Pursue Your Goals

Barbara Swiatek is the founder of SF Financial Services, author of Retire Financially Fit, and host of the Retire Financially Fit radio show and podcast. For more than two decades, Barbara has helped individuals and families navigate one of life’s most important transitions, moving from their working years into retirement with confidence and clarity. But her passion for this work did not come from textbooks or the financial industry. It came from her own family. Barbara watched her grandmother place her trust in two financial advisors who invested her money aggressively, exposing her to risks she never understood. By the time the family realized what had happened, the damage had already been done.

Years later, Barbara faced another deeply personal experience when her father was diagnosed with dementia. Before his health declined, he made sure everything was organized, his financial accounts, legal documents, and plans were all in place. One of the last promises he asked Barbara to make was simple but powerful: “Promise me you’ll take care of Mom when I’m not here.” Because of the preparation he had put in place, Barbara and the family were able to carry out his wishes and ensure her mother could continue living comfortably and independently. Those two experiences, one painful, one powerful, shaped the way Barbara approaches financial planning today.

Barbara believes retirement planning is not simply about growing money. It is about making thoughtful decisions that protect families and provide stability for the years ahead. Her philosophy centers around a few guiding principles:

• Retirement should focus on creating dependable income, not just building large account balances.