Resources for the Retirement Transition

Guides, tools, and insights to help you move from building wealth to creating income

The decisions you make in the years before retirement carry more weight than most people expect.

Which accounts do you draw from first? When do you convert to Roth? How do you create income

that lasts without overpaying in taxes?

These resources come from the real planning work I do with clients navigating this exact phase.

Use them to get oriented, ask better questions, and make more informed decisions before the

window closes.

FEATURED RESOURCE - Retirement Transition Series

If you’re within 5–10 years of retirement, this series walks through how to turn your savings into a reliable, tax-efficient income plan. Learn how taxes, Social Security, withdrawal strategy, account structure, and your investment portfolio all work together to create a secure retirement paycheck.

FEATURED RESOURCE — Retirement Transition Field Guide

Sentient Financial Retirement Transition Field Guide — free retirement planning resource for pre-retirees 5-10 years from retirement covering income, taxes, Social Security, and withdrawal strategy

START HERE

Retirement Transition Field Guide

If you're within 5–10 years of retirement and haven't mapped out your income, tax, and

withdrawal strategy yet, this is where to start.

The Field Guide walks through the decisions that matter most in this phase and how to think

through them before they're made for you.

8 STEPS TO SMART INVESTING IN 2026

Sentient Financial 8 Steps to Smart Investing in 2026 — free investing guide covering portfolio strategy, diversification, and tax-efficient investing for pre-retirees in Laguna Niguel and nationwide

Most investment strategies are built for accumulation. This guide covers the adjustments worth making when the goal shifts from building wealth to protecting and using it. Eight practical steps for the pre-retirement window, before your options start narrowing.

10 Tax Strategies for High-Income Pre-Retirees

Sentient Financial 10 Tax Strategies for High Income Earners — free tax planning guide covering Roth conversions, withdrawal sequencing, and tax-efficient retirement income strategies

High earners have more tax levers available before retirement than after. Several of these strategies only work while you're still earning. This guide covers the ten I reach for most often with clients in your income range, including Roth conversion timing, bracket management, and deduction sequencing.

STAY CURRENT

The Wealth Hawk Report Newsletter A monthly newsletter on retirement income, tax strategy, and the financial moves that matter for professionals within 5–10 years of retirement. No filler. No market commentary. Just practical insights on the decisions you're actually facing.

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Not Sure Where to Start?

Download the Field Guide, run the Snapshot tool, or spend 20 minutes on a fit call. There's no perfect starting point. There's just starting before the window gets any smaller.