How to Retire Before Medicare Kicks In (Smart pre-65 Retirement Strategies)

You’ve hit 62 and you’re ready to clock out, but Medicare doesn’t start until 65 and COBRA coverage costs more than your first car. What now? In this episode of The Perfect Retirement Plan?, Phillip Smith of Tidepool Wealth Strategies explains how to bridge the gap between early retirement and Medicare without draining savings or triggering surprise taxes.You’ll learn how to blend your three retirement money buckets (pre-tax, Roth, and taxable) for maximum flexibility, keep your ACA subsidies intact, and avoid income traps that can shrink them. Discover how smart Roth conversions, capital-gain timing, and debt decisions can lower both health-care premiums and lifetime taxes. Phillip also shares a detailed case study of “Tom and Lisa,” showing how coordinated withdrawals and ACA planning can save tens of thousands in pre-Medicare years.Perfect if you’re searching “retire before Medicare,” “ACA subsidy strategies,” or “early retirement health insurance options.”Chapters00:00 Teaser 00:18 Intro 00:48 Roadmap for today’s episode 01:15 The 3-to-5-year health-care gap explained 02:04 The three retirement money buckets (tax buckets) 03:23 How to balance pre-tax, Roth (tax-free), and taxable income 05:13 ACA subsidies and the modified AGI “sweet spot” 06:03 COBRA coverage vs. marketplace options 07:31 Avoiding subsidy clawbacks and “bear traps” 08:23 Social Security timing and Roth conversions 09:42 The debt payoff dilemma 10:29 Smart ways to bridge health coverage before Medicare 12:25 Case study: Tom and Lisa retire at 62 18:02 Using HSAs as stealth tax-free income 20:18 Action steps to smooth income and stay subsidy-friendly 21:17 Closing and key takeawaysAction Step: Estimate your pre-65 health costs, coordinate withdrawals from all three tax buckets, and plan your income window before Medicare begins.For more insights, visit TidepoolWealth.com and subscribe on YouTube @TidepoolWealth for more retirement planning content created for professionals in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.#RetirementPlanning #RetireBefore65 #MedicarePlanning #ACASubsidies #AboutToRetire #TaxPlanning #TidepoolWealthThanks for tuning in to this episode of The Perfect Retirement Plan, and remember: it's not about having the smartest financial advisor, the most money saved, or the highest probability of retirement success. The perfect retirement plan, for you – is the one you act on.Phillip Smith, CRPC AIF |  Financial PlannerTidepool Wealth Strategies450 Country Club Road, Suite 350 | Eugene, OR | 97401____________________________________________________________________________________________Additional Disclosures: The opinions contained in this material are those of the author, and not a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell investment products. This information is from sources believed to be reliable, but Cetera Wealth Services, LLC cannot guarantee or represent that it is accurate or complete.All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. There is no assurance that any investment strategy will be successful.