Local context
University of Tennessee hub, growing metro, UT football culture
Knoxville, TN
Retirement Planning in Knoxville, TN
Retirement planning for Knoxville professionals — including UT employees navigating state pension decisions, TVA workers coordinating federal benefits, and Covenant Health physicians planning for early retirement.
Connected planning
Why retirement planning is local here
Knoxville is more than a college town — it's a growing metro with university employees navigating pension decisions, TVA workers coordinating federal benefits, and entrepreneurs building in one of Tennessee's most dynamic markets. David Talley, CFP®, EA, is a season ticket holder at Neyland Stadium and is in Knoxville most Saturdays in the fall. He knows this city, loves this city, and has built relationships with UT alumni and Knoxville professionals who want a financial advisor that feels like a neighbor — not a call center.
Local proof
Talley Wealth has earned 67+ public Google reviews with a 5.0 average rating. Reviews are one proof point, not a promise of future results, but they do show that local families are willing to put their names behind the experience.
Read public reviewsEmployers and life patterns
University of Tennessee, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Covenant Health, Pilot Flying J, Regal Entertainment
Planning scope
Retirement planning that gives you clarity on when you can retire, how much you can spend, and how to make your money last.
What we coordinate
The useful details are connected.
- State pension analysis and election guidance for UT employees
- Optional Retirement Program (ORP) coordination with personal investments
- TVA pension and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) optimization
- Social Security timing for university and government employees
- Roth conversion strategies during career transitions
- Healthcare bridge planning for early retirees before Medicare
Representative situation
A UT Employee Approaching Retirement with Multiple Income Streams
Situation
A University of Tennessee employee approaching retirement has a state pension, an Optional Retirement Program balance, a rental property generating passive income, and a spouse still working part-time. They need to coordinate pension election timing, Social Security claiming strategy, and Roth conversions across two different retirement timelines.
Approach
We might start by modeling the pension election — comparing the lifetime value of different payout options. Then we'd coordinate the spouse's Social Security claiming strategy, identify a Roth conversion window during the lower-income years between retirement and age 72, and ensure the rental income is being managed tax-efficiently alongside the other retirement income streams.
This representative situation is hypothetical and for educational purposes only. It is not based on, and should not be understood as referencing, any specific client or client experience.
Common questions
Questions worth asking before you choose an advisor.
I work at UT. How do I coordinate my pension with my other savings?
University of Tennessee employees typically have a state pension and may also have an Optional Retirement Program (ORP) account. Coordinating these with Social Security, personal savings, and any spousal benefits requires modeling multiple income streams across different timelines. We build projections that show how all the pieces fit together.
I'm a TVA employee. Can you help with my federal benefits?
TVA employees have unique benefits including a pension, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), and specific retirement options. We help TVA workers understand their pension election choices, optimize TSP allocation, and coordinate federal benefits with personal savings and Social Security.
When can I afford to retire from UT?
We build detailed retirement income projections that model your pension benefit, ORP balance, Social Security at various claiming ages, and personal investments. The goal is to give you a specific, data-backed answer — not a guess — so you can plan your transition with confidence.
Should I take a lump sum or annuity from my pension?
It depends on your full financial picture — your other income sources, tax situation, life expectancy considerations, and whether your spouse needs survivor benefits. We model both options to help you see the projected trade-offs before making an irreversible election.
Talk through retirement planning in context.
The Explore Call is a short way to see whether this work fits your situation in Knoxville.