The first 5 years of retirement decide everything — especially with Trump in the White House. Foolproof your riches now

Even if you've spent decades carefully planning your retirement, the first five years can make or break it completely.

Your early retirement years are when you're likely to be spending the most money while also being most vulnerable to market downturns. These are sometimes called the "go-go" years, when you have your health and the will to explore.

Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one

JP Morgan sees gold hitting $6,000/oz before 2027 — and a gold IRA lets you hold the physical metal while deferring the tax bill. Get your free guide from Priority Gold

The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028 — and experts say most people won't act in time. What to do before the window closes

But it's also a period for some pivotal tax and benefit-related decisions. Simply put, if you make all the right moves in these first five years, the rest of your retirement can glide to success. If not, you'll need some extra help.

Here's why the first five years are so important, especially if you've kept up with President Donald Trump's economic policies.

As of 2024, the average retirement age for men was 64.6 and 62.6 for women, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College (1).

In other words, most people retire in their early to mid-60s, right about when Social Security eligibility begins. Timing your claim is crucial. Depending on your age, claiming too early can reduce lifetime disposable income by a median of $182,370, according to a 2022 paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. (2)

Another factor to consider at this age is market risk. A severe downturn in the first few years of retirement could derail your long-term plans if you're relying on a market-based portfolio. That's because a big drop in the value of your stocks and bonds, coupled with your steady annual withdrawals, could permanently diminish your nest egg.

Financial experts call this phenomenon the "sequence of returns risk," according to Northwestern Mutual (3).

These risks could be heightened if you're in early-retirement during President Donald Trump's second term. The stock market has seen sudden waves of volatility as the administration unleashes trade wars and actual wars across the globe. Trump also isn't shy about directly name-dropping ticker symbols (4) like Palantir and recommending financial moves on Truth Social (5).

In other words, the market is particularly dramatic and unpredictable right now, and that could put you at greater risk of a bad sequence of returns — depending on how you're invested. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize the risk.

Read More: Millionaires under 43 hold only 25% of their wealth in stocks. Here's where their money is actually going

If you're worried about the sequence of return risks, one way to mitigate them is to create cash buckets for early retirement, according to US Bank. Setting aside living expenses for a few years could give you an emergency reserve that you can tap into if you're unlucky enough to experience a market shock during this period.

You don't need to leave this cash idle. Instead, you can lock it up in relatively safe and stable certificates of deposit or CDs so the cash earns a reasonable rate of return every year. A platform like CD Valet can help you find higher-yield options that work for you, whether you're saving for something soon or building a cushion for the long haul.

CD Valet tracks over 40,000 verified rates from FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions nationwide. Unlike other websites, they show every publicly available rate, ensuring you have a comprehensive view of the market.