Modera Wealth Management is a wealth advisor that gives engineers and analytically minded do-it-yourself investors a second opinion before retirement. We check your spreadsheet, your withdrawal assumptions and which account holds which investment.
You've probably built a good model. What it often lacks is someone who tests the inputs you can't see from the inside: tax rules, vesting schedules and how one concentrated stock skews everything else.
Is a second opinion on your own plan worth it at 58?
Yes, if your plan is sound but unchecked. A review costs far less than one wrong Roth conversion or one badly timed stock sale, and it can run as a single project with no ongoing commitment.
Send us the spreadsheet, the year-end statements and your latest RSU or option summary. Modera Wealth Management advisors look at the logic first, then the inputs. Before we suggest any fund change, we estimate its tax bill, because a switch that looks free in a spreadsheet often isn't.
One honest limit: we won't rebuild a model that already works. If it holds up, we say so.
- Account statements and 1099s
- Your spreadsheet or code
- Option and RSU grant summaries
Where do withdrawal assumptions break?
They usually break on three inputs: a flat return, a flat tax rate and a fixed spending number. Real retirements have bad early years, bracket jumps and a big trip at 62.
Say a hypothetical engineer has $2 million and withdraws 4 percent, or $80,000 annually. If the portfolio falls 25 percent in year one, to $1.5 million, that same $80,000 is now over 5 percent of what's left. We rerun your model with poor early years and see how long the money lasts. Every investment carries the risk of loss, including the money you started with.
| Scenario | Balance after year one | Withdrawal as share |
|---|---|---|
| Flat, no change | $2,000,000 | 4% |
| Down 10% | $1,800,000 | 4.4% |
| Down 25% | $1,500,000 | 5.3% |
Why asset location matters as much as what you own
Two people can hold identical funds and keep different amounts after tax. The difference is which account holds which fund.
Modera Wealth Management's approach to asset location starts with a map of your taxable account, IRA and Roth. Bonds that throw off taxable interest tend to sit in the IRA; the fund you expect to grow most often fits the Roth. Broad index funds that rarely distribute gains can stay in taxable.
Tax-loss harvesting and donor-advised fund setup come up here too, once we know where your gains sit.
How much Roth conversion is too much?
Convert only up to the point where the extra tax bill stays in a bracket you're comfortable with. Past that, you pay more now than you'd likely save later.
We model conversions year by year against your income, including RSU vesting and later Medicare IRMAA brackets. The 2026 standard deduction of $32,200 for married couples filing jointly shields the first slice of income. We'll look at whether stopping at a bracket edge beats a flat yearly amount.
When is hourly or project advice enough?
Project advice is enough when your plan works and you want it checked once. Ongoing management fits better if you hold concentrated stock, ISOs or an ESPP that need yearly decisions.
Modera Wealth Management works with families who have $500,000 or more in investable assets. Fees are set out in a written agreement before any work starts. Modera Wealth Management serves 418,000 clients and $5.7 billion in client assets, as of 10/12/2026, and works with families anywhere in the country by video call or phone.
Your questions about Modera Wealth Management, answered
Can an advisor check my retirement spreadsheet without taking over my investments?
Yes. A review can be a one-time project where an advisor tests your assumptions, taxes and account placement, then hands the model back. You keep managing your money yourself. Ongoing help is a separate choice, usually worth it only if decisions repeat every year.
What should I send for a second opinion on my own portfolio?
Send your latest account statements, last year's tax return, your spreadsheet and any RSU, option or ESPP summaries. These show where assets sit and what taxes apply. Without them, a reviewer can only check your logic, not your numbers.
Does asset location really change what I keep after tax?
It can. Holding the same funds in different accounts changes how much tax you pay each year and at withdrawal. The size depends on your brackets and balances, so it's worth modelling before moving anything, since selling to relocate holdings can create a tax bill.
Who We Help
This is general information, not advice for your specific situation. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Nothing here replaces guidance from a tax professional or attorney. Talk to a qualified adviser before you act.