How do you go from knocking on doors in the snow to running a referral-driven, tax-focused retirement firm? Hamilton Brandenburg shares his path from Chick-fil-A’s “my pleasure” culture, to prospecting at Edward Jones, to launching a fee-only practice built around tax-smart retirement planning. A near-lapsing whole life case pushed him toward a model where taxes, decumulation, and clear service rhythms give clients real value they can feel.

Hamilton talks about the habits that mattered early, how they evolved into surge meetings and a proactive review schedule, and why retirees need more than pie charts. They need coordination on withdrawals, Roth conversions, Social Security timing, and account sequencing that keeps lifetime taxes low.

We also get into the chapter where he built a virtual practice from a 46-foot fifth wheel while raising four kids, and how remote work forced cleaner systems and sharper communication. He shares practical advice for advisors going independent and simple ways retirees can evaluate whether an advisor is really planning through taxes.

Social:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamilton-brandenburg-9a361b12b/

Is it in this episode was obtained from Bensound.