ASCE Gainesville Branch April 2025 Lunch & Learn

Presentation Description- The course offers a practical overview of retirement plans tailored for engineers, both employers and employees. The first half of the session focuses on employers, illustrating how offering a retirement plan can enhance recruitment and retention, provide tax benefits, and incorporate new tax credits under the SECURE Act 2.0. It also discusses evaluating current retirement benefits and exploring alternative plans for small businesses. The second half targets employees, detailing the functioning of defined contribution plans, employer matching and vesting, Roth versus Traditional tax treatments, and setting retirement savings benchmarks by age. The course aims to help both groups make informed retirement decisions by understanding the benefits of offering plans, new tax credits, plan alternatives, fiduciary responsibilities, maximizing employer contributions, and setting savings targets.

Presenter's Bio- Stephen Crawford is a co-founding partner at Clarity Wealth in Gainesville, FL, where he specializes in helping busy professionals create detailed financial plans, minimize tax burdens, and work towards their financial goals with confidence.

Before transitioning to financial services, Stephen spent 17 years in engineering and construction, moving from project manager to executive leadership. His background gives him a unique, analytical approach to financial planning—helping professionals think strategically about their money, just as they do in their careers.

Stephen’s journey into financial services was inspired by his own experience of overcoming financial stress with his wife. That experience inspired him to guide others toward financial clarity and freedom. Stephen holds multiple credentials, including Professional Engineer (PE), Structural Engineer (SE), an MBA, securities licenses, and certification in financial coaching and Social Security analysis.

Outside of work, Stephen enjoys time with his wife and three boys, staying active, and tackling home improvement projects with an engineer’s precision.

Host or Publisher Gainesville ASCE