Greenwood Village, Colorado

Retirement income planning for professionals who’ve done the work — and want to keep more of what they’ve earned.

You didn’t build a successful career to hand an unnecessary share of it to taxes. We help professionals age 45–65 turn a lifetime of saving into a retirement income strategy that’s tax-smart, sustainable, and built around the life you actually want.

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How We Work

The problem you’re actually solving

Most financial advice focuses on growing a portfolio. That’s necessary — but it’s not the hard part of retirement. The hard part is turning decades of savings into reliable income, in the right order, from the right accounts, at the lowest possible tax cost — while Social Security, Medicare, and required withdrawals all interact in ways that can quietly cost you tens of thousands of dollars if they’re not coordinated.

That coordination is what we do.

What Makes Ascend Different

A specialist’s approach to your retirement

Retirement income, not generalist wealth management

Tax-aware withdrawal sequencing, Roth conversion strategy, Social Security timing, and Medicare/IRMAA planning are the core of what we do — not an afterthought to managing your portfolio.

Every recommendation runs through a tax lens first

Using dedicated tax-projection tools alongside your financial plan, we look for opportunities most advisors don’t — before decisions get made, not after you file.

A team you actually know, not a single point of failure

You’ll have one lead advisor as your primary contact, and you’ll get to know the broader team supporting your plan — so continuity never depends on any one person’s calendar.

We coordinate with the professionals you trust

Your CPA, your estate attorney — we work alongside them, not around them.

Who we work with

Ascend Planning Partners works with professionals age 45–65 who’ve built real success and want a clear, coordinated plan for turning it into a retirement that’s financially secure and tax-efficient — without having to become a tax expert themselves.

Meet the team

You’ll be assigned one lead advisor as your primary point of contact — but our team-based approach means the right specialist gets looped in whenever your situation calls for it. Someone working primarily with Brandon, for example, might have Koren join a conversation for a complex tax question.

Koren Vining, CFP, CRC, CSSCS

Financial Planner | Wealth Advisor

(303) 283-5900

koren.vining@ceterainvestors.com

CEO & Founder, Financial Planner & Wealth Advisor — specializing in retirement income planning and tax strategy.

Ann Speer, AIF, CPFA

Wealth Advisor

720-704-1594

Ann.speer@ceterainvestors.com

Meet Ann L. Speer, AIF®, CPFA®, your guide to a well-lived financial life. Ann is not just a Senior Financial Advisor at Cetera Investors; she's a partner in your journey towards achieving financial confidence. With her...

Brandon Speer

Financial Planner | Wealth Advisor

303-283-5900

720-509-2466

brandon.speer@ceterainvestors.com

Wealth Advisor — works with individuals, families, and business owners on retirement income, tax strategy, group retirement plans, and growth-focused investment planning.

Steve Sherman

Financial Planner & Wealth Advisor

720-432-0973

steve.sherman@ceterainvestors.com

Wealth Advisor — 40 years of experience helping families turn complex financial decisions into simple, confident ones.

Lisa Dameron

Administrative Assistant

(720) 509-2364

lisa.dameron@ceterais.com

Client Services — your go-to contact for scheduling, paperwork, and keeping things moving.

Quin Solamo

Financial Planning Specialist

Quin works closely with Koren Vining’s advisory team and alongside Zarina as part of the extended financial planning team. She supports the development of financial plans by helping advisors use planning tools thoughtfully to explore...

Zarina Sullivan, MBA, CFP®, CDFA

Financial Planning Specialist

Zarina works closely with Koren Vining and the Ascend Planning Partners team as part of the extended planning support. She plays a behind‑the‑scenes role, helping think through financial planning details and adding an extra layer of...