Disclaimer

The short version

Everything on this site is education, not advice. I'm not your financial advisor, your CPA, or your attorney. I'm an Arizona-licensed insurance agent who answers retirement questions — and I'm not selling you anything. If I ever stand to be paid because of a referral I make, I'll tell you before I make it.

The longer version is below, because some of it matters.

Educational content only

GuidingRetirees.com publishes general educational information about retirement topics — Social Security, retirement income, taxes, estate planning, and related subjects.

Nothing on this site is personalized financial, investment, tax, legal, or insurance advice. It is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security, insurance product, or other financial product. It does not account for your income, assets, health, family situation, tax bracket, state of residence, or goals — and retirement decisions turn almost entirely on those details.

Do not act on anything you read here without confirming it applies to your specific circumstances.

No professional relationship

Reading this site, using the tools on it, submitting a question, or speaking with me does not create an advisory, fiduciary, attorney-client, accountant-client, or agent-client relationship.

I am not a Registered Investment Adviser, a Certified Public Accountant, an attorney, or a Certified Financial Planner. I do not manage money, sell securities, or prepare tax returns or legal documents. When your question calls for one of those professionals, I will tell you so.

What I am, and how I'm licensed

I am Michael "Ebby" Eberhardt Sr., an insurance producer licensed in the State of Arizona, license #2186166.

I am not soliciting the sale of any insurance product on this site. I do not offer, quote, or place insurance through GuidingRetirees.com.

How I'm compensated

I do not charge you for anything on this site. There is no fee to submit a question, use a tool, or have a conversation with me.

If your situation calls for a professional I'm not — an estate attorney, a CPA, a fee-only planner — I may refer you to someone. In some cases I may receive compensation in connection with that referral. Where that's true, I will tell you before I make the referral, not after. Any such compensation is paid by the professional, not by you, and it does not increase what you pay them.

A referral is not an endorsement or a guarantee of the quality of anyone's work. You should evaluate any professional independently — check their license, their credentials, their disciplinary history, and their fees — before you hire them.

The stories on this site

Articles on this site describe situations retirees have encountered. These are composites and illustrations drawn from general experience. They are not accounts of specific identifiable people, and names and details have been changed or invented. They are offered to illustrate how retirement decisions go wrong, not as case studies of actual clients.

Someone else's outcome is not a prediction of yours. Nothing here should be read as a promise of any particular result.

Tools, calculators, and worksheets

Any calculators, worksheets, checklists, or scorecards on this site produce rough estimates based on simplified assumptions and the figures you enter. They are illustrations, not projections, and not a plan.

They may not reflect your actual tax treatment, your actual Social Security benefit, current law, market conditions, inflation, healthcare costs, or your longevity. Results should be verified with a qualified professional before you rely on them for any decision.

Accuracy and currency

Retirement rules change. Social Security provisions, tax brackets, contribution and RMD rules, IRMAA thresholds, Medicare terms, and Arizona estate law are all subject to revision — sometimes retroactively.

I make a reasonable effort to keep this content accurate as of its publication or update date, but I make no warranty that it is complete, current, or applicable to you. Content is provided "as is." Always confirm against the primary source — the Social Security Administration, the IRS, Medicare, or the relevant Arizona statute — or with a professional who is accountable to you.

No guarantees

Nothing on this site guarantees any financial outcome, tax result, benefit amount, or legal effect. Past results — mine, anyone's — do not predict future ones.

Third-party links and content

This site may link to third-party websites, tools, or resources. I don't control them and I'm not responsible for their content, accuracy, privacy practices, or availability. A link is not an endorsement.

Please don't send sensitive information

When you submit a question or contact me through this site, do not include your Social Security number, account numbers, dates of birth, medical details, or other sensitive personal information. Email and web forms are not secure channels. See the Privacy Policy for how information you do send is handled.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, I am not liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of, or reliance on, anything published on this site — including decisions made or not made on the basis of it. Your use of this site is at your own risk.

Questions

If something here is unclear, or you think something on this site is wrong, tell me: ebby@guidingretirees.com. I'd rather fix it.