Wall Street taught investors to focus on account balances. Retirement requires a different conversation.

This week, Logan and Don discuss why income matters more than accumulation, why delaying estate planning can create unnecessary taxes, costs, and stress for your family, and what your advisor should actually be doing to earn their fee, and.

After all, your advisor got paid last year—but did you get your money's worth?

Learn why income planning, tax strategy, estate planning, and trust funding often matter more than investment performance alone.

The families who retire best are not always the ones with the most money—they are the ones with the best plan.

Will your family inherit wealth—or a tax problem? On this week's episode of Cover Your Assets with Logan & Don, we discuss the Great Wealth Transfer and why inherited IRAs, beneficiary designations, and poor tax planning can leave families with unexpected tax burdens.

We also explore Roth conversion strategies, widowhood tax traps, and how to keep more of your hard-earned assets in the hands of your loved ones instead of the IRS.

Plus, is retirement really a math problem? We discuss why confidence, behavior, and income planning often matter more than investment returns alone. Finally, we examine why market volatility is not usually what derails retirement plans—emotional reactions, panic selling, and poor decision-making are often the real risks.

Learn how proper planning can help create greater confidence, reduce taxes, and keep you on track through changing market conditions.

Think your advisor is doing a great job? If you only meet once a year (or less), that's your first red flag!

This week, Logan and Don expose the biggest retirement planning gaps they see every day; from advisors managing investments without a real income plan to missed tax-saving opportunities, outdated estate plans, and costly beneficiary mistakes.

Learn the five retirement mistakes that can quietly derail your future, how to know if your advisor is earning their fee, and why having money is not the same thing as having a plan.

Are you building your retirement or your advisor’s? Find out in this episode.

Your IRA isn't all yours. The IRS is your silent partner — and they didn't ask permission. This week Logan and Don pull no punches. They're breaking down how to evict the IRS with a Roth conversion before the tax sale ends, how to build an income blueprint so you know exactly what you can spend without running out, and why skipping your estate plan doesn't protect your family — it leaves them a legal scavenger hunt while they're grieving. Taxes are on sale. The window is open. And doing nothing is still a decision — it's just the IRS's favorite one. Your family will inherit one of two things: clarity or chaos. This episode decides which.

Most retirees assume taxes get easier in retirement — they don't. In this episode of Cover Your Assets, Logan Marcus and Don Spini break down the domino effect of RMDs, IRMAA surcharges, and Social Security taxation, and why one incomedecision can trigger three financial penalties at once. They also take on the growing trend of Americans replacing their financial advisor with AI — and why that shortcut is costing people real money. ChatGPT doesn't know your tax return, your estate structure, or what you'll do when markets drop. And finally, Logan and Don make the case for why a will alone won't protect your family, why an unfunded trust is worthless, and why the best thing you can do for the people you love is have your affairs in order before you need to.

Most people spend decades trying to grow their retirement accounts while paying as little tax as possible along the way. But many sophisticated investors think about taxes very differently. In this episode of Cover Your Assets, Logan Marcus and Don Spini break down why some wealthy investorsvoluntarily pay massive tax bills on purpose—and what retirees can learn from that mindset when it comes to Roth conversions, RMDs, and long-term retirement planning. The conversation covers the hidden tax exposure inside traditional IRAs and 401(k)s, why “tax deferred” does not mean tax free, and how poor coordination between advisors, CPAs, and estate planning can quietly create larger problems later in retirement. Logan and Don also discuss inherited IRArules, Medicare premium surcharges, risk tolerance, beneficiary mistakes, and why many retirees are still receiving little more than basic asset management instead of proactive financial planning.

Most people heading into retirement have accounts, statements, and a portfolio—but very few have a real plan for how everything is supposed to work together. In this episode of Cover Your Assets, Logan Marcus and Don Spini break down the hidden tax traps inside retirement, why “tax deferred” does not mean tax free, and how poor coordination can quietly erode wealth over time. They discuss Roth conversions, RMD time bombs, Social Security timing, and the growing longevity problem facing retirees today. While the number one fear in retirement is running out of money, most retirement plans are still built only to age 85—even though there is nearly a 50% chance one spouse in a 65-year-old couple lives past 90. The conversation also covers why “you’re fine” is not a real answer from an advisor—and what retirees should actually be shown when it comes to income planning, risk, and long-term projections. Plus, Logan and Don answer listener questions on income plans, switching advisors, mutual funds, independent fiduciary firms, and what truly separates proactive retirement planning from generic asset management.

Most people enter retirement with a collection of accounts—but no real structure behind them. In this episode of Cover Your Assets, Logan Marcus and Don Spini break down what it takes to move from scattered assets to a coordinated plan that actually works. They cover the key components of a real strategy—income planning, tax efficiency, portfolio management, and estate alignment—and why each must work together, not in isolation. They also address a common breakdown: money without a defined role. When income, growth, and protection are all pulled from the same place, nothing is optimized and risk increases. From income design and tax strategy to estate planning that is properly aligned and funded, this episode connects the full picture. Because retirement does not work in pieces—it works when everything is structured to work together.

Most people think they have a retirement plan. In reality, they have a collection of accounts—investments, tax-deferred savings, and disconnected decisions that were never designed to work together. In this episode of Cover Your Assets, Logan Marcus and Don Spini break down the difference between having a portfolio and having a plan—and why that gap becomes expensive over time. They explain how money without a defined purpose underperforms, why lack of coordination between investments, taxes, income, and estate planning creates hidden inefficiencies, and how those gaps can quietly cost more than any visible fee. They also address one of the most overlooked risks: the absence of a true income strategy. Selling investments when you need cash is not a plan—it is reactive, market-dependent, and exposes you to risks most investors never see. Because if everything is not working together, you do not have a plan—you have pieces.

Most retirement plans are not designed—they are assembled over time. In this episode of Cover Your Assets, Logan Marcus and Don Spini break down what happens when portfolios are built around performance chasing, tax deferral, and assumptions instead of structure. They explain why reacting to market movements creates costly long-term outcomes, and how many investors unknowingly operate with a trader mindset—making short-term decisions with long-term money. They also uncover the growing tax liability inside traditional retirement accounts, where the IRS becomes a silent partner, and why deferring taxes without a strategy can create forced income and reduced control later in life. From income planning and Roth conversion strategy to estate plans that fail when they are actually needed, this episode connects the gaps that exist when financial decisions are made in isolation. Because when your investments, taxes, income, and legacy plan are not built to work together, you do not have a retirement strategy. You have a plan that was never built.