Retirement Planning & Financial Independence
Retirement income planning for high-income professionals isn't just about saving enough — it's about coordinating equity compensation, tax-deferred accounts, Social Security timing, and withdrawal strategy into a plan that actually works when you get there. In Phase Wealth Management helps clients in San Mateo and the Bay Area build a retirement plan around their real numbers, not a generic rule of thumb.
What Retirement Income Planning Covers
-
Retirement Savings Strategy
Maximizing 401(k), 403(b), backdoor Roth, and mega backdoor Roth contributions where available — especially relevant for tech employees with access to these plan features.
-
Self-Employed Retirement Plans
For business owners and self-employed professionals, choosing the right structure — Solo 401(k), SEP IRA, defined benefit plan — can significantly change how much you can shelter from taxes each year.
-
Financial Independence Planning
For clients aiming to retire early or transition out of full-time work ahead of a traditional timeline, we model the numbers needed to make that transition with confidence.
-
Retirement Income & Distribution Planning
Deciding which accounts to draw from, and in what order, can meaningfully change how long your money lasts and how much you pay in taxes along the way.
-
Social Security & Pension Timing
Claiming decisions are permanent and affect household income for decades. We help model the tradeoffs based on your full financial picture, not just a generic claiming-age rule.
-
Equity Compensation's Role in Retirement
For many of our clients, RSUs, ISOs, and other equity compensation make up a meaningful part of their retirement assets. We help you think through how — and when — that equity should convert into retirement savings.
Our Approach
1. Define what retirement actually looks like for you.
"Retirement" means different things to different people — full stop, gradual transition, early financial independence. We start by understanding your goals, not assuming a standard timeline.
2. Build the numbers around your real situation.
We model your savings, equity compensation, expected expenses, and income sources to see whether your current trajectory supports the retirement you want — and what needs to change if it doesn't.
3. Plan the transition, not just the destination.
The years right before and after retirement carry the most risk — sequence-of-returns risk, healthcare coverage gaps, tax bracket management. We build a plan specifically for that transition window.
4. Revisit as your life and the markets change.
Retirement plans aren't static. We update your plan as your career, family, and the markets evolve, so you're never working off outdated assumptions.
Who This Is For
-
High-income professionals planning for a traditional or early retirement
-
Tech employees with equity compensation as part of their retirement assets
-
Business owners exploring self-employed retirement plan options
-
Pre-retirees nearing a decision on Social Security or pension claiming
-
Anyone pursuing financial independence ahead of a standard retirement timeline
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do I need to retire?
It depends on your expected expenses, retirement age, other income sources, and how long your money needs to last — there's no single number that applies to everyone. We build a personalized projection based on your actual situation.
What's a mega backdoor Roth, and am I eligible?
It's a strategy available through certain employer 401(k) plans that allows high earners to contribute significantly more to a Roth account than standard limits allow. Eligibility depends on your specific plan's features.
Should I retire early or keep working?
That depends on your savings, expenses, healthcare coverage plan, and what you want your time to look like. We help model the financial side clearly so you can make that decision with confidence.
Want to know if you're on track for the retirement you want?