Summit Investment Advisors

Summit Investment Advisors Summit Investment Advisors is a full service financial and investment advisory firm. Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.

Our financial consultants provide strategic investment management and professional advice for individuals, families, and businesses. www.finra.org and www.sipc.org Investment Advice offered through Summit Investment Advisory Services, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial. Third party posts found on this profile do not reflect the views of LPL Financial and have no

t been reviewed by LPL Financial as to accuracy or completeness. For a list of states in which I am/we are registered to do business, please visit www.summitinvest.com.

09/01/2026

Somewhere in your equity plan documents, there's a date that may look completely unremarkable…but it isn’t.

A lot of MedTech comp plans work the same way behind the scenes. Annual equity grants land in early summer, but retirement treatment on that grant only kicks in if you're still on payroll past a specific date months later. That date can often be tied to a fiscal quarter close rather than a calendar one.

Retire two weeks before it and the whole grant can be forfeited. I've seen this catch people off guard because nothing about that date feels significant until it's already cost someone their grant.

If you're eyeing a fall retirement and equity is part of your package, confirm the date listed in your equity plan documents months in advance and be sure to plan around it.
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Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Retirement rarely happens all at once for the clients I work with, and Social Security is built to bend with that. A lot...
08/29/2026

Retirement rarely happens all at once for the clients I work with, and Social Security is built to bend with that. A lot of people don't know that you can work and collect Social Security benefits at the same time.

The Social Security Administration adjusts your check based on the earnings you report each year. If you claim benefits before your full retirement age, the SSA withholds $1 for every $2 you earn above the annual limit. Once you reach full retirement age, that limit disappears completely and your earnings no longer affect your benefit amount.

I encourage clients to report accurate income estimates early, since it keeps checks predictable and avoids a larger adjustment down the road.

This flexibility gives you room to phase into retirement on your own timeline, and I like helping clients shape that timeline around their life circumstances.
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This information is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. Please consult a qualified tax professional to discuss your specific situation.

08/28/2026

Social Security timing often gets treated like a math problem. In some ways, it is.

But the bigger factor for a lot of our clients is how your timing interacts with everything else, like RMDs, other income sources, and the tax bracket they land in.

Some people claim too early and leave money on the table.

Others wait too long in the wrong situation and miss years of income you actually needed.

There isn't a universal right answer here, which is exactly why it has to be modeled against your specific numbers instead of a general rule of thumb.

Make sure you’re working with a financial planner that can show you the models and help you make an informed decision on when the right time is for you.
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Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

08/26/2026

If you’re retiring in Florida, you might assume that no state income tax means a lighter tax bill overall. It's a nice perk, but it’s not that cut and dry.

Federal tax liability in retirement often ends up higher than people expect, especially once Social Security becomes taxable and required minimum distributions (RMDs) start pushing income into a higher bracket.

At Summit Investment Advisors, we build multi-year tax projections as a standard part of our planning process, not an add-on.

Seeing three or five years of numbers laid out side by side changes the decisions people make today. Make sure you’re thinking about taxes in retirement as a multi year decision.
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Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Retirement day isn't the time you want to be making one-shot decisions. But a lot of people have to.Some legacy retiree ...
08/24/2026

Retirement day isn't the time you want to be making one-shot decisions. But a lot of people have to.

Some legacy retiree medical benefits work on a use-it-or-lose-it basis. Elect coverage the moment you retire, or that access is gone for good. No reconsidering in a few months once you've had time to actually compare it against COBRA or a marketplace plan.

That election usually doesn't happen alone either. It lands right next to a COBRA versus marketplace decision, and a multi-year stretch to bridge before Medicare eligibility starts.

Three decisions, one short window, and one of them can't be undone.

Take the time to understand your options before your retirement day arrives.
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Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

08/21/2026

Two people can retire from the same MedTech company, six months apart, and walk away with completely different outcomes.

You might be thinking because of the market. But in reality, the difference is because of a formula built into their equity and retirement plans.

A lot of these plans key off a specific combination: a certain age plus a certain number of years of service.

If you’re lucky enough to hit that number, your options might accelerate, certain equity keeps vesting, and benefits can treat you as retired instead of terminated.

Miss that number by a few months…and none of that applies.

We've watched the difference between leaving a few months early and staying to hit that number run into six figures. If you're within a year or two of a threshold like this, mapping it out should be one of the first things on your list, before a layoff or an impulsive decision makes the choice for you.
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Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Estate planning strategies encompass much more than just a will. But - the will can carry more weight than people realiz...
08/19/2026

Estate planning strategies encompass much more than just a will. But - the will can carry more weight than people realize.

A will does a lot of things:
- names the executor who carries out your wishes,
- names a guardian for any minor children, and
- directs how your property gets distributed.

Basically, a will helps keep decisions about your assets and your children in YOUR hands rather than the state's.

Surprisingly, recent research found that 76% of American adults do not have a will in place.

Creating a will takes less time than many expect, and it gives your family clarity during an already difficult season.

When we work with clients on estate planning strategies, I help make sure this foundational piece is in place before building anything more complex on top of it.
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This information is not a substitute for individualized legal advice. Please consult a qualified attorney to discuss your specific situation.

Building a portfolio and living off one are two different jobs. BUILDING rewards patience and growth. LIVING OFF IT rewa...
08/17/2026

Building a portfolio and living off one are two different jobs.

BUILDING rewards patience and growth.

LIVING OFF IT rewards structure, because the money needs to show up on a schedule in a way that doesn't force you to sell into a bad month.

That's the shift we make with clients once they move from saving to spending.

The portfolio gets built to generate income and absorb market swings without panic selling or forced withdrawals at the wrong time.

Markets will do what markets do. Your goal should be to build a portfolio that can take a hit and keep paying you anyway.
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Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Many MedTech employees think of their RSUs as one bucket. Vested, unvested, doesn't matter, it's all just "stock I'll ge...
08/14/2026

Many MedTech employees think of their RSUs as one bucket. Vested, unvested, doesn't matter, it's all just "stock I'll get eventually."

But unvested and vested RSUs aren't the same asset.

Vested RSU: it’s yours. You own the shares outright, you can sell them, and taxes have already been triggered on that portion.

Unvested RSU: it’s a promise. The company hasn't handed over the shares yet, and if you leave before the vesting date, most plans let the company take that promise back.

That's where it gets complicated for MedTech employees planning a retirement date.

Some plans vest on a cliff and keep vesting on schedule even after you've retired. Others vest ratably, and retiring early means forfeiting everything except whatever tranche was already scheduled to hit.

Many clients are a little fuzzy on what kind of RSUs they have until they look at the actual grant agreement because benefits portals can make it hard to see clearly.

If equity is a meaningful piece of your retirement picture, we recommend getting your hands on the grant agreement and clarifying your understanding to prevent surprises later on.
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Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

We talk to clients about this more than almost anything else once retirement gets close. The IRS can tax part of your So...
08/11/2026

We talk to clients about this more than almost anything else once retirement gets close. The IRS can tax part of your Social Security check, capped at 85% of your benefit amount, and how much you owe depends on your income the rest of the year.

If you file as an individual, you owe tax on up to 50% of your benefits once combined income reaches $25,000, and up to 85% once it passes $34,000.

Joint filers hit those same tiers at $32,000 and $44,000.

Combined income pulls together your adjusted gross income, your nontaxable interest, and half of your Social Security benefit.

We walk clients through this early, because knowing where you land on these thresholds gives you real room to plan withdrawals and time other income around them.
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This information is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. Please consult a qualified tax professional to discuss your specific situation.

Address

3065 Centre Pointe Drive, Ste 2
Roseville, MN
55113

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

(651) 490-2939

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