You've Spent Decades Climbing the Mountain. Do You Have a Plan to Get Down?
Most financial advice focuses on accumulation—how to grow your nest egg. The 10-Year Method focuses on distribution—how to turn that nest egg into a reliable, tax-efficient lifestyle that lasts as long as you do.
The “Death Points”
The Rules Change at the Summit
Retirement isn’t just a continuation of your working years; it is a fundamental shift in physics. In the book, Collin explains that there are two “death points” in retirement planning.
- The First Death Point
- The Second Death Point
Accumulation Phase
The First Death Point
Occurs while saving (Accumulation). Most of you have already conquered this. You saved, you invested, and you made it to the summit.
Distribution Phase
The Second Death Point
Occurs on the way down (Distribution). This is where the risks change. Volatility, taxes, and longevity become the primary threats to your wealth.
If you use “climbing” strategies to try and “descend” the mountain, you expose yourself to unnecessary risk. The 10-Year Method provides the specialized gear you need for the descent.
Safety
Principal-protected accounts
Growth
Long-term wealth building
Liquidity
Accessible funds for immediate needs
The Philosophy
Structure, Not Speculation
We don’t believe in predicting the market; we believe in insulating your life from it. The 10-Year Method replaces the stress of “watching the stock price” with a structured framework based on the three attributes of money: Safety, Growth, and Liquidity.
By securing ten years of income requirements in stable, principal-protected accounts, we buy your portfolio the time it needs to recover from market downturns. This “buffer” allows you to ignore the headlines and focus on living your life, knowing your next decade of income is already spoken for.
What You Will Discover
Inside the Pages
- The Psychology of "Enough"
- The "Tax Time Bomb"
- The Social Security Decision
- The "Double Loss" Trap
Peace of Mind Is a Math Problem
Why “peace of mind” is a math problem we can solve by defining Needs vs. Wants. Understanding your true financial requirements—not just your desires—creates the foundation for a stress-free retirement.
- Distinguish between essential expenses and discretionary spending
- Calculate your true baseline income needs
- Build confidence knowing your essentials are always covered
Is Your 401(k) a Liability in Disguise?
How to identify if your tax-deferred accounts are setting you up for a retirement tax surprise. Learn strategies like Roth conversions to defuse this ticking time bomb before RMDs kick in.
- Understand the hidden tax liability in your retirement accounts
- Identify optimal windows for Roth conversions
- Plan ahead to avoid RMD-triggered tax bracket jumps
Beyond the Break-Even Age
Why the “break-even” age doesn’t matter as much as the “survivor benefit” does. Making the right Social Security decision requires looking beyond simple math to understand the lasting impact on your spouse.
- Optimize timing for maximum lifetime household benefits
- Protect your spouse with smart survivor benefit planning
- Coordinate Social Security with your overall income strategy
Understanding Sequence of Returns Risk
Why losing money early in retirement is mathematically devastating—and how to prevent it. The order of your returns matters as much as the returns themselves.
- Learn why early losses compound into permanent damage
- Build a buffer to avoid selling investments during downturns
- Structure your portfolio to weather the first critical decade
About the Author
A Different Kind of Guide
Collin Stauffer began his career working for the “big box” firms, but he quickly realized the industry’s obsession with sales quotas often came at the expense of the client’s best interest.
He founded Stauffer Retirement to change that narrative. Writing The 10-Year Method was his way of democratizing the strategies usually reserved for the ultra-wealthy. He believes that transparency is the ultimate fiduciary duty.
“I would rather work at Buffalo Wild Wings than be part of practices that are unethical and not in the best interest of the people who we serve.”
— Collin Stauffer
Start Your Descent with Confidence
We believe an educated client is our best partner. If you are nearing retirement or currently in the distribution phase, we would love to send you a complimentary copy of the book to help you audit your current plan.
Request Your Complimentary Copy
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