White paper · For pre-retirees
Navigating the Retirement Red Zone
The years just before and after you stop working are when retirement decisions carry the most weight, and many of them can’t be undone. This white paper introduces the Retirement Red Zone and the Five Pillars of Retirement Readiness, a framework for bringing income, taxes, health care, protection, and purpose together into one coordinated plan.
Free. 17 pages. Information current as of October 23, 2026. Educational material, not individualized advice.
median age at which today’s retirees actually retired
of retirees left the workforce earlier than planned
average lifetime health care cost for a 65-year-old retiring in 2026
What’s inside
A plan for the decade around retirement
Inside, you’ll find a phase-by-phase planning timeline, key 2026 tax and Medicare considerations, and a practical action checklist to guide your next conversation with an advisor. Whether retirement is ten years away or a few months out, this guide is designed to help you approach the transition with greater clarity and confidence.
The Five Pillars of Retirement Readiness
Income security, tax efficiency, health care coverage, protection and legacy, and purpose: one framework for checking that a plan is sound across all five at once, and that they work together.
A phase-by-phase planning timeline
From ten years out to five years in: what to define, model, finalize, and revisit at each stage of the Red Zone, including the final twelve months before you stop working.
2026 tax and Medicare considerations
The figures that shape the next few years of decisions: the senior deduction, Medicare premium surcharges, HSA limits, catch-up contributions, and the federal estate exemption.
A practical action checklist
Income, tax, health care, protection, and purpose actions you can take now, written as a conversation starter for your next meeting with an advisor.
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MCF Advisors wrote this guide for people who are ten years out, a few months out, or already in the first years of retirement. Read it, then bring the checklist to a conversation with an advisor.
This white paper is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, tax, or accounting advice. See the Important Disclosures inside the paper.