COLUMBUS, Ohio — In the days before he resigned immediately for medical reasons, Ohio Lottery Commissioner Pat McDonald denied allegations of unwanted behavior, including “text messages expressing inappropriate fondness and innuendo toward two employees” and “unwanted touching of two employees,” according to an administrative review of human resources issues at the commission obtained by News 5.

The commission also provided a series of text messages sent between McDonald and an unnamed lottery commission employee that took place between January and April of this year in which he frequently expressed a strong and unrequited affection for the employee.

McDonald frequently texted “I love you,” and other statements, such as “I still have a major crush on you,” and “You’re a gift from god to me,” in addition to other inappropriate texts and emojis sent at all hours of the day and night.

On Saturday, Jan. 21, McDonald texted: “People love you – do we want to expand on things? I’d be happy to keep you to myself,” followed by the eggplant and heart emojis.

In the texts provided, the employee does not reciprocate or address the affectionate comments.

Starting in March, the employee started to be more direct with McDonald. According to the texts, the employee was upset that their boss had photos of them on their phone.

“You cannot take pictures of me. Bottom line,” one of the employee’s texts reads.

McDonald responded - “I will never do that again but its not illegal.”

The employee later threatened to resign.

A report reviewing the human resources issues at the Ohio Lottery was commissioned by the state’s Department of Administrative Services and prepared by the Cleveland-based law firm Zashin and Rich.

The report, released Friday, states a lottery employee notified human resources of McDonald’s unwanted behavior on April 7. In addition to the texts, the report claims McDonald also engaged in "unwanted touching of two employees’ arms, shoulders, and forehead, an unwanted hug as well as verbal comments about the appearance of two employees."

McDonald attended an in-person meeting with Matthew Donahue, the governor’s Chief Counsel, and Stephanie McCloud, the governor’s Chief of Staff, on April 11, about the allegations, which he explicitly denied. In that meeting, he disclosed “a significant medical condition and that he was considering retirement,” the report states.

News 5 obtained video of McDonald apparently being escorted out of the lottery commission offices by McCloud and Donahue on that date.

RAW: Former Ohio Lottery Commissioner escorted from offices by governor's staff

McDonald submitted his resignation the following day, and, according to the report, his resignation negated further disciplinary action.

However, documents show that all of this behavior wasn’t going unnoticed - the assistant director knew. The state told us that the individual is being reassigned “to a non-supervisory position at a different agency in a lower classification and pay range.”

The administrative report also recommended mandatory training for all lottery employees regarding appropriate workplace conduct.

We reached out to McDonald for comment, but he did not respond.

The lottery commission refused an interview but did give a statement saying, “We want to assure our customers that the actions of the former director have no impact on the Lottery’s day to day operations or the integrity of our games.”

RELATED: Director of Ohio Lottery resigns suddenly; investigation into alleged 'HR irregularities' underway

Ohio Lottery director resigns; state investigating alleged 'HR irregularities'

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If you hope to retire within the next decade, now is a good time to map out a strategy. Having a well-thought-out plan will minimize the stress that comes with such a big transition -- and maximize your financial security.

"It takes at least three years to run through all of the adjustments and thoughtful discussions to be had. There are quite a few variables, so it is important to build solutions rather than attempt to craft it all in a year," said San Diego-based certified financial planner Leonard Wright.

Here are five key issues to consider as you begin to tailor a plan.

1. Figure out what you'll be spending

Most people want to be able to have enough money in retirement to maintain their quality of life. Well, how much is that quality costing you?

"The single biggest thing that someone can do to help themselves with retirement planning is figuring out what they spend now," said Ann Minnium, a certified financial planner based in Margate City, New Jersey.

Create a list of your present-day expenses. Then edit it to better reflect what you'll likely be spending 10 years from now.

So, for instance, cross off current expenses that won't be an issue when you retire, such as those college tuition payments you no longer will need to make, or a mortgage that might be paid off.

Then add new expenses you are likely to incur, such as the cost of unsubsidized health insurance if you retire before you qualify for Medicare. Think, too, about anticipated costs over time if your health declines.

Consider as well what vision you have for how you want to spend your time in retirement, Wright suggested, like travel or hobbies. Then figure out the costs associated with those activities.

Also if you're someone who buys a new car every few years, put that on the list too.

In terms of living expenses, do you plan to move to a lower-cost area when you retire?
"Do some reconnaissance first," Minnium suggested, like visiting locations on your wish list to get a better feel of what things cost there.

2. Set up a more conservative portfolio

Unless you have a sizeable pension, your accumulated savings in a 401(k) or 403(b), IRAs and brokerage accounts are likely to be your biggest source of financial security, followed by Social Security.

Your nest egg will be near its highest point as you approach retirement.

Which is why you want to do all you can to protect it against major market downturns, which are inevitable. But the riskiest time for such a downturn is in the five years before you retire and the five years after because you will start drawing down from a portfolio that has not had a chance to recover, Minnium noted.

So in the run-up to retirement, she suggests moving money away from stocks, and keeping a bigger portion in more stable investments, like bonds or cash. "Invest more conservatively during that time, with a smaller allocation to equities. You can start adding more equities again [once you're several years into retirement.] It's not a permanent decision," she said.

3. Figure out how much in savings you'll need to withdraw

The biggest psychological adjustment for everybody when they first retire is not having a steady paycheck anymore.

"It feels like you're taking away a security blanket," Wright said.

Another big adjustment is moving from an accumulation mindset -- after all, you've been focused for decades on building up your savings -- to a preservation mindset so that you don't outlive your money.

To figure out how much you'll need to draw from savings to help meet expenses, first figure out what fixed sources of income you'll have coming in from pensions and Social Security benefits.

(Consider, too, how your Social Security benefits will differ depending on when you first claim them -- either early at age 62, at your full retirement age or at age 70, after which point your benefit will not increase further.)

Then subtract that fixed income amount from your assumed monthly expenses to figure out how much you'll need to draw from savings to fill the gap.

4. Strategize how to draw down your nest egg

The discussion about how much to withdraw from savings so that you don't outlive your money often centers around withdrawal rates -- is 4% a year feasible? What happens if I draw down 5%?

But equally important is where you draw your money from and when.

That's because you'll likely have taxable sources such as a 401(k), and non-taxable sources like Roth IRAs, as well as market-dependent accounts (e.g. stocks and mutual funds) and non-market dependent income (e.g., pensions, annuities and cash).

You also will have to take required minimum distributions from your traditional IRAs starting at age 72, whereas Roth IRAs do not have any such requirement.

Your goals should be to minimize your tax bite and buffer yourself against any market downturn.

"The key is not having to sell equities in a down market," Minnium said.

So, for instance, if your sources of non-market dependent income aren't enough to fill the gap that your equity withdrawals provided, you might decide to use a home equity line of credit to tie you over, or tap the cash value of a life insurance policy, she suggested.

5. Get outside help creating a plan

Setting up a financial plan to retire within a decade can get complex.

And it's made more so by periodic changes to rules governing retirement vehicles, such as those in the SECURE Act of 2019 and its sister legislation currently under consideration called the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2021.

So even if you don't want to pay someone else to manage your nest egg on an ongoing basis and charge you a percentage of your assets, you might invest a few hours to work out a roadmap with a fee-only certified financial planner who specializes in retirement issues.

To find one, check the Garrett Planning Network and the XY Planning Network.

Mike Krzyzewski will make a final run at a national championship with Duke.

The Hall of Famer and winningest coach in the history of Division I men's basketball announced Wednesday that next season will be his last with the Blue Devils program he has built into one of college basketball's bluebloods. The school also named former Duke player and associate head coach Jon Scheyer as Krzyzewski's successor for the 2022-23 season.

"My family and I view today as a celebration," Krzyzewski said in a statement released Wednesday evening.

Stadium first reported news of the 74-year-old Krzyzewski's final season with Duke, which he has led to five national championships, most recently in 2015. He has 1,170 career wins going back to his time at Army, with 1,097 wins coming during 41 years with the Blue Devils and their frantic fans who have made playing at famously hostile Cameron Indoor Stadium so difficult.

Now Krzyzewski will have make a final lap — "The Last Ride," as the program billed it in a social-media post — around the Atlantic Coast Conference and the sport where he has piled up an incredible run of success before handing off to Scheyer, currently 33.

"He is clearly ready for this opportunity and has shown it repeatedly throughout his playing career and as a coach on our staff the past eight seasons," Krzyzewski said. "Jon is a rising star in our profession and Duke basketball could not be in better hands in the future."

The school has scheduled a news conference for Krzyzewski on Thursday at Cameron, followed by one Friday for Scheyer.

Krzyzewski has led the Blue Devils to 12 Final Four appearances and a record 15 ACC Tournament championships, while his teams have spent a record 126 weeks ranked at No. 1 in the AP men's college basketball poll.

Hired at Duke in March 1980, "Coach K" won national championships in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010 and 2015. He broke Army mentor Bob Knight's career victory record in November 2011.

Krzyzewski has tailored his approach to adapt with the times and his personnel. He won that 2010 title with a senior-laden roster, then claimed the 2015 one after pivoting to more "one-and-done" talent that headed to the NBA after a lone college season.

His image became synonymous both with the elite private university in Durham, North Carolina, and the sport as a whole. And along the way, he took over the U.S. men’s national team — with NBA All-Star rosters featuring names such as the late Kobe Bryant and LeBron James — and led it to Olympic gold in Beijing in 2008, London in 2012 and Rio de Janiero in 2016.

"What he means to the countless players he has coached, both collegiately and professionally, is simply immeasurable," ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement.

Duke missed the NCAA Tournament this past season for the first time since 1995, but the Blue Devils welcome one of the nation's top recruiting classes for the coming season.

Scheyer played for Krzyzewski from 2006-10, with his last season resulting in his mentor's fourth NCAA title. Scheyer joined the Duke staff for the 2013-14 season and rose to his current role following the 2017-18 season.

Scheyer served as interim coach last year for Duke when Krzyzewski was sidelined for a January win against Boston College due to COVID-19 protocols. Scheyer has never been a college head coach.

"Duke University has been a central part of my life for more than a decade, and I could not ask for a better place to continue my career," Scheyer said in a statement. "This is absolutely humbling. ... (Krzyzewski) has set a standard that every coach at every level should strive to achieve."

The news comes almost two months to the day that another Hall of Famer in the state — North Carolina's Roy Williams — announced his retirement after 33 seasons as a head coach with Kansas and the rival Tar Heels. UNC also turned to a former player on the bench, elevating Hubert Davis to take over in his first time as a major college head coach.