they want in retirement.

But when I ask what the plan actually looks like, a lot of them have destinations in mind but nothing in the calendar.

That's where I come in. Let's get it scheduled. Let's start taking action. Let's actually make it happen.

If travel is on your list and it is still just a list, that is a good conversation to have.

04/07/2026

Happy 4th of July!

Today we celebrate 250 years of American independence. From all of us at The 611 Group, we hope you enjoy the holiday with family, friends, and good food.

Grateful for the country we get to call home, and for clients like you who make this work meaningful.

03/07/2026

Travel is almost always part of what people picture when they picture retirement.

It's almost never part of the actual plan.

Most retirement plans have line items for income, healthcare, and housing. Very few have a real budget for the trip to Italy that's been on the list for thirty years.

That gap matters. Because travel in early retirement isn't a small expense. It's often one of the biggest. And when it's not planned for, people either underspend on something they genuinely want, or spend without knowing whether the plan can actually support it.

Treating travel as a goal instead of a bonus changes the whole conversation.

Most people picture travel when they picture retirement. But very few actually plan for it. Here is why travel belongs in your retirement plan the same way income does.

01/07/2026

You know what's the best part of my job? When clients come back from a trip they almost talked themselves out of.

They took the permission. They upgraded the experience. They went. And then they come back to the office showing me pictures, or I get a text from somewhere in Europe with a photo and a message about the adventure they're having.

Almost every time they say the same thing: it was even better than I expected. That never gets old.

30/06/2026

If you've been feeling behind on retirement, this is the post we've been building toward all month.

Here's the honest truth: you probably have more room to work with than you think.
The levers that actually move the needle aren't dramatic. Save more intentionally in the years you have left. Get your existing money working harder through smarter tax and withdrawal strategy. Revisit your spending assumptions. Give yourself a little more runway if you can.

None of these require starting over. They require getting clear and making intentional adjustments while you still have time to act on them.

Because time is the one asset you can't get back. And the gap that's addressable today becomes more constrained every year you wait.

Read the post in our Retirement Reality Check series here:

Feeling behind on retirement doesn't mean you're out of options. Here's what actually moves the needle and why acting now matters more than anything else.