July 12, 2025

Why Retirement Planning Gets Ignored (And What To Do About It)

David Hunter, CFP®

Most lawyers I talk to are sharp, driven, and laser-focused on solving today’s problems. They’re excellent at triage—handling what’s urgent and pushing what’s important to “someday.”

And for a lot of attorneys, retirement planning falls squarely into that “someday” pile.

Not because they don’t care.

Not because it’s not important.

But because there’s just no time.

When “Later” Becomes Too Late

Here’s the trouble:

That “someday” pile doesn’t shrink on its own.

Years go by.

The practice grows—or it doesn’t.

And retirement isn’t a vague idea anymore. It’s coming into focus.

But there’s no plan.

No exit strategy.

No clarity.

And even when you know you should be doing something, it’s hard to find the energy.

Because retirement planning takes a different kind of thinking:

  • It’s proactive, not reactive.
  • It’s future-focused, not urgent.
  • And it’s all about you, not your clients.

That’s why it gets pushed aside.

But the longer you wait, the fewer choices you’ll have.

A Better Starting Point

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to figure it all out today.

You just need to take the first step.

Ask yourself:

“If I wanted to stop working in five years, what would need to be true?”

That one question changes everything.

  • It shifts you from reactive to proactive.
  • It puts you in control of the timeline.
  • And it opens the door to real planning—with real results.

From there, we can build a strategy:

  • Clarify your goals
  • Align your savings and tax plans
  • Create an exit path that works for you

How Things Start to Shift

Once a plan is in motion, everything starts to change:

You stop wondering and start deciding.

You stop hoping and start seeing how it all comes together.

You feel more in control—not just later, but now.

Because the best retirement plans don’t just prepare you to leave the law.

They improve how you experience it today.

Don’t Try to Do It All Yourself

If retirement planning feels too big or too vague, you’re not alone.

I work specifically with attorneys like you—busy, successful, and ready to finally move forward.

You don’t need a 50-page plan to begin.

You just need a starting point and a guide.

Let’s take that step together.

Disclosure:

First Light Wealth, LLC (“FLW”) is a registered investment advisor offering advisory services in the State[s] of Pennsylvania and in other jurisdictions where exempt. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.

The information on this site is not intended as tax, accounting or legal advice, as an offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or as an endorsement of any company, security, fund, or other securities or non-securities offering. This information should not be relied upon as the sole factor in an investment making decision. In any examples or case studies used, all client names have been changed, and some situations include hypothetical discussions.

For our complete website disclosure please visit our Disclosures page.

Your Retirement, Reimagined.

Weekly insights on retirement planning, tax-planning strategies, and finding purpose beyond the courtroom.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.