Realities of Retirement
Kris Etter is an expert in retirement income planning and specializes in working with teachers in the Texas public school system. Kris' mother was a teacher for more than 20 years, so he is well aware of the unique financial challenges that educators face today.
Kris' mother has a master's degree in education from Western Michigan University and taught Consumer Sciences to middle-school and high-school students in Michigan, North Carolina, Kansas, and Texas. The course content included 10 different subjects and varied depending on the state and district she was in. She also spent the final eight years of her career in special education for ages 18–22 in Richardson, Texas. She provided job coaching to recent high-school graduates to enhance their employability in the community. Throughout her career, she spent her own money on school supplies and various other necessities for her classrooms.
Kris' knowledge and awareness of these expenses helps him guide educators in their day-to-day budgeting when it comes to saving for a successful retirement during their working years.
Through Kris' experience with public educators over the last 20+ years, he has noticed three themes that are most commonly discussed among teachers who are preparing for retirement or already enjoying their retirement:
- How to handle increased cost of living while their pension remains the same
- Understanding how their pension affects my Social Security benefits
- How to optimize their 403(b) plan
