There are two distinct phases of your financial life: accumulation (building wealth) and withdrawal (living on that wealth in retirement). Most people understand the accumulation phase reasonably well—save money, invest it, watch it grow. But here's where people fail: the withdrawal phase is far mo...

As you approach the last five to ten working years, the rules change. You’re switching from the “growth at all costs” phase to preserve, position, and pay yourself. That final stretch is what Roy Matlock Jr. calls the Retirement Red Zone — close to the goal line, where a few smart decisions can carr...