Dow Professionals
Wealth Management for Dow Professionals
We help Dow employees and retirees turn a long corporate career into a clear, tax-aware plan for what comes next.
Fee-only · Fiduciary · Independent RIA
We understand Dow
We have helped hundreds of professionals transition to and from Dow. Our Owner and Lead Advisor, Ethan Kok, began his career at Dow before moving into financial planning. His professional and personal experience gives us a great understanding of Dow's compensation, benefits, and retirement strategy.
Achieve the financial independence you've been working so hard for
Explore your goals
Look at your options for your next life stage before the decision is forced.
Get a plan
Understand the specific next steps for a successful transition.
Reduce your taxes
Employ tax-smart strategies so you keep more of your money.
You don't have to worry about industry cycles that are out of your control
As a Dow employee, you want to achieve financial independence, but you are:
Facing the ambiguity of working in a cyclical industry
Feeling like you have a shorter runway to financial freedom
Absorbing large swings in your bonus and equity compensation
We believe you should have a smooth transition after a long and successful career at Dow.
The pension decision, thought through before you make it
Choosing how to take your pension is one of the largest financial decisions of your career, and it is usually irreversible. We model options and talk through trade-offs to give you confidence in your pension election.
Already have a package or an election deadline in front of you? Say so when you reach out and we will prioritize the conversation.
- Compare lump sum vs. annuity options (if allowed by your plan)
- Analyze your annuity options while incorporating family health, risk tolerance, and income needs
- Understand what each option means for a surviving spouse
- See how each option interacts with Social Security
- Determine when it makes most sense to take or rollover your pension
- Incorporate your executive pension (if applicable)
The Dow benefits we help you coordinate
Each of these carries decisions that affect your taxes and your retirement timeline. We help you make them as one plan rather than one at a time.
Pension election
If a pension is part of your package, the choice between a monthly benefit and a lump sum is usually permanent. We model both against your full picture before you decide.
401(k) savings plan
Pre-tax, Roth, and after-tax contributions each land differently at tax time, and again in retirement. Where you save matters as much as how much.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
How much to contribute, how the lookback affects your purchase price, and what to do with the shares you accumulate along the way.
Equity compensation
Create strategies for your RSUs, PSUs, stock options, and more to support your priorities in a tax-efficient manner.
Deferred compensation
Understand if contributing to the Deferred Compensation plan would be valuable to your retirement, and how to plan around the income as it is distributed after you transition.
Retiree Medical and Healthcare Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
What medical insurance best fits your life, reimbursements from your HRA, and how it coordinates with Medicare and your income plan.
What this looks like in practice
One of our case studies follows a couple approaching retirement after long corporate careers, weighing the same moving parts this page describes. Among the pieces we coordinated for them:
Read the full case study →Case Client: Luke & Leah
Corporate Careers and Ready to Retire
- Structured deferred compensation for retirement-timing efficiency
- Planned stock option exercises and employee stock purchase participation
- Integrated retiree medical planning into retirement projections
This is a composite example drawn from the types of planning challenges we help families navigate every day. It does not represent the experience of any specific individual or family, and results will vary based on each client's unique circumstances.
We help you take control of your future
Our goal is to give you confidence that no matter what happens in the industry, you can achieve the financial freedom you have worked decades to create.
We are an independent Registered Investment Advisor helping Dow professionals navigate uncertainty and prepare for their next life stage, whether that is retirement or a second career.
We get to know what you want in life, where you want to live, the pastimes you want to explore, your housing plans, your travel goals. Then we build a comprehensive financial plan to help achieve that vision.
We are here to help you:
- Align your money with your priorities and values
- Create a plan that integrates all financial areas, including your Dow compensation and benefits
- Put the right savings and investment strategy in place
- Choose the right pension option for your personal situation
- Implement tax-smart strategies to keep more money for your family
- Gain back your time to focus on the things that fulfill you
Are we a fit?
You want to partner with an advisory team whose expertise is working with people like you. We may be a good fit if you:
- Are a Dow employee or retiree seeking clarity on your financial independence
- Value a collaborative partnership with a team that brings advice, strategy, and investment management in an ever-changing landscape
- Seek objective advice from a fee-only firm
How to work with us
- 1
Schedule a meeting where we can learn more about you and your goals.
- 2
Together, determine whether we would be a good fit for your needs.
- 3
Partner with us to build your plan for life after Dow.
Still building? Your benefits are part of the plan
If retirement is still years out, the decisions that matter now are different: how much to put into your stock purchase plan, what to do with shares once you hold them, and how to keep a concentrated position from quietly becoming your largest risk.
Take the first step
Ready to get started? Schedule your free introductory call to learn if we are the right partner for your financial needs.
Or call us at (231) 221-2448
We are paid by our clients, never by commissions on products we recommend. See our fees →
Sage Wealth Planning, LLC is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Dow Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. Dow benefit plans are referenced here for general educational purposes only. Plan provisions vary and change over time, so please confirm details with your plan administrator.