Shotwell Rutter Baer Financial Planners

Shotwell Rutter Baer Financial Planners Independent, fee-only registered investment advisory firm.

Join us at the “kitchen table” as we help you cut through the complexity of your financial lives with practical and uncomplicated financial planning and investment advice.

09/02/2026

Waiting longer to claim Social Security can mean a larger monthly benefit, but that does not automatically make age 70 the right choice for everyone.

Your other retirement income, investments, spending habits, and comfort with portfolio withdrawals can all play a role. Dave and Nick discuss why Social Security timing should be considered as part of your complete retirement income plan.

Watch the full episode to learn more about planning your income as a State of Michigan employee. https://youtu.be/u6xmUTOYL_k?si=yXxjdWfb8ajX0vnC

Need Help Planning Your Retirement from the State of Michigan?

For over 25 years, we've specialized in retirement planning for Michigan's state employees. We understand the intricacies of 401(k) and 457 plans, state pension systems, and healthcare coverage transitions. We've guided hundreds of state workers through the exact decisions you're facing right now.

Contact SRB today at 517-321-4832 or email us at [email protected]

Resources

Specialized financial planning for State of Michigan employees who want to make the most of their benefits and retire with confidence. https://srbadvisors.com/state-of-michigan-employees/

Subscribe to Kitchen Table Finance for more practical retirement and financial planning conversations.

09/01/2026

Choosing your State of Michigan pension payment option can affect more than the check you receive each month.

Dave and Nick discuss straight life and joint life pension options, survivor income, and why retiree health insurance can be an important part of this decision for married State of Michigan employees.

Watch the full episode to learn more about planning your income as a State of Michigan employee. https://youtu.be/u6xmUTOYL_k?si=yXxjdWfb8ajX0vnC

Need Help Planning Your Retirement from the State of Michigan?

For over 25 years, we've specialized in retirement planning for Michigan's state employees. We understand the intricacies of 401(k) and 457 plans, state pension systems, and healthcare coverage transitions. We've guided hundreds of state workers through the exact decisions you're facing right now.

Contact SRB today at 517-321-4832 or email us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).

Resources

Specialized financial planning for State of Michigan employees who want to make the most of their benefits and retire with confidence. https://srbadvisors.com/state-of-michigan-employees/

Subscribe to Kitchen Table Finance for more practical retirement and financial planning conversations.

09/01/2026

If you have worked at Michigan State University for many years, you may have accumulated a substantial amount of pre-tax retirement savings.

Years of employee contributions, MSU's university match, and investment growth can add up. Eventually, those pre-tax dollars have to become part of your retirement tax planning.

Dave Shotwell and Nick Nauta explain why Roth conversions may deserve a closer look as MSU employees approach retirement.

For more information, visit: https://srbadvisors.com/s5e19-roth-conversions-for-msu-employees/

Are you an MSU employee preparing for retirement? Contact Shotwell Rutter Baer at 517-321-4832 or [email protected].

08/31/2026

A Roth conversion increases your taxable income, which means it can also affect your Medicare IRMAA premiums.

That does not automatically mean you should avoid the conversion.

Dave Shotwell and Nick Nauta explain why paying additional Medicare premiums for a limited period could still make sense when you consider future required minimum distributions and your overall retirement tax picture.

The important part is including Medicare costs in the calculation before deciding how much to convert.

For more information, visit:
https://srbadvisors.com/s5e19-roth-conversions-for-msu-employees/

Need Help Managing Your MSU Retirement Plan?

Contact SRB today at 517-321-4832 or email us at [email protected].

08/31/2026

If you're covered by a State of Michigan pension, three pieces help determine your annual pension benefit: your final average compensation, years of service, and pension multiplier.

Knowing how those pieces work together can help you understand how your compensation and years of service may affect your retirement income.

Watch the full episode to learn more about planning your income as a State of Michigan employee. https://youtu.be/u6xmUTOYL_k?si=yXxjdWfb8ajX0vnC

Need Help Planning Your Retirement from the State of Michigan?

For over 25 years, we've specialized in retirement planning for Michigan's state employees. We understand the intricacies of 401(k) and 457 plans, state pension systems, and healthcare coverage transitions. We've guided hundreds of state workers through the exact decisions you're facing right now.

Contact SRB today at 517-321-4832 or email us at [email protected]

Resources

Specialized financial planning for State of Michigan employees who want to make the most of their benefits and retire with confidence. https://srbadvisors.com/state-of-michigan-employees/

Subscribe to Kitchen Table Finance for more practical retirement and financial planning conversations.

08/27/2026

Think You Know Your Spouse’s Retirement Dreams? You Might Be Surprised

You’ve built a life together. You’ve probably talked about retirement. But do you really know what your spouse wants from this next chapter?

Financial Life Planning can lead to some surprising conversations between couples. One spouse may reveal a goal they’ve never really talked about, only to discover their partner wants the same thing. Or a longtime dream that has always been discussed finally becomes something they can make a plan to pursue.

These conversations go beyond deciding when to retire or how much you’ll need.

They’re about asking what you each want retirement to look like and then figuring out how your financial plan can help you build that life together.

Get the full episode here:
https://srbadvisors.com/financial-life-planning-qa/

Ready to put your financial pieces together around the life you actually want?

At Shotwell Rutter Baer, it starts with a relaxed, no-pressure Fit Meeting to see if we’re the right match for your financial needs.

Visit srbadvisors.com to get started or email us at [email protected]

Subscribe to Kitchen Table Finance for more practical conversations about retirement, financial planning, investing, and making the most of your money and your life.

08/26/2026

Can You Afford to Retire? That’s Only Half the Question

Most people don’t walk into a financial planner’s office asking for a Financial Life Plan. They come in asking a much more familiar question:

Can I afford to retire?

But knowing you can retire doesn’t tell you what you’re retiring to.

What will your days look like? What matters most to you? What have you been putting off? What would make this next chapter feel meaningful?

Those aren’t always questions we give ourselves the time or space to seriously consider. Working through them with a Financial Life Planner can uncover priorities, goals, and possibilities that might otherwise remain fleeting thoughts.

Retirement planning shouldn’t just help you retire. It should help you figure out how to retire to your best life.

Get the full episode here:
https://srbadvisors.com/financial-life-planning-qa/

Ready to put your financial pieces together around the life you actually want?

At Shotwell Rutter Baer, it starts with a relaxed, no-pressure Fit Meeting to see if we’re the right match for your financial needs.

Visit srbadvisors.com to get started or email us at [email protected]

Subscribe to Kitchen Table Finance for more practical conversations about retirement, financial planning, investing, and making the most of your money and your life.

08/26/2026

The Roth Conversion Window Retirees Shouldn't Ignore

The years between retirement and the required minimum distributions can create an important tax-planning opportunity.

If your taxable income drops after you retire, you may have an opportunity to convert some pre-tax retirement savings to Roth at a favorable tax rate. But that opportunity does not last forever. Once a tax year is over, you cannot make a Roth conversion for that year.

Dave Shotwell and Nick Nauta explain why starting the Roth conversion conversation earlier can give you more choices.

Get the full episode here:
https://srbadvisors.com/s5e19-roth-conversions-for-msu-employees/

Need Help Managing Your MSU Retirement Plan?

Contact SRB today at 517-321-4832 or email us at [email protected].

08/25/2026

Money Is a Tool. What’s Your Return on Life?

We spend a lot of time talking about return on investment. But what about your return on life?

Money isn’t the end goal. It’s a resource that can help you create more of what matters to you, whether that’s time with family, meaningful experiences, freedom, security, generosity, or something entirely different.

The important part? You get to decide what a good return looks like.

That’s at the heart of Financial Life Planning: building your financial decisions around the life you actually want to live.

Get the full episode here:
https://srbadvisors.com/financial-life-planning-qa/

Ready to put your financial pieces together around the life you actually want?

At Shotwell Rutter Baer, it starts with a relaxed, no-pressure Fit Meeting to see if we’re the right match for your financial needs.

Visit srbadvisors.com to get started or email us at [email protected]

Subscribe to Kitchen Table Finance for more practical conversations about retirement, financial planning, investing, and making the most of your money and your life.

08/24/2026

You Can Afford to Retire. But Do You Actually Want To?

We spend decades working toward retirement. But reaching financial independence doesn’t mean you have to walk away from work completely.

Maybe you enjoy what you do. Maybe you want to work fewer hours, explore a different career, mentor others, volunteer, or find another way to use the experience you’ve spent decades building.

Instead of viewing retirement as the day you’re supposed to stop working, Financial Life Planning can help you think about it differently: What if the real goal is simply making work optional?

Having enough money to retire gives you choices. The next question is what you actually want to do with that freedom.

Get the full episode here:
https://srbadvisors.com/financial-life-planning-qa/

Ready to put your financial pieces together around the life you actually want?

At Shotwell Rutter Baer, it starts with a relaxed, no-pressure Fit Meeting to see if we’re the right match for your financial needs.

Visit srbadvisors.com to get started or email us at [email protected]

Subscribe to Kitchen Table Finance for more practical conversations about retirement, financial planning, investing, and making the most of your money and your life.

Address

6350 West Michigan Avenue Suite 200
Lansing, MI
48917

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+15173214832

Website

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