Matt walks thorugh exactly what happens with your IRA as you approach end of life and death, including required minimum distributions, changing Medicare thresholds (IRMA), and the changing tax brackets upon death as the surviving spouse inherits the account and, therefore, the additional income stream. Matt also covers how IRA's transfer to children and the income and tax implications of the remaining funds as they are paid out to the inheriting children.

The lifecycle of the IRA income ends up looking like this:

1. Deferred income
2. Forced income
3. Compressed income
4. Accelerated income

At each stage, you have less control over what happens to the funds and how they are paid out. This is why it's critical to have a financial plan that considers your income not just at the start of retirement, but throughout retirement. And, as Matt has pointed out in past episodes, a plan is only as good as the attention you pay it -- monitoring it and adjusting it over time to account for changing life circumstances ensures that you are navigating your money wisely through your wisdom years.