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5 to 10 years from retiring
Pre-Retirement Planning
Your last 10 years of work are the most powerful years you’ll have. One full market cycle to grow your wealth, and the highest income of your career to fuel it.
Most of the people I work with are in their early 50s, with a 10 year runway. Here’s how we make that runway count.
General information only. Investing and borrowing carry risk.
The 10 year runway
What one market cycle can do for you.
If you’re 5 to 10 years from retiring, you have one full market cycle left before you stop work. A lot of my advice is about what you can achieve in that cycle.
I use the rule of 72 all the time. Divide 72 by your growth rate and you get the years it takes your money to double. At 7% growth, that’s about 10 years.
So if you borrow $1 million to invest in shares or property, which is common advice for my clients, that investment could double over the next 10 years. Set up properly, it’s the difference between a good retirement and a great one.
10 yrs
One full market cycle, your runway to retirement
7%
The growth rate that doubles your money in about 10 years
$1M → $2M
What a $1 million investment could grow to in 10 years at 7%
Illustration only, before interest costs and tax. Markets go down as well as up.
The strategy most people miss
You can put cash into super.
Most people have no idea. It’s one of the biggest levers you have in your last 10 years of work.
They’re called non concessional contributions. You put after tax cash into your super, up to $130,000 a year in 2026/27, and more in one go using the bring forward rules, depending on your super balance.
Inside super, investment earnings are taxed at no more than 15%. From 60, once you move into retirement phase, the income it pays you is generally tax free.
Combine that with concessional contributions and the catch up rules, and super becomes one of the most powerful wealth builders in your plan. It brings me a lot of new clients, because so few people know it’s possible.
Client example
$800K to $4M in 11 years.
| Age at the start | 49 |
| Super at the start | $800K |
| Cash into super | $8,000 a month |
| Super at 60 | $4M |
Results depend on your circumstances and market returns. Details changed for privacy.
Watch the story
$800K to $4M in super, in 11 years.
A tech executive and his partner put $8,500 a month into super. At 60, he draws $200K a year, tax free. Read the full case study.
General information only. Results depend on your circumstances.
How I help
Your last 10 years, planned properly.
Retirement income modelling
Exactly how you get to $15K to $25K a month, and the date you can stop.
Cash into super
Concessional, non concessional and catch up contributions, timed for the biggest tax win.
Debt recycling and investing
Using your home equity to invest in shares or property, so your 10 years work harder.
RSUs and your exit
Selling down company shares, and planning your last bonuses and vests before you finish.
Is this you?
Who pre-retirement planning suits.
These are the same questions I ask on your Clarity Call.
A good fit
- You’re 5 to 10 years from retiring, often in your early 50s
- Household income of $400K or more
- At least $500K in super
- At least $1M of equity in your family home
- You can save at least $4,000 a month above your minimum mortgage repayments
Risks to understand
- Markets fall as well as rise. 10 years is a guide, not a guarantee
- Borrowing magnifies losses as well as gains, and rates can rise
- Super is locked away until you meet a condition of release, usually from 60
- Contribution caps and super rules can change
83 LinkedIn recommendations
What clients say on LinkedIn.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start pre-retirement planning?
Ideally 5 to 10 years before you want to stop work. That gives you a full market cycle to grow your assets, and time to use your super contribution caps each year.
Can I put cash into super?
Yes. Non concessional contributions let you add after tax money to super, up to $130,000 a year in 2026/27, or more in one go under the bring forward rules, depending on your super balance. Earnings inside super are taxed at no more than 15%, and from 60 your retirement income is generally tax free.
What is the rule of 72?
Divide 72 by your annual growth rate to see roughly how many years it takes to double your money. At 7%, that’s about 10 years.
Should I borrow to invest this close to retirement?
It can work, because 10 years is a full market cycle. But borrowing magnifies losses as well as gains, so it has to fit your cash flow, timeline and risk tolerance. We model it before you commit.
How do you work out how much I need to retire?
With retirement income modelling. We map your income goal, say $15K to $25K a month, against your super, investments and timeline, and show you exactly what needs to happen to get there.
Create an income for life
Find out what your next 10 years could look like.
15 minutes. No cost, no obligation. Not ready yet? Start with the free Debt Recycling Playbook.
