New year, new stakes—we’re celebrating our 17th year on the air and more than 800 shows with two big announcements: we’ve doubled our office space to expand service in the Ozarks, and we’re launching recurring “Ask Heather” segments with national Social Security expert Heather Schreiber. That means sharper guidance across Social Security timing, tax planning, Medicare, and IRMAA, all coordinated to protect your lifestyle, not just your account balance.

We get candid about why “winging it” fails. A simple farm-road story and two recent health shocks reveal what really derails retirements: unplanned risks, medical surprises, and sequence-of-returns damage. We break down the “quadruple whammy” that can drain portfolios—withdrawals during downturns, market losses, fees, and taxes—and show how to counter it with guaranteed lifetime income, risk-aware allocation, and tax-smart sequencing. You’ll hear how RISA risk profiling helps match your temperament to the right income strategy, and how modern tools like LTC strategies and impairment doublers on annuities can provide crucial cash flow when life takes a turn.

If you’re tired of salesy dinner seminars and want straight answers, you’ll feel at home here. We share how to build a durable income floor, when to consider Roth conversions, how to avoid forced selling, and why reviewing your plan annually is non-negotiable. Plus, a look at what’s ahead: client stories, practical checklists, and monthly content that turns complex rules into usable steps.

Subscribe, share with someone who needs a real plan, and send us your Social Security and tax questions for “Ask Heather.” Ready to stress test your retirement? Visit Ozarksretirement.com, click Contact Us for a free consultation, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show.

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To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

A year of milestones and momentum meets a simple truth: income is the outcome. We look back at 2025 with gratitude and clarity, sharing what really moved the needle for retirees and pre-retirees—fresh tax opportunities, smarter Social Security decisions, and practical ways to turn savings into reliable monthly cash flow. From holiday reflections and new grandbabies to big stages and bigger ideas, this conversation blends heart and hard facts to help you build a retirement that feels steady, not stressful.

You’ll hear highlights from a National Advisor Summit in Denver and a surreal day at Glenn Beck’s studio in Dallas, plus insights from the American College’s Horizons Conference where we interviewed leaders like Ed Slott, Jeffrey Levine, Wade Pfau, Michael Finke, David Blanchett, Jason Fichtner, Jamie Hopkins, and more. Their collective expertise powers real-world strategies: manage sequence risk, coordinate Medicare and IRMAA, optimize Social Security claiming, and build guaranteed income you can’t outlive with the right annuity design.

We also unpack the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025. Even without Secure 3.0 changes, the permanently extended individual tax rates expand your Roth conversion window. The estate and gift exclusions reset requires new estate modeling, and the standard deduction jumps. Most importantly, the new 6,000 dollar senior deduction per person from 2025 to 2028 can lower taxable income for retirees—even if you itemize—freeing up more cash for the life you want. Pair that with the qualified business income deduction for owners, and the case for proactive tax planning gets even stronger.

Our playbook remains steady: protect your base, grow what makes sense, reduce avoidable taxes, and lock in predictable income. When your mailbox money is secure, market headlines lose their grip. Ready to see how this can work for you? Subscribe, share with a friend who needs clarity, and leave a review to help more families find us. Want personalized help and a free copy of Bulletproof, The Safe and Secure Retirement Income Plan? Visit Ozarksretirement.com and request your no-cost consultation.

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To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

Prices change, risks evolve, and so do the rules of a secure retirement. We take a time jump from 1971 to 1989, 2001, 2008, and today to uncover what history teaches about building income you can trust. Along the way, Brad shares personal stories, like his father’s 2008 losses at Merrill Lynch and the pivot that created guaranteed paychecks for life, to show how real households turn pain into better planning.

We break down the forces that matter most: the true cost of living in 2025, the impact of taxes on every withdrawal, and why sequence of returns risk can undo decades of saving if your first retirement years collide with a downturn. You’ll hear how the “quadruple whammy”—withdrawals, losses, fees, and taxes—erodes portfolios, and how to counter it with a blended strategy that pairs market growth with guaranteed lifetime income. We also explore practical tax planning moves like Roth conversions, bracket management, and smarter Social Security timing, plus how location and lifestyle change your target number more than any rule of thumb.

By the end, you’ll see a blueprint for resilience: set a reliable income floor, diversify risk, cut avoidable taxes and fees, and keep a cash buffer for rough markets. Whether you’re eyeing Missouri’s lower costs or navigating a high‑cost coastal city, this approach scales to your life. Ready to stress‑test your plan and keep more of what you’ve earned? Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s retiring soon, and leave a review with your top retirement question so we can help in a future show.

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To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

Eight hundred shows in, the mission hasn’t changed: build income you can trust so you can sleep well at night. To celebrate the milestone, we brought together five leaders whose work has shaped modern retirement planning—Tom Hegna on the go‑go, slow‑go, and no‑go years, Heather Schreiber on Social Security strategy and IRMAA, Cheryl J. Moore on the truth about indexed annuities, Dr. Wade Pfau on the RISA framework, and Ed Slott on turning tax traps into tax opportunities.

We start with Hegna’s simple playbook: guarantee paychecks for life during the go‑go years so you actually spend; set a real plan for long‑term care risk in the slow‑go years; and use life insurance to deliver legacy, tax advantages, and permission to enjoy your savings. From there, Schreiber shows how spousal benefits, retroactive filing, and the repeal of GPO/WEP for certain cases can unlock more income for families with non‑covered pensions, while also flagging IRMAA’s two‑year lookback so you don’t get ambushed by Medicare surcharges.

Moore clears the fog around fixed indexed annuities—principal protection, growth linked to an index with a floor, and options for lifetime income that mirror what people already love about Social Security and pensions. Then Pfau explains why the Retirement Income Style Awareness assessment changes the conversation: Total Return, Income Protection, Time Segmentation, or Risk Wrap aren’t rival camps, they’re valid paths. When your plan matches your psychology—probability vs. safety, flexibility vs. commitment—you stick with it through volatility.

Ed Slott closes with a blunt truth: taxes are the biggest lever between the retirement you want and the one you get. Multi‑year Roth conversion planning, RMD strategy, beneficiary design, and charitable giving can shift wealth from forever taxed to never taxed and keep IRMAA in check. If you’re ready to align guaranteed income, healthcare planning, and tax efficiency with your personal style, let’s talk.

Subscribe, share this milestone with a friend who loves smart money talk, and leave a review with your biggest aha—what would help you sleep better at night?

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To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

You don’t build a great retirement by guessing the market’s next swing; you build it by owning your tax future. To mark our 800th show, we sit down with Ed Slott, America’s IRA expert, to map a clear path from tax-deferred uncertainty to tax-free control. We revisit the 2010 Roth conversion opening and draw a straight line to today’s unusually wide, still-low tax brackets that make strategic conversions a rare bargain. Ed explains why “tax laws are written in pencil” and how bracket-filling, not RMD minimums, is the mindset that protects your wealth.

From there, we tackle the Secure Act’s 10-year rule and how it reshapes legacy planning. If you’re counting on traditional IRAs to serve your children well, think again. Compressing distributions into a decade often collides with peak earnings and higher brackets, turning inheritance into a tax headache. We outline smarter tools: Roth IRAs for tax-free growth and withdrawals, and permanent life insurance for income tax-free wealth transfer, control, and larger net inheritances. This is where the single greatest income tax benefit in the code does the heavy lifting.

Finally, we get practical about peace of mind. Guaranteed income changes behavior and lowers stress, especially when markets feel like a casino. We walk through how annuities can create a reliable base for essential expenses, reduce sequence risk, and free you to invest the rest with confidence. Place those guarantees inside a Roth and you’ve upgraded to guaranteed, tax-free income you can tap when needed. If your goal is freedom from taxes, worry, risk, and bad advice, this conversation gives you a plan you can put to work now.

If you’re ready to keep more and share less, subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs a tax-smart retirement plan. For a free consultation, call 866-780-7233 or visit Ozarksretirement.com.

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To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

The first year after you stop working feels like a dream—then real life shows up. We map the true shape of retirement through four phases: the thrilling vacation year, the unexpected season of loss and being lost, the trial-and-error reset, and finally the reinvention that brings purpose back to the center. Drawing on insights from Dr. Riley Moynes, Tom Hegna, Dr. Wade Pfau, and years of client stories, we show why the nonfinancial side—routine, identity, relationships, and health—can make or break even the best-funded plan.

I walk through how decumulation planning turns savings into steady, tax-smart income, and why timing Social Security, coordinating withdrawals, and stress-testing healthcare costs matter more than chasing returns. We confront the surge in gray divorce with candid data and practical steps, from dividing assets and protecting Social Security to preparing for housing and legal expenses. We also unpack the emotional fallout—grief, anxiety, isolation—and the habits that rebuild meaning and community.

From the go-go to the slow-go and eventually the no-go years, the aim is a plan that funds life while life still feels full. That means clear cash flow for essentials, flexible savings for the fun, and long-term care strategies that protect dignity and family. You’ll leave with a realistic roadmap, sharper questions for your advisor, and a toolkit to rewire purpose as the years change. If you’re ready to design the next chapter with intention, hit play—and then share your phase, your worries, and your wins.

Enjoyed the conversation? Follow, rate, and share the show. For a free review and resources, call 866-780-7233 or visit Ozarksretirement.com and click Contact Us.

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To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

You planned for the cool, calm version of retirement—then the market heated up, interest rates whipsawed, and the timing of your first withdrawals suddenly mattered more than the last 30 years of saving. We take you inside the moments when expectations snap—like retiring into a downturn or discovering that “balanced” didn’t balance in 2022—and show how to build a plan that keeps paying you even when the world doesn’t cooperate.

We break down sequence of returns risk in plain English and explain why the order of returns can make or break your nest egg once you start drawing income. You’ll hear how the quadruple whammy of losses, withdrawals, fees, and taxes drains portfolios faster than most realize, and how to flip the script by separating essential income from market volatility. From guaranteed lifetime income for core expenses to a cash reserve that stops forced selling, we map out a resilient structure that lets you retire on your schedule, not the market’s.

Along the way, we get real about advisor selection and industry tactics—why “free dinner” pitches, vague promises, and passive handoffs leave retirees exposed. We share practical questions to vet any advisor, plus strategies for tax-efficient withdrawals and smart Roth conversion windows that can lower your lifetime tax bill. If you want a first-principles plan that blends protection, liquidity, and growth—and a partner who actually shows up—this conversation is your blueprint for a steady, confident retirement.

Ready to stress-test your plan and protect your income? Follow the show, share this episode with someone nearing retirement, and leave a review telling us what would make you feel truly secure.

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To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

In this insightful episode of Safe Money Radio, host Brad Pistole explores the often unpredictable nature of retirement planning. Drawing from his extensive experience, Brad shares compelling personal stories and real-life client experiences to highlight the critical role of market timing and the unforeseen challenges that can disrupt even the best-laid plans. Listeners will gain valuable insights into the importance of crafting a secure financial strategy that can withstand market downturns and unexpected life events. Brad discusses the necessity of flexibility in retirement planning, emphasizing the need for a resilient approach that adapts to changing circumstances. With a focus on education and preparedness, this episode encourages listeners to review and strengthen their retirement strategies, ensuring they are equipped to face the future with confidence. Whether you're nearing retirement or already enjoying your golden years, this episode offers practical advice and expert guidance to help you navigate the complexities of retirement planning.

Taxes don’t retire when you do, which is why smart planning now can save you stress and money later. We sit down with attorney and retirement expert Sarah Brenner to unpack the most powerful moves you can make before year-end and the major rule shifts arriving in 2026. From using qualified charitable distributions to cut adjusted gross income to timing your first RMD and designing “many mini” Roth conversions, we show you how to keep more of what you’ve earned and reduce the surprise bills that can hit Medicare and Social Security.

We break down QCD eligibility at 70½, why the check must go directly to the charity, and how this simple step can lower IRMAA surcharges and the taxation of Social Security benefits. Then we demystify RMDs: the current start ages, the April 1 first-year option, and the costly trap of ending up with two RMDs in one year. You’ll hear why an RMD can’t be converted to Roth and the right sequence for taking required dollars before converting additional funds.

Looking ahead, we highlight what’s slated for 2026: the proposed “Trump accounts” with government seeding for children born 2025–2028, and mandatory Roth treatment for 401k catch-up contributions for high earners. If you’re switching jobs, we make the case for choosing a Roth 401k to stack tax-free growth. We also cover a real-life inheritance dilemma: when a younger widow should keep an inherited Roth rather than roll it over to avoid early withdrawal penalties on earnings.

If you’re charitably inclined, approaching RMD age, or considering conversions while tax rates are still favorable, this conversation gives you a clear, practical playbook. Take control of your timeline, trim future taxes, and build flexibility into your retirement income plan.

If the episode helps you, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s planning for retirement, and leave a quick review with your top question—we’ll tackle it in a future show.

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To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

What if the biggest risk to your retirement isn’t market volatility, but waking up to a calendar with nothing that matters on it? We dig into the side of planning most people ignore—how to design days that feel purposeful, healthy, and connected—and show why money alone can’t deliver a satisfying life after work.

We unpack a hard-hitting cautionary tale of “doing everything right” financially and still feeling lost, then break down the four non-financial pillars that drive happiness in retirement: purpose and meaning, health and wellness, social connections, and personal growth. From building a weekly rhythm you can’t wait to live, to budgeting for wellness like any core expense, to turning hobbies into real commitments, we share practical steps that turn savings into a life you love. You’ll hear how aligning couple expectations prevents conflict, why community is a protective factor against isolation and depression, and how ongoing learning keeps your identity vibrant.

We also connect lifestyle design with your financial strategy. Using the Retirement Income Style Awareness (RESA) framework, we explain how to match your income plan to the way you actually want to live—funding travel seasons, health investments, and passion projects with intention. This is where portfolios and purpose finally meet, giving you clarity, confidence, and energy for the years ahead.

If you’re ready to retire to something—not just from something—this conversation will help you craft a plan that protects your wealth and elevates your daily life. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s nearing retirement, and leave a review telling us the one non-financial habit you’ll start building this week.

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To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com