Episode 1: Your Portfolio Has a New Job

Your portfolio has done one job for 30 years: grow. But about 5–10 years before retirement, that job description changes completely — and most people don't realize it until it's too late.

In this episode, I break down the shift from the accumulation phase to the distribution phase: what it means for your investments, your risk exposure, and your income plan — and why getting this transition wrong can follow you throughout retirement.

In this episode:

▸ Why the strategy that built your wealth won't manage it in retirement

▸ The accumulation vs. distribution phase — explained simply

▸ What your portfolio actually needs to do once you stop working ▸ Why this shift should start 5–10 years before you retire

The same portfolio strategy that worked during 30 years of saving can actively work against you in retirement. Once withdrawals start, a significant market drop early in retirement doesn't just reduce your balance — it can permanently reduce how much you can safely spend for the rest of your life. That's the core risk of the distribution phase, and it's why the 5 to 10 years before retirement are the window to reposition. This episode explains what that shift looks like and why it needs to happen before you stop working, not after.

This is Episode 1 of the Retirement Transition Series — 12 short episodes built for people who are 5–10 years from retirement and want to get the transition right.

▶ Next: Episode 2 — How Your Portfolio Actually Generates Income

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