Financial Planning for Pre-Retirees
Turning years of saving into a plan you can actually retire on.
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Saving for retirement and planning to live off those savings are two different skills.
Most pre-retirees have spent decades getting good at the first one: contributing to a 401(k), watching a balance grow, checking in once or twice a year. The second skill, turning that balance into reliable income for a retirement that could last thirty years, isn’t something most people have practiced before.
That’s where we come in. The years just before retirement are when a plan gets tested the hardest. Decisions about when to retire, when to claim Social Security, how to draw down accounts, and how to manage taxes all interact, and getting one piece wrong can affect every other piece.
Where We Start: Your Income Gap
Rather than chasing a round number like “$2 million,” we start by identifying your annual portfolio income gap, the difference between what you plan to spend each year in retirement and what dependable income, such as Social Security, a pension, or rental income, will already cover.
That gap is what your investments actually need to produce. It’s a far more useful number than a generic savings multiple, because it reflects your household, not an average one.
What you plan to spend each year in retirement
Social Security
Pension
Net rental income
Income gap
Dependable income will already cover
Your annual portfolio income gapWhat your investments actually need to produce
What We Help Pre-Retirees Think Through
Retirement timing.
When you can realistically stop working, and what retiring a year earlier or later actually does to your plan.
Social Security claiming strategy.
Claiming before full retirement age locks in a smaller check for life. Delaying past full retirement age can raise your monthly benefit by roughly 8% for each year you wait, up to age 70. We help you weigh that decision against your health, other income, and spending needs.
Income bridges.
If you retire before a pension or Social Security begins, your portfolio may need to cover a larger share of expenses for a few years. We plan for that gap in advance instead of discovering it after the fact.
Tax-efficient withdrawal order.
Which accounts to draw from first, and how to avoid pushing yourself into a higher tax bracket than you need to.
Healthcare and Medicare.
Coordinating coverage before and after Medicare eligibility, since a gap here can be expensive.
Stress-testing the plan.
We model your plan against a market downturn early in retirement, a longer-than-average lifespan, and rising healthcare costs, so you know how it holds up under pressure, not just under an average scenario.
Our Approach
Palm Capital Management uses fundamental analysis and a long-term, tactical approach to build portfolios around your goals, not the other way around. As fiduciaries, we’re legally obligated to act in your best interest, and we keep our own investable assets alongside our clients’, so our incentives stay aligned with yours.
We also believe cost matters. Hidden fees inside mutual funds and other structured products can quietly erode a portfolio over time, so our approach favors low-cost, transparent holdings that give you direct ownership and more control.
Portfolios built around your goals
Fiduciary, invested alongside you
Low-cost, transparent holdings
Common questions
Pre-Retiree Financial Planning FAQs
Straight answers to the questions we hear most from people in the final years before retirement.
Got more questions?
Ask us anythingHow do I know if I have enough to retire?
Start with your annual portfolio income gap: expected spending minus dependable income like Social Security or a pension. Translate that gap into an asset range using withdrawal assumptions; it’s a far more accurate target than a generic savings rule.
When should I start planning for retirement?
Five to ten years out is ideal, since major decisions like Social Security timing, healthcare bridges, and portfolio positioning benefit from lead time. That said, it’s never too late to build a clearer plan, even if retirement is only a year or two away.
Should I claim Social Security as soon as I’m eligible?
Not necessarily. Claiming early locks in a permanently smaller benefit, while delaying past full retirement age increases it by roughly 8% a year up to age 70. The right choice depends on your health, other income, and spending needs, which we model out with you.
What happens if the market drops right after I retire?
This is one of the biggest risks in retirement planning, often called sequence-of-returns risk. We stress-test your plan against a weak start to retirement, not just an average return, so you know how it holds up before you rely on it.
How much should I have in cash versus invested when I’m close to retiring?
There’s no universal answer. It depends on your spending needs, your other income sources, and how much flexibility you want if markets are down when you need to draw funds. We build that cushion around your specific plan.
Do you only work with clients in Calabasas?
No. While our office is based in Calabasas, California, we work with clients across the country.
Words from Our Clients
Independent Google reviews from those who trust us with their financial future.
“Alano has been managing my now quite sizeable Schwab rollover IRA and revocable trust accounts for 11 years. I’ve left practically all investment choices to him. The funds have grown substantially under his guidance. He and his staff have always been available and responsive to any requests I have for documents or explanations.”
— Donald S.
This is an unpaid solicited client testimonial. The client has had a financial relationship with Alano Massi for over 10 years and is providing his opinion. A client testimonial does not guarantee future investment success and should not be that any client or prospective client will experience a higher level of investment performance. This may present a conflict of interest as this particular client’s experience may or may not be the same as another client’s experience.
“I have worked with Alano Massi for several years and it has been an exceptional experience. Alano is very professional and knowledgeable, and he always makes time to understand my specific goals. Alano and his staff provide prompt and friendly communication, always available to answer my questions and ease my concerns.”
— Sarah C.
This is an unpaid solicited client testimonial. The client has had a financial relationship with Alano Massi for over 7 years and is providing her opinion. A client testimonial does not guarantee future investment success and should not be that any client or prospective client will experience a higher level of investment performance. This may present a conflict of interest as this particular client’s experience may or may not be the same as another client’s experience.
Financial Resources for Pre-Retirees
Ready to Turn Your Savings Into a Plan?
Schedule a complimentary consultation and let’s build the plan that gets you from saving to spending with confidence.