Pension Planners Listing

John G. Simmons

E-mail: jgsimmon@cyberhighway.net

The major portion of my legal practice is made up of retirement and employee benefit planning. This includes advising clients about the different options they have when they may, and when they must, begin withdrawing their benefits from their IRAs or their employer's retirement plans. This planning is made more complex because so many different taxes and considerations must be taken into account in that planning process. There is the income taxation, the value of delaying it further, estate taxes, generation skipping transfer taxes, early distribution penalties, late distribution penalties, as well as the personal factors of age, spouse's age, children's ages, grandchildren's ages, needs (both before and during retirement), other assets, their liquidity levels, etc. All these factors come into play in preparing an overall plan for distribution of IRA/employer retirement plan benefits. Even for those who are not interested in building a dynasty trust over the next few generations, but are merely looking to maximize the benefits that they will have to enjoy during their retirement, distribution planning is a must.

By way of background, after receiving my juris doctorate degree, I earned an advanced law degree in tax law. I have authored several articles that have been published on retirement plans and benefits, and have spoken at numerous continuing legal and professional education seminars put on for other attorneys, accountants, and other financial professionals. I have also served as president of a local estate planning council.