What is a bond tent and why might I use one near retirement?

A bond tent temporarily raises your bond allocation in the years right around retirement, then lets it drift back down once you're a few years in. It directly addresses sequence-of-returns risk — the danger that a market crash in your first retirement years, when your portfolio is largest and you're starting withdrawals, permanently damages your nest egg. You might hold, say, 60% stocks at age 55, build bonds up to 50–60% by your retirement date, then slowly increase stocks again into your 70s as the danger window passes. The "tent" shape protects you exactly when you're most vulnerable, then resumes growth so your money lasts a 30-year retirement. It's an advanced refinement of a normal glide path. Model how withdrawals interact with market swings at wealthserene.com/tools/retirement-planner before locking in a strategy.