If you’re 5–15 years from retirement and wondering… “Am I actually on track — or just hoping for the best?”
These 20 tips give you the clarity you need.
Built for high-income professionals who want to retire on their terms.
We use the same strategies to help our clients create $10K–$20K/month in sustainable income, years earlier than they thought possible.
If you’re earning well but still asking: “How much longer do I need to work?” This is where the answer starts….
💼 5 Super Strategies to Close the Gap to Retirement
Super isn’t just a retirement account—it’s your built-in tax-advantaged vehicle for creating long-term wealth. When used strategically, it can be the key to retiring 5–10 years earlier than you thought possible.
Here’s how to supercharge your super:
1. Use Pre-Tax Contributions to Super (and Boost Retirement Savings)
Super contributions from pre-tax income not only grow your retirement fund—they’re taxed at just 15-30%, not your marginal rate (which could be 47%). That difference adds up fast.
✅ Goal: Shrink the time it takes to reach your retirement target by boosting your contributions now.
2. Catch Up Using Unused Contribution Caps
If you haven’t maxed out your contributions over the past few years, the ATO lets you catch up using unused caps if your super balance is under $500k. It’s an incredible way to accelerate growth in a short window.
✅ Goal: Plug gaps from previous years to close the distance to your ideal retirement number.
A recent client of mine was able to get a $162,500 tax deduction using super catch-up contributions –
click here to see how
3. Super Split With Your Partner
If your spouse is earning less, splitting super can help even out your balances and reduce tax down the track, especially useful for managing contribution caps and eligibility for government incentives.
✅ Goal: Adopt a household approach to retirement, rather than an individual one.
4. Consolidate and Cut the Fat
Multiple accounts = unnecessary fees, admin headaches, and forgotten investment options. Bringing your super together makes it easier to track progress and keep your investment strategy aligned.
✅ Goal: Create a leaner, faster-growing super strategy that works as hard as you do.
5. Dial In Your Investment Mix
If your super is invested in the wrong option for your age and goals (e.g., too conservative or too aggressive), you’re either missing out on growth or taking on too much risk.
✅ Goal: Align your super’s investment strategy with your retirement timeline, so it grows steadily and helps you reach your goal faster.
🧾 5 Smart Tax Moves to Close the Gap to Retirement
High income is only part of the equation. If too much is lost to tax each year, it slows down your ability to build wealth and retire on your terms.
Here’s how to reduce tax strategically—so more of your income fuels your early retirement plan.
1. Use Post-Tax Contributions to Super (and Boost Retirement Savings)
Super contributions from after-tax income not only grow your retirement fund—they’re taxed at just 15% while invested inside super, not your marginal rate (which could be as high as 47%).
You can make contributions of $120k each financial year and also take advantage of the 3-year bring-forward rule. So $360k next financial year, starting on 1 July 2025.
My client is planning on putting $1M into super in the next month – click here to see how
✅ Goal: Direct more of your income into your retirement engine, not the ATO’s pocket.
2. Time RSU & Bonus Events Strategically
Lumpy income (bonuses, equity vesting) can bump you into a higher tax bracket and trigger unnecessary losses. Spreading or staggering events across financial years can soften the blow.
✅ Goal: Smooth your income curve and avoid being penalised for earning well.
Read my latest post about the real cost of holding to much company stock
3. Offset Gains with Strategic Deductions or Losses
Capital gains from shares or property? Match them with deductible expenses or losses (where appropriate) to reduce what’s taxable. Timing is everything here.
✅ Goal: Keep more profit in your pocket by reducing the tax you pay on successful investments.
4. Own Assets in the Right Name or Structure
Sometimes it’s smarter (and safer) to hold assets in a partner’s name or through a trust structure—especially if they’re in a lower tax bracket or you’re exposed to liability.
✅ Goal: Maximise after-tax wealth as a household, not just as an individual.
5. Prepay Deductible Expenses Before June 30
Do you have income protection insurance or an investment loan interest? Prepaying 12 months in advance can bring forward deductions and reduce this year’s taxable income.
✅ Goal: Use smart timing to reduce tax now and reinvest the savings toward retirement.
Every dollar you legally save in tax is another dollar that can be working to bring your retirement forward.
💰 5 Smart Income Strategies to Close the Gap to Retirement
If you want to retire earlier, you need to shift from earning income through work to earning income through assets. The goal? Replace your salary with predictable, passive income before traditional retirement age.
Here are five proven ways to start building income streams that move you closer to financial independence.
1. Build an Income Bucket Strategy
Structure your assets into 3 “buckets”:
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Short-term (cash for 1–2 years of living)
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Medium-term (income-focused assets like dividend shares or ETFs)
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Long-term (growth investments that keep compounding)
✅ Goal: Ensure you can cover lifestyle costs now and in the future, without relying on work.
2. Turn Super into a Tax-Free Income Stream
Once eligible, you can convert super into a tax-free pension—giving you regular income while keeping your money invested and growing.
✅ Goal: Start drawing sustainable, tax-free income and reduce pressure on other assets.
3. Invest in Income-Producing Assets (the Right Way)
Think:
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High-dividend shares
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ETFs
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Investment property
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Fixed income
The key is balance: income now, growth for later.
✅ Goal: Replace earned income with diversified, reliable investment income.
4. Create a Personal Drawdown Plan
Random withdrawals = risky. Instead, create a structured drawdown strategy that covers your lifestyle but protects your capital. Think of it like paying yourself a salary from your own retirement fund.
✅ Goal: Make income consistent and intentional—no guesswork.
5. Use Debt Recycling to Generate Deductible Income
Convert “bad” debt (like home loans) into “good” debt that funds income-producing investments. This strategy converts a liability into a long-term income stream and may reduce your tax liability.
✅ Goal: Accelerate wealth creation using your existing cash flow—without working more.
Together, these strategies help you shift from working for income to having income work for you, which is the foundation of early, confident retirement.
Click the picture below to learn about debt recycling
📊 5 Smart Investment Strategies to Close the Gap to Retirement
The right investment choices don’t just grow your wealth—they shorten the runway to financial independence. If your goal is to retire sooner (and stay retired), every decision needs to be aligned with that outcome.
Here are 5 investment principles designed to help you accelerate toward that finish line:
1. Invest with a Purpose—Not Just for Performance
It’s not about chasing the highest returns—it’s about building the right returns to fund your retirement timeline. Every investment should support your freedom goal.
✅ Goal: Align your investments with your desired lifestyle and retirement age, not someone else’s benchmark.
2. Diversify Beyond Your Career and Industry
If most of your income and equity is tied to tech or one company, you’re overexposed. Diversifying across sectors and asset classes protects your plan from market shocks.
✅ Goal: Create stability and reduce risk, so one downturn doesn’t delay your retirement.
3. Rebalance Regularly, With Intention
Your portfolio shouldn’t look the same at 45 as it does at 65. Adjust risk levels as your retirement window gets closer to lock in gains and protect what you’ve built.
✅ Goal: Keep your strategy in sync with your evolving retirement horizon.
4. Balance Growth and Liquidity
It’s not just about how much your portfolio grows—it’s about whether you can access it when you need it. Ensure you have a mix of growth and income, along with sufficient liquidity to cover 2–3 years of living expenses.
✅ Goal: Avoid having to sell investments at the wrong time just to fund your lifestyle.
5. Use Structure to Boost Tax Efficiency
Investing in the right structures (super, trusts, offset accounts, joint ownership) often matters as much as the investment itself. Smart structuring means less tax, more reinvestment, and faster compounding.
✅ Goal: Maximise every dollar working toward your retirement date—and reduce drag along the way.
🔑 When your investments are designed around your goals (not just market performance), you regain control over your timeline.
Unlock $10K–$20K/Month in Sustainable Income From Your Home Equity, Company shares, Super & Investments
Tech Execs Early Retirement Blueprint (Built in 60 Days)
A personalised, tax-efficient plan designed for senior tech professionals to finally get clarity on your financial future.
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A step-by-step plan to generate $10K–$20K/month in passive income
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How to manage your RSUs, super and investments
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Avoid costly tax mistakes or missed opportunities
Click here to download the blueprint
