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Retirement Planning Tips for People Close to Retirement

Are you about to retire and looking for clear, practical advice? You’re in the right place. Our blog is designed for people in their 50s and 60s who want to feel confident about retirement and make smart financial decisions before leaving work.

Here’s what you’ll find:

  • How to know if you’re ready to retire
  • Tax planning strategies to help reduce your lifetime tax bill
  • Social Security and Medicare explained in plain language
    • and ways to optimize these tools in retirement
  • Retirement income planning that fits your lifestyle
  • Tips for avoiding the biggest mistakes in your final working years

Retirement isn’t just about money. It’s about what comes next in life. We cover lifestyle planning too, from staying connected to finding purpose - and creating a retirement that’s meaningful and enjoyable.

Our goal: Make retirement planning less overwhelming and a lot more clear for those close to retirement or already on the retirement journey. No jargon, no unnecessary complexity, just practical ideas you can use right now.

Start exploring, and if you want more in-depth conversations, check out our podcast, The Perfect Retirement Plan? at tidepoolwealth.com, Spotify, and YouTube Music.

The perfect retirement plan for you is the one you act on!

 

Friday, May 15, 2026

Social Security: The $1 Million Retirement Decision Most People Make in 15 Minutes By Phillip Smith, TPCP® CRPC® AIF® | Financial Planner | Tidepool Wealth Strategies You are 61, maybe 62. You've been working toward this for a long...

Friday, May 8, 2026

"Financial planning" can mean almost anything, depending on who you ask. Here's an honest breakdown of the prominent versions of what's actually out there, what to look for, and where we fit in.

Friday, May 1, 2026

Financial planning is a great start. But retirement is a different problem than the one most financial planning likes to solve. Here's an honest look at why "good enough" planning may fall short when it matters most.

Friday, April 24, 2026

Many pre-retirees have a retirement plan and no estate plan. This post walks through what that gap actually looks like, what gets missed, and what finally made it manageable for one Oregon couple nearing retirement.

Friday, April 10, 2026

Most people approaching retirement have done the saving. What they're missing is the sequence. Three real scenarios show how coordination - not more money - changes everything.

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Friday, March 27, 2026

The number gets you to retirement. These four cost categories determine whether you stay there comfortably.

Friday, March 13, 2026

Jane and Jack had a solid plan. Then Jack had a stroke. Here's what their story reveals about the long-term care gap most pre-retirees don't see coming.

Friday, February 27, 2026

The S&P 500 includes some of the world’s best companies, but retirement introduces risks that performance alone can’t solve. Learn how diversification across assets and investment styles helps portfolios survive withdrawals & market stress.

Friday, February 13, 2026

Roth conversions sound counterintuitive until you understand why retirees use them. This post explains what a Roth conversion is, when it makes sense, common mistakes, and how it fits into a retirement plan.

Friday, January 30, 2026

A thoughtful look at when financial advice actually matters. This post explores why advice alone doesn’t create outcomes, and how follow-through, coordination, and engagement make all the difference in retirement planning.

Friday, January 16, 2026

You can save for 30 years and still “miss” retirement if the sequence is off. This post explains why timing matters more than math and how to coordinate Social Security, taxes, withdrawals, pensions, and Medicare.

Friday, January 2, 2026

Hot investing trends are tempting, especially near retirement. This post explains why consistency beats excitement, how trends can quietly damage income and taxes, & how retirees can build confidence without chasing the next big thing.

Friday, December 12, 2025

The hardest part of retirement often isn’t the math. It’s the shift from saving to spending. This post explores why withdrawals feel uncomfortable and how retirees build confidence in retirement income.

Friday, December 5, 2025

Your PERS IAP decision is permanent once your pension starts. This post explains your options, timing traps to avoid, and how IAP choices can affect taxes, Roth strategies, and income flexibility in retirement.

Friday, November 28, 2025

Retiring before 65 in Oregon? Learn how to control your income - specifically MAGI - for ACA subsidies, blend tax-free and taxable withdrawals, time COBRA and Social Security, and set up health coverage before Medicare.

Friday, November 21, 2025

There’s a lot of noise around ACA subsidies. This post breaks down what’s actually changing, what’s still uncertain, and how retirees and pre-Medicare households should plan around it.

Friday, November 7, 2025

Cash feels safe, but too much can hurt your retirement. Learn how much cash retirees should keep, how inflation erodes savings, and how to invest excess cash wisely for lasting income.

Friday, October 31, 2025

Infinite Banking: Smart Strategy or Expensive Sales Pitch? By Phillip Smith, CRPC®, AIF® | Financial Planner | Tidepool Wealth Strategies “Be your own bank.” Sounds slick, right? Skip the greedy banks, borrow from yourself, and grow...

Friday, October 17, 2025

Worried about retiring into a market downturn? Learn how to protect income, handle sequence of returns risk, and keep your retirement plan on track even if stocks drop suddenly.

Friday, October 3, 2025

Retiring after 59½ with a Roth 401(k)? Learn key rules and when a rollover to a Roth IRA gives cleaner, flexible, tax-free cash flow for your retirement plan.

Friday, September 26, 2025

Planning to retire in Oregon? Explore PERS decisions, Social Security taxes, estate laws, and cost of living to understand how much you’ll really need for a secure retirement.

Friday, September 12, 2025

Medicare premiums can rise based on income, often years after retirement decisions are made. This post explains IRMAA in plain English and highlights retirement planning strategies that may help reduce surprises.

Friday, August 29, 2025

Retiring with an Oregon PERS pension comes with more choices than most people expect. This post walks through the key PERS decisions that shape income, taxes, and long-term flexibility so you can make them with clarity, not pressure.

Friday, August 15, 2025

Roth 401(k) After 59½: Should You Rollover to a Roth IRA? By Phillip Smith, CRPC®, AIF® | Financial Planner | Tidepool Wealth Strategies You did the hard part. Years of steady saving, maxing that employer match, and staying in for the...

Saturday, August 2, 2025

A kayak at Costco taught me a truth: buying a kayak is easy, making time for it is hard. Retirement works the same way! Priorities matter more than impulse buys (especially in retirement planning). Here’s why.

Monday, July 21, 2025

The 80% rule is outdated. Learn how to calculate your real retirement income needs and plan with confidence. Work toward clear income streams, a flexible spending plan, and tough stress tests. Discover how to own your retirement.

Monday, July 14, 2025

Tariffs cranked market volatility to eleven in the spring. Learn how trade wars can squeeze your retirement, and the four moves every late-career professional should make to keep their plan on track and ready for the rebound.

Monday, July 7, 2025

Close to retirement? These five practical tips can help you grow your savings before you leave work. Catch-ups, Roth conversions, asset location, HSA growth, and bridge accounts can supercharge your retirement savings fast.

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

As retirement gets closer, many people ask: “Do I really need a financial advisor, or can I handle this myself?” It’s an important question. In this article, we’ll weigh the pros and cons of DIY planning, and when to hire a professional.

Monday, June 9, 2025

Learn how to turn your Health Savings Account into a tax-free retirement powerhouse. Get 2025 HSA limits, HDHP rules, triple-tax advantages, investment tips, delayed reimbursements and a genius IRA-to-HSA transfer strategy.

Monday, May 26, 2025

If you’re about to retire and staring down rising health-care costs, your Health Savings Account (HSA) might be the most underrated tool in your kit. Squeeze every drop of value from it without getting tangled in tax jargon.

Friday, May 16, 2025

Worried about running out of money in retirement? Learn how to manage healthcare costs, market crashes, tax burdens, and finding purpose after work. Get clear, actionable strategies to help you retire confidently.

Monday, April 21, 2025

Left an old job? Don’t ignore your 401(k). Here are four smart options for managing that money now, before your retire. Discover smart steps to simplify, save fees, and maximize your retirement savings as you get closer to retirement.

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Should you cash out investments during market volatility? Learn why timing the stock market rarely works, hidden costs of holding cash, and how a thoughtful retirement plan can protect your savings & keep you calm as retirement approaches.

Friday, March 14, 2025

Inherited an IRA? Learn about the 10-year rule, avoid common tax mistakes, and use a smart 401(k) offset strategy to reduce your tax bill.