Approach Financial: Justin Pritchard, CFP

Approach Financial: Justin Pritchard, CFP Fee-only CFP® practitioner. 20+ years of advising and writing about money. One-time financial planning, ongoing management, and flat-fee financial advice.

Available nationwide for retirement planning & more. Make a plan, take action, and spend time doing the things you value most. You're smart enough to figure everything out yourself—but there are only 24 hours in a day. Taking advantage of opportunities and avoiding financial mistakes can improve your chances of success, so let's make a plan together. Services: Financial planning, retirement planni

ng, employer plans for small businesses, and investment management. Serving Colorado from Montrose, but clients come from western Colorado and beyond (including other states, where not prohibited). Pricing options include ongoing investment management, one-time projects, and hourly charges. You do not need to transfer money to work with me, but I'm happy to manage accounts for you, if you'd like. Approach Financial, Inc. is registered as an investment adviser in the state of Colorado and is licensed to do business in any state where registered or otherwise exempt from registration.

06/17/2026

What happens with IRAs when one spouse dies? This can be a difficult time, and the financial rules are complicated. You often have a choice between treating the money as your own and using an inherited IRA.

“Treat it as your own” might be simple and keep everything in your name. Depending on any age differences and your goals, that might or might not make sense. Inherited IRAs can help when you want to withdraw from IRAs before age 59.5. There are numerous tax laws and tradeoffs here, so you’ll want to do more research before deciding.

Figure out what’s really urgent, and don’t get pressured or rushed to do anything before you have to. Ask your IRA custodian what options are available, what the processes look like, any timelines or deadlines, and more. Get guidance from a tax expert if you’re not sure what’s best.

Speaker: Justin Pritchard, CFP®, a fee-only fiduciary advisor who can work with clients in all U.S. states.

Approach Financial, Inc. offers advisory services through XYPN Invest, an SEC-registered investment adviser. “Likes” should not be considered a positive reflection of the investment advisory services offered by Approach. View all comments with skepticism, as they could be scams. The firm is not responsible for any third-party content, such as comments. I will never send you a direct message asking for money, suggesting strategies, or directing you to messaging apps (again, scams). This content may be inaccurate or lacking full details, and you need more information.

Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any referenced returns or results are merely assumptions for educational or informational purposes and should not be construed as actual or hypothetical performance figures in connection with the firm’s investment advisory services. Always verify with your own financial and legal professionals before making any decisions.

06/14/2026

More control is probably the main reason to roll a 401(k) to an IRA.

Why do people typically roll over? You can often get access to more investments, dial in your tax withholding, get fast and easy withdrawals, and control the fees and other features of an IRA. But there are pros and cons, and it’s not necessarily always right to roll over. Check the fees, and look at things like the Rule of 55, employer stock strategies like NUA, creditor protection, backdoor Roth, and more.

Remember that you can often roll to an IRA, a new job’s retirement plan, or take other action. Review all of the pros, cons, and tax consequences carefully before making a move. You might not be able to undo a rollover, which could have tax and legal consequences.

Speaker: Justin Pritchard, CFP®, a fee-only fiduciary advisor who can work with clients in all U.S. states.

Approach Financial, Inc. offers advisory services through XYPN Invest, an SEC-registered investment adviser. “Likes” should not be considered a positive reflection of the investment advisory services offered by Approach. View all comments with skepticism, as they could be scams. The firm is not responsible for any third-party content, such as comments. I will never send you a direct message asking for money, suggesting strategies, or directing you to messaging apps (again, scams). This content may be inaccurate or lacking full details, and you need more information.
Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any referenced returns or results are merely assumptions for educational or informational purposes and should not be construed as actual or hypothetical performance figures in connection with the firm’s investment advisory services. Always verify with your own financial and legal professionals before making any decisions.

06/10/2026

Retirement healthcare costs can seem overwhelming when headlines show six-figure estimates for the next 30 years. Medicare premiums, copays, prescriptions, and other out-of-pocket expenses ad up, and then there’s the potential for additional LTC costs. But those numbers are often lifetime estimates, not a bill that’s due on the day retirement starts. A more useful way to think about healthcare in retirement is through annual cash flow: what Medicare may cover, what you may still owe, how much income Social Security or pensions may provide, and how any savings might fill the gap.

Actual costs vary based on health, location, Medicare choices, prescriptions, longevity, and more. So make a plan, and look behind those headlines for retirement healthcare costs.

Speaker: Justin Pritchard, CFP®, a fee-only fiduciary advisor who can work with clients in all U.S. states.

Approach Financial, Inc. offers advisory services through XYPN Invest, an SEC-registered investment adviser. “Likes” should not be considered a positive reflection of the investment advisory services offered by Approach. View all comments with skepticism, as they could be scams. The firm is not responsible for any third-party content, such as comments. I will never send you a direct message asking for money, suggesting strategies, or directing you to messaging apps (again, scams). This content may be inaccurate or lacking full details, and you need more information.
Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any referenced returns or results are merely assumptions for educational or informational purposes and should not be construed as actual or hypothetical performance figures in connection with the firm’s investment advisory services. Always verify with your own financial and legal professionals before making any decisions.

06/07/2026

What are your options for rolling over a 401(k) plan? You can choose between a direct rollover, an internal rollover, a 60-day rollover, and more.

The direct rollover is often cleanest because the check never gets paid to you. That way, you might prevent mandatory tax withholding and other complications. 60-day rollovers are another option. But that approach has risks and limitations that you need to research carefully. A failed 60-day rollover can result in taxes and penalties, among other things.

Then you have the option of staying put, and that’s worth considering. Study the pros and cons. Sometimes, it’s best to leave your savings in your 401(k) plan. But figure out if get forced out before you’re ready. Eventually, I think most people end up rolling over to an IRA to have more control over investments, fees, withdrawals, tax withholding, beneficiaries, and more.

Speaker: Justin Pritchard, CFP®, a fee-only fiduciary advisor who can work with clients in all U.S. states.

Check the potential tax consequences of each option with an expert before you do anything.

Approach Financial, Inc. offers advisory services through XYPN Invest, an SEC-registered investment adviser. “Likes” should not be considered a positive reflection of the investment advisory services offered by Approach. View all comments with skepticism, as they could be scams. The firm is not responsible for any third-party content, such as comments. I will never send you a direct message asking for money, suggesting strategies, or directing you to messaging apps (again, scams). This content may be inaccurate or lacking full details, and you need more information.
Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any referenced returns or results are merely assumptions for educational or informational purposes and should not be construed as actual or hypothetical performance figures in connection with the firm’s investment advisory services. Always verify with your own financial and legal professionals before making any decisions.

06/03/2026

Should you use mutual funds or ETFs in your IRA? The choice might not be as significant as you think. In tax-protected accounts, like Roth or traditional IRAs, the potential tax efficiency of ETFs is less important.

Both types of investments can help you spread your money among many different investments easily. And both are available as index funds, with U.S. or overseas exposure, with or without bonds, etc. While diversification doesn't eliminate the risk of loss, it can be helpful.

Logistically, mutual funds were traditionally easier to automate. For example, you could set up automatic monthly purchases easily, or arrange a monthly sell order to provide retirement income. But now you can do a lot with ETFs, as well. ETFs trade throughout the trading day like stocks, but for long-term investors that might not matter much.

Speaker: Justin Pritchard, CFP®, a fee-only fiduciary advisor who can work with clients in all U.S. states.

Approach Financial, Inc. offers advisory services through XYPN Invest, an SEC-registered investment adviser. “Likes” should not be considered a positive reflection of the investment advisory services offered by Approach. View all comments with skepticism, as they could be scams. The firm is not responsible for any third-party content, such as comments. I will never send you a direct message asking for money, suggesting strategies, or directing you to messaging apps (again, scams). This content may be inaccurate or lacking full details, and you need more information.

Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any referenced returns or results are merely assumptions for educational or informational purposes and should not be construed as actual or hypothetical performance figures in connection with the firm’s investment advisory services. Always verify with your own financial and legal professionals before making any decisions.

05/31/2026

Here are the steps to transfer a 401(k) plan to your IRA or your next job’s 401(k). Start by contacting your former employer and requesting the rollover. In many cases, the cleanest approach is a “direct rollover,” which means the check will be payable to the new retirement account (instead of payable to you personally). That can prevent mandatory tax withholding and other complications.

You often get a paper check, even in today’s modern world. You typically forward that check to it’s final destination or have it sent there. Once the check arrives, make sure everything is correct, and decide how to invest the funds (including cash or other investments).

Sometimes the process is a bit different, but that covers many situations. And be sure to roll each money type to the right destination: Roth, pre-tax, after-tax, etc.
Approach Financial, Inc does not recommend for or against Fidelity, Vanguard, Empower, etc.; those just happen to be well-known providers. Verify how things will affect your taxes before you take any action.

Speaker: Justin Pritchard, CFP®, a fee-only fiduciary advisor who can work with clients in all U.S. states.

Approach Financial, Inc. offers advisory services through XYPN Invest, an SEC-registered investment adviser. “Likes” should not be considered a positive reflection of the investment advisory services offered by Approach. View all comments with skepticism, as they could be scams. The firm is not responsible for any third-party content, such as comments. I will never send you a direct message asking for money, suggesting strategies, or directing you to messaging apps (again, scams). This content may be inaccurate or lacking full details, and you need more information.
Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any referenced returns or results are merely assumptions for educational or informational purposes and should not be construed as actual or hypothetical performance figures in connection with the firm’s investment advisory services. Always verify with your own financial and legal professionals before making any decisions.

05/27/2026

There’s no single retirement age for Social Security, and most people can start retirement benefits as early as age 62. Any month between age 62 and 70 could make sense.

Want help with this? I’m a fee-only fiduciary advisor with over 20 years of experience helping clients. Check the links in my bio.

Claiming at age 62 helps you get cash flow sooner, but you’ll have a smaller benefit than if you wait. There are certainly situations where age 62 is right, but explore the alternatives. For every month you wait, you get a slight increase in your payment until age 70.

Sometimes it's a tax-smart strategy to retire and spend down some savings before you start Social Security. That can help you manage future required minimum distributions (RMDs).

Full retirement age (FRA) can also be important, especially if you’re trying to get the full spousal benefit. That’s age 67 for many people approaching retirement.

Speaker: Justin Pritchard, CFP®, a fee-only fiduciary advisor who can work with clients in all U.S. states.

Approach Financial, Inc. offers advisory services through XYPN Invest, an SEC-registered investment adviser. “Likes” should not be considered a positive reflection of the investment advisory services offered by Approach. View all comments with skepticism, as they could be scams. The firm is not responsible for any third-party content, such as comments. I will never send you a direct message asking for money, suggesting strategies, or directing you to messaging apps (again, scams). This content may be inaccurate or lacking full details, and you need more information.

Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any referenced returns or results are merely assumptions for educational or informational purposes and should not be construed as actual or hypothetical performance figures in connection with the firm’s investment advisory services. Always verify with your own financial and legal professionals before making any decisions.

05/24/2026

A 401(k) can often be rolled into your Roth IRA, but the tax impact depends on what type of money is in your 401(k). Roth 401(k) dollars usually go to a Roth IRA. If you roll pre-tax 401(k) money to a Roth IRA, it becomes a Roth conversion the amount you convert is generally treated as taxable income in the year of conversion. After-tax 401(k) contributions can also offer planning opportunities, especially when those contributions are separated from pre-tax funds and moved correctly.

Verify if your 401(k) balance includes pre-tax dollars, Roth contributions, after-tax contributions, employer money, earnings, and more. Each bucket can have a different tax treatment. A direct rollover can also help avoid unnecessary mandatory tax withholding and headaches. Before attempting to roll your 401(k) to a Roth IRA, check the plan’s rules, understand the tax impact, and consider whether a traditional IRA, rollover IRA, Roth IRA, or split rollover makes the most sense. And you might explore just rolling over to a pretax IRA and converting to Roth from there.

Speaker: Justin Pritchard, CFP®, a fee-only fiduciary advisor who can work with clients in all U.S. states.

Approach Financial, Inc. offers advisory services through XYPN Invest, an SEC-registered investment adviser. “Likes” should not be considered a positive reflection of the investment advisory services offered by Approach. View all comments with skepticism, as they could be scams. The firm is not responsible for any third-party content, such as comments. I will never send you a direct message asking for money, suggesting strategies, or directing you to messaging apps (again, scams). This content may be inaccurate or lacking full details, and you need more information.
Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any referenced returns or results are merely assumptions for educational or informational purposes and should not be construed as actual or hypothetical performance figures in connection with the firm’s investment advisory services. Always verify with your own financial and legal professionals before making any decisions.

05/20/2026

What are some of the pitfalls of rolling over to an IRA? Moving retirement savings from an old 401(k), 403(b), TSP, or 457(b) plan into an IRA can be a smart move, but there are exceptions. Some workplace retirement plans come with features that may be hard to replace. One example is the so-called “rule of 55,” which may allow penalty-free withdrawals from certain employer plans if you separate from service in or after the year you turn 55. Governmental 457(b) plans can have even more flexible early withdrawal treatment, and some public safety workers also have more flexibility. Of course, regular income taxes may still apply.

Other rollover topics to explore include creditor protection, investment costs, plan fees, required minimum distribution (RMD) rules, whether the account holds employer stock that may qualify for net unrealized appreciation (NUA) tax treatment, and more. Explore all of the pros and cons before you make any decisions.

Speaker: Justin Pritchard, CFP®, a fee-only fiduciary advisor who can work with clients in all U.S. states.

Approach Financial, Inc. offers advisory services through XYPN Invest, an SEC-registered investment adviser. “Likes” should not be considered a positive reflection of the investment advisory services offered by Approach. View all comments with skepticism, as they could be scams. The firm is not responsible for any third-party content, such as comments. I will never send you a direct message asking for money, suggesting strategies, or directing you to messaging apps (again, scams). This content may be inaccurate or lacking full details, and you need more information.

Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any referenced returns or results are merely assumptions for educational or informational purposes and should not be construed as actual or hypothetical performance figures in connection with the firm’s investment advisory services. Always verify with your own financial and legal professionals before making any decisions.

05/17/2026

Everybody wants high returns with low risk. Unfortunately, that’s a free lunch that’s hard to come by. The reality is that there are multiple different types of risk: inflation risk, market risk, longevity risk, and more. And the trick is to choose and balance those risks.

Usually this means that somebody doesn't want to lose money in the stock market, and that's understandable. You can certainly put your money in places that are less likely to experience that, but it's important to acknowledge that you might be exposing yourself to other risks by playing it safe.

At the same time, being reckless with your money can be problematic and there's no guarantee that you'll come out ahead by adding risk. The main thing is to be aware of these different risk types and consciously decide which ones you have more or less of an appetite for. Also, carefully evaluate the risks and consequences of each different type of exposure.

It’s possible to lose money, and markets might not recover by the time you need a recovery. And inflation, expenses, and other factors can make it harder for a plan to succeed.

Speaker: Justin Pritchard, CFP®, a fee-only fiduciary advisor who can work with clients in all U.S. states.

Approach Financial, Inc. offers advisory services through XYPN Invest, an SEC-registered investment adviser. “Likes” should not be considered a positive reflection of the investment advisory services offered by Approach. View all comments with skepticism, as they could be scams. The firm is not responsible for any third-party content, such as comments. I will never send you a direct message asking for money, suggesting strategies, or directing you to messaging apps (again, scams). This content may be inaccurate or lacking full details, and you need more information.
Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any referenced returns or results are merely assumptions for educational or informational purposes and should not be construed as actual or hypothetical performance figures in connection with the firm’s investment advisory services. Always verify with your own financial and legal professionals before making any decisions.

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