David (55) and Karen (54) came to us with a straightforward goal: make the next decade count. They had a high household income and a healthy portfolio, but a growing concern: Are we actually on track, and if so, are we being as efficient as possible getting there?

When we mapped out their full financial picture, the good news was clear – they were ahead of where most people are at 55. But there was opportunity being left on the table. Their investment mix carried more risk than necessary for this stage of life. Seventy-five percent of their savings was being held in pre-tax accounts. And they didn’t have clarity on when, or how, they could confidently retire.

We started by realigning their portfolio, adjusting allocations to better match their goals and their timeline. From there, we focused on addressing their tax exposure. We created a multi-year tax strategy focused on tax efficient asset location and early retirement Roth conversions which would help to transition their current pre-tax investments into a tax efficient system. They now knew, step-by-step, what actions to take over the next 10 years, and had a plan to implement once retirement started.

Finally, we stress-tested their plan across multiple scenarios: market volatility, inflation, longevity, and different retirement timelines. For the first time they were able to see, in real numbers, what their retirement could look like and when it could start.

David and Karen didn’t just leave with a plan – they left with actionable steps to take to maximize the next 10 years and beyond.