Mary Kay Zoulek

How much can we safely spend? When should we take Social Security? How do we minimize taxes on everything we've saved? If questions like these keep you up at night, you're not alone. You've spent decades building wealth—now you need a plan to turn it into income that lasts. I specialize in tax-smart retirement income planning for families in-or-near retirement: Roth conversions, Social Security timing, pension decisions, and investing built for distribution—because retirement requires a different playbook than accumulation. How would we work together? It starts with a free Retirement Clarity Call where we dig into your situation and confirm we're a good fit. From there, we'll schedule a Blueprint Meeting where I'll walk you through your key challenges, opportunities, and a recommended strategy tailored to your retirement goals. You'll walk away with real clarity on how to lower your taxes, optimize your income, and retire with confidence—whether we end up working together or not. Tell me about your flat-fee membership model? Most advisors charge 1% of your assets—on a $2M portfolio, that's $20,000/year. I charge a flat $400/month for comprehensive planning, plus an optional 0.49% if you'd like us to manage investments. We start with planning first, and there is no requirement to move your assets to begin working together. No pressure. No hard sell. We're looking for long-term relationships, not transactions. If we're not the right fit, I'll gladly point you toward someone who is.

I was a college professor for many years and now I teach fellow professors how to manage their finances with confidence. I teach early-career professors how to create an effective financial plan and teach seasoned professors how to adjust their plans as retirement approaches. As a professor, I prepare for the first day of class. As a money mentor, I help professors prepare for their first day of retirement. As a professor, I help students develop an academic plan to meet their career goals. As a money mentor, I help professors develop a financial plan to achieve their life goals. Unlike most financial professionals, I work with you as a fee-only fiduciary planner. This means I am paid directly by you for objective advice without sales commissions, hidden fees, or conflicts of interests. My earliest money memory is saving my allowance and birthday money to pay for a toy when I was seven years old. I went to the sales counter with my piggy bank and dumped out coins and crumpled dollar bills. To this day, I value the ability to save for future goals. And yes, I still own the ceramic piggy bank! Investments are important, but so are income taxes, insurance, education funding, daily spending habits, estate planning and our relationship with money. I look forward to helping you achieve clarity and confidence with all aspects of a comprehensive financial plan.

There is something we have in common. We all have financial resources that we have to figure out how to steward. As you journey in your financial life, it can be difficult to make decisions along the way. Having a trusted advisor is essential to navigating the now and planning for the future. As your advisor, I specialize in helping clients develop a plan that fits their unique situation. We will consider all areas of your financial life as we work together to chart a course forward. Income tax planning Investment planning Retirement planning Charitable giving Cash flow planning Insurance planning Education planning Estate planning It is my desire to be a guide along the journey and help you make your plan a reality. If you would like clarity and direction in your financial life, or someone to help keep you on course, I’d love to have a conversation about working together.

Bradley Berger is a Wealth Management Advisor with the Weemes/Berger Group at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He has been with the group since 2013, providing tailored wealth management services focused on family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, managing new wealth, personal retirement planning, tax minimization, and retirement income. Brad emphasizes a comprehensive approach that connects all aspects of a client’s financial life to prioritize and pursue their important goals. Brad earned a bachelor's degree in Finance from the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University and obtained his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification in 2016. He also holds the Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designation. His professional focus includes delivering personalized advice through goals-based planning, investment research, and diligent client service. Additionally, Brad and his team assist clients with home financing, banking needs, commercial lending, insurance strategies, custom lending, and trust services. Outside of his professional work, Brad lives in East Grand Rapids with his wife and son. He is involved with The First Tee of West Michigan and enjoys recreational activities such as tennis, golf, platform tennis, and fly fishing.