Edward Jones has identified five investing stages of life: three "accumulation" phases for investors saving for retirement and two "distribution" phases for those in retirement. Consider which stage you fit into.

• Accumulation stages: These are critical in building necessary wealth, considering most investors will likely spend more than 20 years in retirement.
  • The Early Investing Years generally begin with your first full-time job.
  • The Good Earnings Years typically occur when you still have 10 to 20 years until you retire.
  • The Higher Income and Savings Years usually begin after children are grown, but you may still have up to 10 years until retirement.
• Distribution stages: Many investors will spend as much time in retirement as they did during their accumulation years. We separate the distribution years into Early Retirement Years and Late Retirement Years. In terms of defining "early" versus "late," think in terms of how many years left of retirement you have. Of course, there are many important considerations when estimating the number of years you'll need when your distributions begin, including your health and the longevity of your family members.
  • In general, Early Retirement Years refer to investors who are still in their first 10–15 years of retirement.
  • In general, Late Retirement Years refer to investors who have been in retirement for more than 10–15 years..

Be sure to consider any factors that may cause you to adjust the Portfolio Objective suggested for you, including your:

• Current and future income needs.
• Amount of existing savings.
• Investing time horizon.
• Estate planning considerations.