David D. Ritter, CFP® , MBA

 

Retirement income planning for people who've done the saving — and now need it to last.

I help individuals, families, and endowments turn decades of savings into reliable, tax-efficient income for a 30-plus-year retirement. Most of my clients are in their late 50s and 60s, have $1,000,000 or more in investable assets, and want one coordinated plan across investments, taxes, and estate — not a collection of products. My fiduciary, fee-based approach puts clients first, not the big investment companies.

Retirement planning at this stage is really tax planning.

Most people retire with three kinds of money — taxable, tax-deferred, and Roth — and draw from them in whatever order feels natural. That default costs more than almost any investment mistake. The years between leaving work and the start of Social Security and required minimum distributions are a narrow, high-value window: income is low, brackets are open, and how you fill those years can change your after-tax income for the rest of your life. My job is to make that window work for you.

Every plan is built and stress-tested in eMoney against inflation, market downturns, and a long life. Tax strategy is modeled annually with Holistiplan and coordinated with your CPA; estate documents are organized through Wealth.com. Core strategies include:

• Withdrawal sequencing across taxable, tax-deferred, and Roth accounts to control each year's bracket and reduce lifetime taxes.
• Multi-year Roth conversions in the gap years, shrinking future RMDs and the taxes your heirs would otherwise inherit.
• Social Security coordination between spouses — the difference between claiming early and delaying can mean six figures of lifetime income.
• Bracket and surcharge management, watching IRMAA thresholds and capital gains rates so a well-intended withdrawal doesn't trigger an avoidable tax.
• A bucket strategy that separates near-term spending from long-term growth, so a down market never forces you to sell at the wrong time.

What's different about working here

Tax planning sits at the center of the plan, not with your accountant as an afterthought. Every recommendation comes out of a written plan — Roth conversions frequently, annuities selectively, insurance only when a specific need calls for it. You'll know exactly what you pay, and the planning fee is frequently offset by the tax savings we identify. And as a partner in an established firm with multiple advisors and staff, your plan never depends on one person.

Background & Credentials

• MBA (Finance), Magna Cum Laude - Trident University International (CA).
• BA (Quantitative Methods & Computer Science) - University of St. Thomas (MN).
• CFP® certification from the Certified Financial Planner Boards of Standards
• Series 7 and Series 66 securities registrations with LPL Financial, as well as life and health insurance licenses.
• Captain, US Air Force, 2005-2013.
• 2020, 2024 & 2026 Five Star Wealth Manager (Minneapolis/ St Paul Magazine & Twin Cities Business) * 
• President: Hudson Daybreak Rotary
• Board of Directors: Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau

Prior to his career as an LPL Financial Advisor, David was a Captain in the US Air Force serving his country domestically, in Asia and on two deployments to Iraq. The Air Force core values are still strong influencers in David's life: "Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence In All We Do."

David grew up in Red Wing, MN and lives in Hudson, WI with his wife, and four young kids, three boys and a girl. He is very active in service in the community.

* Award based on 10 objective criteria associated with providing quality services to clients such as credentials, experience, and assets under management among other factors. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024 or 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers.