The Five Years Before Retirement Could Be Your Most Important
August 12, 2026
Clarity Financial Solutions Invites Upstate Community to Educational Seminar
For many Americans, retirement planning has been a decades-long journey of saving and investing. But according to Clarity Financial Solutions, the five years leading up to retirement may be the most important—and the most overlooked.
While many people focus on growing their retirement savings, the final stretch before retirement shifts to a different challenge: making smart decisions about taxes, Social Security, healthcare and retirement income. These decisions can have a lasting impact on financial security for decades to come.
To help individuals prepare, Clarity Financial Solutions is hosting a complimentary educational seminar, Taxes in Retirement, on Tuesday, August 25, with two sessions available from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the F.W. Symmes Branch Library, 1508 Pelham Road, Greenville, SC.
“The biggest retirement mistakes don’t usually happen because someone failed to save enough,” said Amanda Stilwell, Founder and Financial Advisor at Clarity Financial Solutions. “They happen because important decisions are delayed or made without understanding how one choice impacts another. The years just before retirement present a tremendous opportunity to make strategic decisions that can improve your financial future.”
During the seminar, attendees will learn about several critical retirement topics, including:
- Common tax mistakes that can impact retirement income
- How to create a more tax-efficient withdrawal strategy
- When to claim Social Security and why timing matters
- How Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) may affect taxes
- Strategies for balancing Traditional IRA/401(k), Roth IRA and taxable accounts
- Ways healthcare and long-term care planning fit into a retirement strategy
- Recent tax law changes and what they could mean for retirees
According to Clarity Financial Solutions, many retirees are surprised to learn that retirement does not automatically mean paying lower taxes. Withdrawals from retirement accounts, Social Security benefits, investment income and Required Minimum Distributions can all affect a retiree’s tax liability. Planning ahead may create opportunities that become more difficult—or impossible—once retirement begins.
“Our goal is to help people understand these decisions before they retire, when they have the greatest flexibility,” Stilwell said. “A thoughtful tax strategy today can help protect the retirement income they’ve spent decades building.”
Event Details
What: Taxes in Retirement Educational Seminar
When: Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Session 1: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Session 2: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Where: F.W. Symmes Branch Library, 1508 Pelham Road, Greenville, SC
RSVP: https://www.yoursvp.com/d47840e5-5c8a-49c7-b4a0-571514d482a5
The seminar is complimentary and open to the public. Attendees will gain practical strategies to help make more informed retirement decisions and better understand how taxes can affect their long-term financial plans.
About Clarity Financial Solutions
Clarity Financial Solutions provides comprehensive financial guidance through personalized financial planning, retirement income strategies, investment management, wealth preservation, tax-efficient planning, and insurance solutions. We simplify complex financial decisions and bring the pieces of your financial life together, helping you move forward with clarity and confidence toward your long-term goals.
Clarity Financial Solutions is a dba of The Wealth Boutique, a registered investment advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration of an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. The Wealth Boutique and each of the DBAs are not under common ownership. All financial planning and advisory services are provided by The Wealth Boutique. All investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to consult with a tax professional before implementing any investment strategy.
