Retirement Starts Today

What do you do with RMDs you don't actually need?

If you're retired and over age 73 — or 75 if you were born in 1960 or later — you know the IRS requires you to start taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from your traditional IRAs and workplace retirement accounts.

Even if you don't need that money for living expenses, you still have to take it - which means more taxable income, higher Medicare premiums, and a bigger chunk of your Social Security benefits becoming taxable in some cases.

Today I share "6 Strategic Ways to Make the Most of Distributions You Don't Need", an article by Greg Hammons from TheStreet.com.

1. Reinvest in a Taxable Brokerage Account - super straightforward.
2. Make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)
3. Use RMDs to Fund Life Insurance
4. Cover the Taxes on a Roth Conversion
5. Fund a 529 Plan for Education
6. Give to Family—Tax-Free

So what's the best move for you?

That depends on your goals—whether it's growing your money, reducing taxes, helping your family, or supporting a cause. But the key message is this: RMDs don't have to be a tax burden. With some intentional planning, they can be an opportunity.

Before making a move, talk to your financial planner or tax pro. These strategies can have long-term effects on your retirement plan, your taxes, and your legacy.

I also tackle a listener question: "What is your recommendation to cover the gap in sustainable income from pre-retirement (e.g., 60) to Social Security claiming age (e.g., 70)?"

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What happens when your emergency cash runs dry—and life keeps happening?

A recent article lays out a ranked list of ten ways to access emergency cash, starting with the best options and ending with the ones you'll want to avoid unless it's truly a last resort:

1. Emergency Fund / Short-Term Securities
2. Low-Risk Assets in Taxable Accounts
3. Roth IRA Contributions
4. Life Insurance Cash Values
5. 401(k) Loan
6. Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)
7. Hardship Withdrawals from 401(k)
8. Reverse Mortgage
9. Margin Loans
10. Credit Cards

The takeaway?

Know your emergency funding hierarchy before a crisis hits. With a plan in place, you'll be better equipped to make calm, informed decisions when life throws you a curveball.

Resource:

• MorningStar article by Christine Benz: 10 Sources of Emergency Cash, Ranked From Best to Worst
• Christine Benz's book - How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement https://a.co/d/3rZ3JgF

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"By the time your child turns 18, you've spent 95% of the time you'll ever spend with them in your lifetime."

This comes from research by the American Time Use Survey, highlighted by Our World in Data. And let's be honest, when you first hear that, it stings a little. Especially as a parent. You can't help but wonder, "Have I been a good steward of that precious time?"

But here's the twist: this isn't about guilt. It's about awareness. It's a gentle, data-backed nudge to savor the moments that feel small now—but that become the biggest memories later.

So how do we maximize the return on the time—and the money—we spend on experiences? Research tells us something powerful: experiences give us more lasting happiness than stuff. That's not just my opinion, that's from a 2020 study by Kumar, Killingsworth, and Gilovich. Experiences beat material goods both in prospect and in retrospect. In other words, we enjoy them more before and after they happen.

Step 1: Listen & Learn Step 2: Create Curiosity Step 3: Build Together Step 4: Build Up—and Look Back

What does this have to do with retirement? EVERYTHING!

Listen in to understand why.

I also answer a question from Wendell, a retiree who's considering swapping out some of his stock-heavy portfolio for the safety of short-term government bonds — a strategy known as "T-Bills and Chill." He's wondering: with guaranteed income already in place, is it time to say goodbye to the stock market for good?

Resource:

Forbes article by Tim Maurer: A Method For Maximizing Memories With Money

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We're talking about rebalancing! Rebalancing is key to any retirement plan, but how often should we do it? That's the topic of today's retirement headlines segment, where we're going to look at an article by by Jennifer Reed

Key discussion points:

💵 Financial Considerations 💔 Emotional Considerations 🧩 Relational Considerations 📊 A Look at the Numbers

Resource: Article by Jennifer Reed: Is The Optimal Rebalancing Strategy To Not Rebalance At All? https://www.fa-mag.com/news/is-there-an-optimal-rebalancing-strategy--maybe-82136.html

After that, I answer a listener question: "Could you discuss the financial emotional and relationship issues with disclaiming an inheritance?"

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Get the book!Retirement Starts Today: Your Non-financial Guide to an Even Better Retirement

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What are the perceived benefits of moving to a low-tax state in retirement? Is it all it's cracked up to be?

We're gonna cover a Wall Street Journal article by Debbie Carlson that delivers an important dose of nuance: "Don't let the income-tax tail wag the total-spending dog."

I also answer a very thoughtful question from Lynn about sequence of returns risk, as well as average returns vs order of returns.

Key topics from the article:

🏠 Real Estate & Insurance Can Eat Up the Savings 📊 For Middle-Income Retirees, Sales & Property Taxes Matter More 💵 Homeowners Insurance Is a Big—and Growing—Expense 📚 Don't Forget State-Level Retirement & Estate Taxes 🧮 Ben's Take: Look at the Whole Picture

Resource: Article by Debbie Carlson: https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/taxes/retirement-low-tax-rate-states-move-cabdb31b

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How do you stay calm and confident when the markets get messy? In today's Retirement Headlines we go through Cullen Roche's article from Discipline Funds - "Finding Certainty in a Sea of Uncertainty".

With tariffs, global uncertainty, and market volatility making headlines again offers nine practical steps to help you stay grounded, focused, and on track with your retirement plan.

The 9 Calming, Confidence-boosting steps the article lays out are:

1. Revisit Your Financial Plan
2. Update Your Estate Plan
3. Consider Tax Loss Harvesting
4. Dollar Cost Average Excess Cash
5. Think in Terms of Time Horizons
6. Stay the Course (If You Can)
7. Talk About It
8. Focus on What You Can Control
9. Go Do "Leg Day"

After that, I answer a listener question: "I've been paying $1,600 a year for a $500,000 level term life insurance policy, which runs through 2031. I have two financially stable adult children in their 30s, who are the policy's beneficiaries, and two grandchildren. Should I keep making the premium payments—or let it lapse?"

Resource:

Article by Cullen Roche: Finding Certainty in a Sea of Uncertainty

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Get the book!Retirement Starts Today: Your Non-financial Guide to an Even Better Retirement

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One of the biggest and often overlooked risks facing retirees is sequence-of-returns risk. The risk of experiencing investment losses early in retirement can have an impact on the sustainability of savings over the long term.

Morningstar researchers dug into this in their latest State of Retirement Income study. Their findings confirm what many retirement planners already suspect: the first five years of retirement are make-or-break.

I'll also answer a listener question: "Are there advantages to moving all your mutual funds into a brokerage firm such as Schwab? "

Resource: Morningstar article: How to Avoid Outliving Your Retirement Savings? It's All in the Sequence

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It's no secret that market volatility can feel especially nerve-wracking when you're no longer earning a paycheck.

But what if I told you that, historically, every single crash has ended the same way—with a recovery?

That's what happened after the Covid-19 market crash, the 2021 downturn, and even the Great Depression.

We're going to discuss an article titled "What We've Learned From 150 Years of Stock Market Crashes" by Emelia Fredlick. The article highlights some of the worst market downturns in history and, more importantly, the lessons they offer for long-term investors like you.

Takeaways:

Lesson #1: We Can't Predict Recovery Times Lesson #2: Every Decade Brings a Market Crash Lesson #3: Staying Invested is the Only Winning Strategy

Then I answer question sent in from a listener: "What are some good ways to gift money to my children while I'm still living?"

All of this in less than 20 minutes.

Resources:

• MorningStar article by Emelia Fredlick: What We've Learned From 150 Years of Stock Market Crashes
• Book by Bill Perkins: Die With Zero
• How many annual exclusions are available? IRS website on Gift Taxes

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Get the book - out now!Retirement Starts Today: Your Non-financial Guide to an Even Better Retirement

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Is your 401(k) prepared for a market crash? With market volatility on the rise, many investors are wondering how to protect their portfolios.

In this episode, I share an article from Go Banking Rates on how to safeguard your retirement savings during turbulent times. I'll highlight key takeaways from the article, share my own insights on where I agree or disagree, and explain why certain strategies may be more effective than others.

After that, I answer a listener's question about long-term care (LTC) insurance. We'll explore different types of LTC policies, discuss the ideal time to purchase coverage (such as around age 50), and consider whether self-funding might be a smarter financial strategy.

Key takeaways:

• Diversify, Diversify, Diversify
• Shift Toward Conservative Investments as You Near Retirement
• Rebalance Regularly—Not Just After a Crash
• Consider a 401(k) Rollover for More Flexibility
• Stay the Course—Don't Panic Sell

Resources:

Go Banking Rates article: How To Protect Your 401(k) from a Stock Market Crash

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• Work with Benjamin: https://retirementstartstoday.com/start

Get the book - out now!Retirement Starts Today: Your Non-financial Guide to an Even Better Retirement

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Most people assume their tax burden lightens in retirement, but what if I told you that some taxes are actually designed to creep up on you year after year—without Congress passing a single new law? In this episode, we expose the sneaky taxes that can quietly erode your retirement income, from Social Security taxation to Medicare IRMAA surcharges. These hidden costs don't just affect the ultra-wealthy anymore; thanks to outdated rules and inflation, they're hitting everyday retirees harder than ever.

If you're relying on Social Security, investment income, or Medicare in retirement, you may already be on the IRS's radar—without realizing it. We break down the four biggest tax traps, explain how they've changed over time, and why they're pulling more retirees into the tax net each year. Whether it's the frozen thresholds for Social Security taxes or the stealthy Medicare penalties that kick in just because you had a good income two years ago, these sneaky policies can add up fast.

By the end of this episode, you'll have a clearer picture of how these taxes work, why they exist, and what—if anything—you can do to soften the blow. If avoiding unnecessary taxes in retirement sounds like a smart move, you won't want to miss this one!

• (0:00) Sneaky Retirement Taxes
• (3:20) Sneaky Tax #1: Social Security taxation (how frozen thresholds trap retirees)
• (5:10) Sneaky Tax #2: Capital loss deduction limit (unchanged since 1978!)
• (6:55) Sneaky Tax #3: Medicare IRMAA (tracking your income before you even retire)
• (08:45) Sneaky Tax #4: Net Investment Income Tax (how it quietly pulls in more taxpayers)
• (09:40) Wrap-up – Why these taxes persist & what you can do about them

• The Retirement Podcast Network
• Social Security Administration's Taxation of Benefits
• IRS Q&A on Net Investment Income Tax

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Get the book - out now!Retirement Starts Today: Your Non-financial Guide to an Even Better Retirement

Follow Retirement Starts Today inApple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, or iHeart