01
Date the final Part 121 paycheck and map the first five retirement years.
FIVE YEARS TO AGE 65
The retirement date is known. The work should not wait until the final trip.
Use the countdown to verify benefits, build the bridge, protect an early exit, coordinate taxes, and meet every election deadline.
FIVE TO THREE YEARS OUT
Prove that normal earnings—not permanent premium flying—fund the plan.
02
Reconcile every retirement account and contribution source without double-counting rollovers.
03
Translate employee and employer formulas using the current eligible-pay definition.
04
Run medical, furlough, weak-market, inflation, and first-death cases while changes remain possible.
Check limits each year. For 2026, the employee elective-deferral limit is $24,500 and the annual-additions limit is $72,000 before eligible catch-ups. Plan terms, payroll, compensation definitions, and current law may add constraints.
THREE TO ONE YEARS OUT
Move from estimates to administrator records.
| Workstream | Action | Evidence of completion |
|---|---|---|
| Income bridge | Set spending; map Social Security and portfolio income by year. | After-tax annual cash-flow schedule |
| Retirement accounts | Update allocation, beneficiaries, fees, tax types, and contribution pace. | Current statements and signed elections |
| Employer separation | Confirm final pay, leave, profit sharing, healthcare, account access, and contribution timing. | Written separation timeline |
| Social Security | Verify both earnings records and compare claim dates. | Current official benefit estimates |
| Protection | Review disability, life, health, reserves, and estate authority. | Policy schedule and contingency memo |
| Taxes | Project the final wage year, conversion window, and later RMDs. | Multi-year tax projection |
FINAL TWELVE MONTHS
Replace assumptions with dates and confirmations.
12–9 months
Confirm notice rules, benefit contacts, accrued leave, final pay, account access, healthcare, and spouse timing. Do not rely on crew-room memory.
9–6 months
Refresh Social Security estimates, withholding, reserves, withdrawals, beneficiaries, and estate documents. Resolve missing records.
6–3 months
Submit applications only after verifying dates. Keep copies, confirmation numbers, names, and written responses.
Final 90 days
Confirm final pay, first retirement cash flow, healthcare, tax reserves, account access, and emergency authority.
PRIMARY REFERENCES · REVIEWED AUGUST 30, 2026
Keep current official rules beside employer documents.
- FAA: maximum age for pilots
- IRS: 401(k) and profit-sharing contribution limits
- IRS: 2026 retirement contribution limit announcement
- SSA: my Social Security account
- Your records: current contract, summary plan descriptions, policy certificates, benefit estimates, beneficiary records, and election confirmations
Educational checklist only. Deadlines, benefits, taxes, plan terms, and household needs vary. Current agency and employer records control.
KEEP THE PLAN LIVE
Move the countdown into your operating system.
COMPLETE THE SYSTEM