Meet the Financial Educator: Art McPherson

Here at American Retirement Institute, we like to meet new faces. In our new “Meet the Financial Educator” series, we’d like to introduce you to a few of the financial professionals we partner with. This time, we’ll be interviewing Art McPherson of McPherson Financial Group. Art has many years of experience as a financial professional and his services include retirement strategies, Social Security optimization, tax strategies, and more. Learn a little more about Art now:

How long have you worked in the financial services industry?

I’ve been in the financial industry for over 29 years.

What area do you serve?

We help the people of Melbourne, Florida, and the surrounding areas enter and prepare for retirement. Typically, we work with people already in retirement or five years out from retirement. We serve people specifically in the areas of assets under management (AUM), annuities, life insurance, long-term care, and more.

What drew you to working with retirees?

In my view, retirees are the age group with the largest needs. Retirees and pre-retirees together hold an almost unprecedented amount of money, but the economic world around them is increasingly volatile and hostile.

Where can someone put their money to make sure it 1) doesn’t get lost in the market, 2) doesn’t erode due to inflation, and 3) is accessible whenever they like without facing crippling taxes? That is the question my team works hard to answer for our clients.

What would you say is the greatest benefit provided by ARI?

American Retirement Institutes provides an opportunity for financial professionals like me to give back to the community by offering retirement education at no-charge. I truly enjoy meeting new people in our workshop courses and teaching and answering questions about retirement and the financial world.

How are you taking precautions for your ARI courses in light of COVID-19?

We ask everyone a list of health-related questions before they’re allowed to enter, and we also take all temperatures. We do the same thing in our office, where we also clean thoroughly between appointments in accordance with CDC recommendations.

What is the biggest reason retirees and pre-retirees should attend your next course?

Retirees today need to learn two things: how to live tax-free and stress-free. These things take time and effort to attain, so the first step is relevant financial and retirement education by professionals who know what they’re talking about. Best of all, there’s no sales pitch with ARI courses. It’s all centered around helping you get the knowledge you need.

In your opinion, what is the greatest challenge facing retirees or pre-retirees today?

In my opinion, the biggest challenge is learning how to convert 401(k)s into reliable lifetime income. This can be a tricky process and if you don’t get it right, your entire retirement could suffer. We work hard to make sure it’s done right.

How do you continue helping attendees after they’ve attended a course?

I provide one-on-one personal financial labs for anyone interested. These labs help further education and develop retirement planning for retirees and pre-retirees.

If you could say one thing to the next generation of retirees, what would it be?

Start now on a tax strategy — before your required minimum distributions kick in!

If you would like to learn more from Art or one of our many other financial educators, you can register for an ARI course here. 

American Retirement Institute is not affiliated with any collegiate university or college. The financial educators are licensed insurance professionals. They may also be Registered Representatives and/or Investment Advisor Representatives. The material presented is not intended as legal or tax advice, or as any other type of specific advice, and should not be construed or interpreted as such.

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