About
Us
Mike Schessler
President & Retirement Planner
Letter from Founder
Hello, I'm Mike Schessler, a Fiduciary Advisor and the founder of Sustainable Retirement Solutions (SRS). With 25 years of experience in the retirement planning arena, I've dedicated my career to helping clients achieve financial security and peace of mind in their retirement years.
Early in my career, I began in the Retirement Plan division of Paychex, a leader in small company 401(k) plans. I then expanded my expertise and credentials, serving as a Retirement Plan Consultant at John Hancock, a Regional Vice President at Ohio National, and a Retirement Consultant for The Standard. Each of these roles deepened my understanding of complex retirement strategies and the critical need for effective, sustainable planning.
After earning my Series 65 license and becoming an Investment Advisor Representative affiliated with Ameritas, I realized I could better serve my clients' needs by creating a firm dedicated to providing personalized, fiduciary guidance. This led to the founding of Sustainable Retirement Solutions.
At SRS, our primary mission is to help pre-retirees balance their spending and savings, so they can enjoy retirement without the fear of running out of money. Our approach emphasizes preserving wealth and creating sustainable income streams, particularly during the crucial years leading up to and following retirement. By focusing on strategies that mitigate "sequence of returns risk" and protect against market downturns, we aim to provide our clients with the confidence and security they need to enjoy their retirement years fully.
Thank you for considering Sustainable Retirement Solutions. We're here to help you navigate the complexities of retirement planning and achieve your financial goals with confidence and clarity.
Our Services
Investment Management
Navigating the complexities of the financial markets requires expertise, diligence, and a strategic approach. Our Investment Management services are designed to help you build and maintain a portfolio that aligns with your risk tolerance, time horizon, and financial goals. We recognize that every investor is unique, and we tailor our strategies to reflect your individual needs and aspirations.
Our approach focuses on risk mitigation and maximizing growth opportunities. By diversifying your investments and carefully selecting assets, we aim to protect your principal from the inevitable downturns of the market while still positioning you to benefit from bull market growth. We understand that market downturns are not a matter of if, but when. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of having a clear, proactive strategy in place to safeguard your investments during volatile periods.
With our comprehensive Investment Management services, you can expect a balanced approach that seeks to mitigate stock market risk while pursuing growth. Our goal is to provide you with peace of mind, knowing that your portfolio is structured to withstand market fluctuations and help you achieve long-term financial success. Let us partner with you to create a resilient investment plan that adapts to market conditions and supports your financial journey.
Insurance
Services
At our firm, we offer comprehensive insurance services tailored to protect your family's financial well-being and ensure a secure future. Specializing in various forms of life insurance, we help safeguard your loved ones from the financial consequences of life's unexpected events. Our expertise extends beyond traditional policies, incorporating modern strategies and solutions that reflect the significant advancements in life insurance over the past decade.
We understand the importance of selecting the right life insurance policy to fit your unique needs. Whether it's term life, whole life, universal life, or other specialized insurance products, our independent status allows us to provide unbiased advice. With access to nearly every carrier in the market, we can shop around to find the best coverage options and rates for you.
In addition to protecting your family, our insurance services also offer tax-advantaged methods for wealth transfer, crucial for effective estate planning. We help you navigate the complexities of estate taxes and ensure your wealth is preserved and passed on to future generations in the most efficient way possible.
Our commitment is to provide personalized service, guiding you through every step of the process to secure a life insurance plan that aligns with your financial goals and provides peace of mind.
Protection Strategies
At Sustainable Retirement Solutions, we focus on building portfolios that balance growth with protection—helping you participate in market opportunities while managing downside risk.
As you get closer to retirement, protecting against major losses often becomes just as important as pursuing returns.
Our approach is designed for individuals who want to preserve what they’ve worked hard to accumulate, without taking on unnecessary risk—especially during periods of market uncertainty.
Rather than relying on any single solution, we incorporate a range of strategies that can be tailored to your specific goals and risk tolerance, including:
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Diversified investment approaches designed to reduce exposure during periods of market stress
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Risk-managed portfolios that adjust based on changing market conditions
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Investments that provide defined levels of downside protection or risk buffers
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Income-oriented strategies that aim to generate consistent cash flow while managing volatility
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Alternatives to traditional fixed income that seek to balance stability, income, and flexibility
Every strategy is evaluated within the context of your overall financial plan—ensuring that protection, income, growth, and tax efficiency are all working together.
The goal is simple: help you move forward with confidence, knowing your plan is designed not just for growth—but for durability through changing market environments.
Tax
Planning
At Sustainable Retirement Solutions (SRS), our comprehensive financial approach ensures that your retirement plan is not only focused on wealth accumulation but also on effective tax management. Our expert tax planning services are designed to provide you with tailored strategies to manage your tax bill and optimize your financial health throughout retirement.
Understanding the intricacies of tax-efficient investing is crucial, as many retirees are surprised to learn they owe taxes on their retirement income, including Social Security benefits. At SRS, we aim to keep you in a lower tax bracket by employing proactive tax planning techniques. We help you navigate the complexities of retirement taxation, ensuring you are well-prepared for any tax obligations.
One significant aspect of retirement tax planning involves managing qualified money, such as 401(k)s and IRAs. Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) come into play at age 72 to 75 (depending on birth date), often leading to higher withdrawals and increased tax liabilities. Our strategies are designed to help minimize these withdrawals and their associated tax impacts, allowing you to retain more of your hard-earned savings.
With SRS, you can confidently approach retirement, knowing that our dedicated team is committed to maximizing your tax efficiency and preserving your financial well-being. Let us help you develop a tax-savvy retirement plan that ensures a sustainable and secure future.
Estate Planning & Legacy Coordination
At Sustainable Retirement Solutions (SRS), estate planning is a core part of a well-structured retirement plan. It’s not just about transferring assets — it’s about making sure your wishes are clear, your family is protected, and everything is organized to pass efficiently and with intention.
Rather than leaving you to figure this out on your own, we take a coordinated approach. We help you think through the key decisions that shape every estate plan, including:
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Who receives your assets
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How and when those assets are distributed
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Who steps in to make financial decisions if needed
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Who can make medical decisions on your behalf
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Who would care for minor children, if applicable
These foundational decisions bring clarity and structure to your entire plan.
Two Options to Move Forward
When it comes to putting your plan in place, there are two options — and we help you determine which is most appropriate based on your situation:
1. Work with an Estate Planning Attorney
This is the right fit for more complex situations or when you want direct legal advice and fully customized legal recommendations.
2. Guided, Streamlined Planning Process
We partner with a structured estate planning platform that provides attorney-created, state-specific documents. For many individuals and families, this offers a practical, efficient, and cost-conscious way to put a solid estate plan in place.
Our role is to guide you through the process, help you make informed decisions, and ensure everything is properly organized and aligned with your overall retirement, income, and tax strategy.
For many clients, this approach removes unnecessary complexity and delays — making it easier to complete a plan, understand it, and keep it current over time.
At the same time, if your situation calls for legal input at any stage, we can seamlessly coordinate with an estate planning attorney to ensure everything is handled appropriately.
Our Role
We serve as your central point of coordination — helping ensure your estate plan is not only created, but properly implemented and kept up to date as your life, family, and financial situation evolve.
While we provide guidance as part of your financial plan, SRS does not offer legal or tax advice. We encourage you to consult with qualified professionals for specific recommendations.
Ready to get organized?
Take the Legacy and Planning Quiz
SRS's Bucket Strategy
At Sustainable Retirement Solutions, we employ a 3 Bucket plus Strategy to optimize your financial planning. This approach integrates the three traditional tax buckets—taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free—while adding a Principal Protection bucket and an Income bucket.
This comprehensive strategy ensures your assets are not only tax-efficient but also safeguarded and structured to provide a reliable income throughout retirement.
1
Taxable Money
This bucket includes assets that are taxed annually, such as brokerage accounts and investments not held in tax-advantaged accounts. These funds are easily accessible and provide flexibility for unexpected expenses or short-term needs.
2
Tax-Deferred Money
This bucket consists of retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs, where taxes are deferred until withdrawal. These funds grow tax-free until retirement, allowing for significant accumulation over time.
3
Tax-Free Money
The tax-free bucket includes accounts and investments where the earnings and withdrawals are not subject to federal income taxes. Common examples are Roth IRAs, Roth 401(k)s, and municipal bonds. This bucket is crucial for minimizing tax liability in retirement, as it allows for tax-free growth and distributions, providing retirees with a source of income that won't increase their taxable income.
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Principal Protected Money
This bucket is designed to safeguard your principal investment. It includes assets such as fixed annuities and certain types of bonds, which offer stability and protection from market volatility.
Income
Perhaps the most crucial and often overlooked component of retirement planning, this bucket focuses on generating a reliable income stream throughout retirement. It includes Social Security benefits, pensions, and annuities, ensuring you have consistent income to cover your living expenses.
By strategically allocating your assets into these various buckets, we create a balanced and customized retirement plan that not only protects your wealth but also provides the income you need to enjoy your retirement years without the fear of running out of money.