Why the Final 3-5 Years Before Retirement Matter Most
This episode of the ClearPath Financial Partners podcast focuses on financial planning for individuals entering the crucial three-to-five-year window before retirement — a period Ryan Kittredge describes as the moment when planning must shift from aspiration to precision.
Kittredge explains that these final years are when retirement strategies should become fully mathematical, locking in income streams, tax positioning, and withdrawal sequencing. One client, he recalled, described the distinction simply: “The money that sits in my checking account, I call it my wallet. The money that I put with you guys is the safe.”
The conversation highlights how recent legislative changes have expanded opportunities for late-career savers. Provisions in SECURE Act 2.0 and the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” increased contribution limits and delayed required minimum distributions, giving near-retirees greater flexibility to manage taxes and income timing. New “super catch-up” rules allow individuals aged 60 to 63 to contribute up to $35,750 annually, while delayed RMDs provide a longer planning runway before taxable withdrawals begin.
Beyond numbers, the episode also explores the psychological challenge many lifelong savers face when transitioning into retirement. Kittredge notes that those who spent decades accumulating wealth often struggle most with the shift to spending it. “It is those super savers that have the hardest time with going the other way with it,” he said.