Five to ten years out

The last decade before retirement is the one that decides it

Peak earnings, peak tax rates, and a short window to fix what's fixable. Planning built by a CFP® professional who is also an Enrolled Agent — so the tax math is done in-house, not guessed at.

Book a free intro call → See the fee schedule

You've saved well. Nobody has told you whether it's enough.

Most people arrive here with the same three questions: can I retire when I want to, will the money last, and how much of it goes to taxes. They've been answered with a rule of thumb, an online calculator, or a 401(k) provider's dashboard — none of which know your brackets, your pension election, or that you'd like to stop at 62.

These are the highest-leverage years you have left. Contributions are largest, income is highest, and the decisions you make between now and your first withdrawal — Roth conversions, deferred comp elections, how you de-risk — are worth more than any investment pick. Once you retire, most of that leverage is gone.

Sound Familiar

If you're thinking any of this

"I think we have enough — but I've never had anyone actually check the math."

"I have 401(k)s at three old employers and no idea what's in them."

"If I retire at 62, what do I do about health insurance until Medicare?"

"Everything is in pre-tax accounts. Is that a problem later?"

"Should I be taking risk off the table, or is that a mistake this early?"

"My spouse handles none of this. What happens if I'm not here?"

What We Handle

From "probably okay" to a dated plan

No. 1

The honest retirement date

A cash-flow projection built on your real numbers — spending, pensions, Social Security, taxes — that answers when you can retire, at what lifestyle, and what has to change if the answer isn't the one you wanted.

No. 2

Tax planning in your peak years

Maxing the right accounts in the right order, coordinating deferred comp and bonus timing, harvesting losses, and making sure high-income years aren't wasted. Done by an Enrolled Agent, year-round — not in April.

No. 3

Mapping the Roth conversion window

The low-bracket years between your last paycheck and your first RMD are the single best tax opportunity most retirees get. We identify that window now and build toward it, rather than discovering it after it's half gone.

No. 4

Consolidating thirty years of accounts

Old 401(k)s, a rollover IRA, a taxable account, an HSA, and a stray annuity nobody remembers buying — inventoried, evaluated, and consolidated where it helps. Beneficiaries and titling corrected while we're in there.

No. 5

Health coverage before 65

Retiring early means bridging to Medicare. We model COBRA, marketplace coverage, and the ACA premium credits — which are driven by the income you choose to show, making coverage and Roth conversions the same decision.

No. 6

De-risking without derailing

A bad market in your first few retirement years does more damage than the same market at 45 — that's sequence-of-returns risk. We build a glide path and a cash reserve so an early downturn is an inconvenience, not a plan change.

One fee covers the whole relationship

Every service below is included in the advisory fee. Nothing here is an add-on, and nothing here pays a commission.

No. 01

Retirement Planning

Social Security timing, withdrawal order, and income that lasts.

No. 02

Tax Planning

Year-round strategy from an Enrolled Agent, built into every decision.

No. 03

Investment Management

Tax-aware portfolios built around your goals and timeline.

No. 04

Estate & Legacy

Beneficiaries, titling, and coordination with your attorney.

Blended advisory fee from 1.50% to 0.75%, no account minimum. See the full fee schedule →

Common Questions

Fair questions, straight answers

How far out should I start planning?

Five to ten years before your target date is the sweet spot. Earlier than that and the projections are guesses; later and the best moves — conversion planning, deferred comp elections, adjusting savings, changing the retirement date itself — are already off the table. If you're inside two years, we still have plenty to work with, we just work faster.

Do I actually have enough?

That's the question the plan exists to answer, and it depends on your spending far more than your balance. Two households with identical portfolios can get opposite answers. We'll model it and tell you plainly — including when the answer is "not at that spending level, but yes at this one" or "yes, two years later than you hoped."

Almost everything I have is pre-tax. Is that a problem?

It's a common and fixable one. A large traditional balance means every dollar comes out as ordinary income, RMDs eventually force withdrawals you may not need, and a surviving spouse gets taxed as single. The pre-retirement and early-retirement years are when that gets rebalanced — deliberately, in the brackets you choose.

Should I pay off the mortgage before I retire?

Sometimes. It depends on your rate, where the payoff money comes from, and what the withdrawal does to your bracket in that year. Liquidating a large pre-tax balance to clear a 3% mortgage can cost more in tax than the interest saved. We run it both ways rather than defaulting to the folk wisdom.

I have a 401(k) at work. Can you still help with it?

Yes. We'll advise on the contribution level, fund selection, and how it fits the overall allocation even while it stays at your employer. Held-away accounts are part of the plan whether or not they ever move.

Do I have to move my accounts to work with you?

Not necessarily. Ongoing management is the usual arrangement and includes everything on this page, but if you want the plan built and intend to execute it yourself, an hourly or flat-fee engagement can do that.

Next Step

Find out if the date you have in mind works

A free 30-minute call. Bring your target retirement date and a rough spending number — we'll tell you what we'd need to look at.

Book a free intro call →

Not sure yet? Take the 60-second fit quiz

Golden Acre Wealth Management LLC is an investment adviser registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission (CRD #337930). Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. All fees are negotiable and are described fully in the firm's Form ADV Part 2A, available upon request or at adviserinfo.sec.gov. Projections and planning scenarios are hypothetical, rely on assumptions that will not match actual results, and are not guarantees of future outcomes. Tax rules, contribution limits, and health-coverage subsidies change; examples on this page are general in nature and depend on individual circumstances. Golden Acre Wealth Management does not provide legal services. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. CFP® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® are certification marks owned by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., awarded to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.