Retirement Planning
How to Know If You Are Actually Ready to Retire
Retirement readiness is not just an account balance number. It is whether your portfolio, withdrawal strategy, and spending plan can stay durable across market and life uncertainty.
Core readiness checkpoints
- Realistic spending plan for first 10 retirement years.
- Portfolio withdrawal rate tested across down-market years.
- Defined plan for health insurance, Medicare transition, and taxes.
Common gaps to fix before retiring
- Underestimating healthcare and home maintenance costs.
- No cash buffer for market drawdowns.
- Claiming Social Security without broader tax-income coordination.
Practical move: run your plan with lower returns and higher inflation first. If it still works, your retirement decision is stronger.
90-day pre-retirement process
- Build base, downside, and recovery scenarios.
- Set withdrawal guardrails and cash reserve targets.
- Finalize income sequencing across accounts and benefits.