The Retirement and IRA Show

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on Social Security survivor benefits and earnings records, financing a home purchase, and using a fixed indexed annuity (FIA) for discretionary spending. (11:15) A listener asks why a Social Security estimate lists a $3,944 survivor benefit rather than the projected $5,101 age-70 benefit and which amount would actually be paid. (21:45) The guys consider whether adding previously omitted stock option income to a 2017 earnings record could result in higher Social Security benefits and back pay. (31:30) Jim and Chris weigh using a 60-day IRA or Roth IRA rollover to finance a home purchase before selling the current home against a HELOC or mortgage. (55:15) Another listener asks for their thoughts on using a fixed indexed annuity (FIA) with an income rider to support discretionary spending and how it compares with their simpler annuity strategies. The post Social Security, Social Security, Home Purchase, Fun Spending: Q&A #2635 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary Jim and I continue our discussion on the Fun Number, this time as a dialogue episode built around one listener’s hesitation around spending retirement savings and how growth and legacy positioning and establishing his SEAL Reserve helped him work through it. We revisit the seesaw framework for undeployed assets, clarify how the SEAL Reserve consolidated the old reserve positions, and explain why the Fun Vision is never set in stone and can and should be revisited. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I are picking the Fun Number conversation back up in dialogue form this week, working through a long email from a listener whose growth and legacy positioning helped him get more comfortable with spending retirement savings after years of struggling to spend the money he worked his whole life to save. I have spent twenty-seven years questioning the safe withdrawal rate approach, and this listener took what we teach and reshaped it around his own need for peace of mind. He admitted flat out that spending money is difficult for him, and I don’t think that makes him an anomaly. Honestly, that’s the norm for most people entering retirement. I compare it to growing lettuce in my own garden, nursing it from seed, only to cut it down and eat it. You still do it, but there is a pull to let it keep growing. That is why we built the Minimum Dignity Floor first: the older you gets an explicit promise that food, housing, and healthcare are covered no matter what, so the younger you can give yourself permission to spend on fun. This listener wanted more comfort than that alone gave him. So we walk through where that extra comfort came from for him. The post Spending Retirement Savings: EDU #2634 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on spousal Social Security timing, a listener PSA on the super catch-up contribution rule, early withdrawals from a Roth 457(b) plan, Minimum Dignity Floor coverage using SPIAs, QLACs as a hedge against potential Social Security cuts, and a couple’s retirement strategy. (10:00) — A listener asks whether a wife nearing full retirement age can claim her own smaller Social Security benefit now, then switch to a spousal benefit once her husband files at his full retirement age. (18:15) — A listener PSA offers clarification on a previous Q&A episode’s super catch-up contribution rule discussion. (22:15) — Jim and Chris are asked how early withdrawals of growth from a Roth 457(b) plan are taxed for someone who won’t yet be 59 and a half, since 457(b) plans avoid the 10% early withdrawal penalty but may not meet the usual requirements for tax-free Roth distributions. (32:30) — George asks for guidance on using a dual life single premium immediate annuity (SPIA) to help a retired couple with minimal Social Security and no pension cover their Minimum Dignity Floor. (45:00) — A listener asks several questions about how qualified longevity annuity contracts (QLACs) work and whether the current contribution limit could offset a potential future cut to Social Security benefits. (1:00:30) — The guys review a retirement drawdown plan involving brokerage assets, Roth conversions, and an inheritance, and are asked whether the overall strategy holds up. The post Social Security, Early Withdrawals, SPIAs, QLACs, Retirement Strategy: Q&A #2634 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary Jim and I are joined again by Dr. Philip Snyder as we continue looking at narrowing the gap between healthspan and lifespan and extending your go-go years. We discuss a listener-submitted article on health-adjusted life expectancy, which argues for concentrating retirement spending in the first decade of retirement rather than following a static, Monte Carlo-based safe withdrawal rate. Dr. Snyder updates his coronary artery calcium scoring correction, introduces the CCTA angiogram for non-calcified plaque, and outlines the four components of exercise, cardio, strength, balance, and flexibility, for maintaining function as we age. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I welcome back Dr. Philip Snyder to pick up right where we left off, because folks, this whole thing, all of it, is about extending your go-go years, and I’ll admit this episode gave me some homework of my own. Dr. Snyder corrects something he got wrong last time on coronary artery calcium scoring, breaks down a newer angiogram option for catching the sneaky non-calcified plaque a clean CAC score can miss, and even mentions a blood test called PLAC2 for folks who can’t do the angiogram. A listener sent in a short article about spending more in your first decade of retirement instead of hoarding it for some rainy day that never comes, and it is basically what I have been calling the Fun Number for years. You spend your whole life saving, and then you’re too scared to spend it. My dad used to warn me about the Debbie Downers in his retirement community, folks with plenty of money left but no health left to enjoy it. Nobody wants to be that person, and nobody wants to be the wealthiest person in the graveyard either. Dr. Snyder walks through the four pieces of exercise you need as you get older, cardio, strength, balance, and flexibility, and Chris and I both admit we need a grease gun just to get moving some mornings. We get into tai chi, stretching, why I still cannot make myself do it consistently, and why one-third of people who break a hip never fully bounce back. Show Notes: “The First Decade Retirement Plan” article The post Extending Your Go-Go Years: EDU #2633 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on the Social Security Fairness Act, an IRMAA question involving deferred compensation, Roth conversions before and after key age milestones, Roth contributions for high-income catch-up savers, and how TEFRA affects an inherited annuity. (9:45) — A listener disagrees with the show’s characterization of the Social Security Fairness Act as unfair, explaining that after paying into both a government pension and Social Security for 40 quarters, she believes receiving both without penalty is fair for her situation. (27:45) — The guys field a question from a retiree who retired in 2025 and will receive deferred compensation payments through 2029 that push his income over the IRMAA threshold. He wonders whether he can file an SSA-44 in 2029 to eliminate the IRMAA surcharges. (37:00) — Jim and Chris are asked to revisit a recent discussion on moving money from Traditional to Roth accounts instead of taking distributions, with a listener wanting more detail on the implications of doing so before age 59 and a half and after RMD age. (48:30) — George asks for the pluses and minuses of continuing Roth 401(k)/403(b) contributions later in life compared with investing in a taxable brokerage account, including how a 50-year-old might decide between the two and whether those aged 61-63 should use the Roth option for super catch-up contributions. (1:03:30) — A listener has several questions about TEFRA, including what it stands for, when it was enacted, and how it affects distributions from an inherited annuity listing Pre-TEFRA and Post-TEFRA cost basis. The post Social Security, IRMAA, Roth Conversions, Roth Contributions, TEFRA: Q&A #2633 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary Jim and I are joined by Jacob Vonloh as we continue our discussion on investment positioning, wrapping up asset placement for emergency, aging, and long-term care reserves and the fun spending that flows from your Fun Number, across the Go-Go and Slow-Go/No-Go phases. Jacob also outlines the guaranteed inheritance set-aside and closes with the growth and legacy position, the leftover dollars not assigned elsewhere. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I are joined by Jacob Vonloh as we pick back up right where we left off last week on investment positioning, finishing up the fun spending and SEAL Reserve pieces we didn’t get to. I keep coming back to this: retirement is the mirror opposite of the accumulation years, and when your whole portfolio looks like one big pot, a down market makes it feel like everything’s going down — and that fear is what stops people from spending on fun. That’s exactly why we don’t look at it that way. Jacob walks through how we tier the SEAL Reserve by age, and how fun spending gets laddered and benchmarked differently depending on how soon you’ll need it — all made possible by looking at each position on its own instead of one blended portfolio, which is the whole idea behind what I coined the See Through Portfolio. It’s also why you can’t compare your protected short-term Go-Go dollars to your long-term positions and think something’s wrong — that’s an apples-to-oranges comparison from the start. There’s a real cost to saving your whole life just to sit there and watch the money grow instead of enjoying it — don’t become what my dad used to call a Debbie Downer. Before we wrap, we also touch on two more positions that won’t apply to everybody. If you’ve got a specific bequest you want locked in today, there’s a guaranteed inheritance set-aside for that. And if you end up with dollars left over once everything else is funded, we get into what to do with what we call the growth and legacy position. The post Investment Positioning Part 2: EDU #2632 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on Social Security spousal benefits, a listener PSA on HSA tax strategies and treasuries, and inherited IRA RMD rules for minor beneficiaries. (9:00) A listener asks about qualifying for spousal benefits after a lengthy separation, since both spouses are now retired but remain legally married. (28:15) The guys share a listener PSA on tax strategies involving harvesting HSA-eligible expenses, including Medicare B and D premiums, as a tax-free funding source, and on laddering treasury bills through Fidelity or Schwab instead of TreasuryDirect. (40:15) George follows up on inherited IRA rules for minor child beneficiaries, asking whether an eligible designated beneficiary can elect the 10-year rule instead of taking the stretch, which requires RMDs. The post Spousal Benefits, HSA Tax Strategies PSA, Inherited IRAs: Q&A #2632 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

If you’d like to skip past Jim, Chris, and Jacob’s opening chat about Jacob relocating to Iowa, Jim’s hiking plans, weather, office dog Apollo, and generational pop culture gaps, skip ahead to (10:00). Chris’s Summary Jim and I continue our discussion on the Fun Number, joined this time by Jacob as we turn to investment positioning of those pieces. Jacob walks through tracking positions without professional software, using individual fund assignments, spreadsheets, and a two-credit-card approach, plus the liquidity account and fall tax planning. We then cover delay period and post-delay Minimum Dignity Floor investment options, moving from full principal protection in the near term to a lesser degree of it further out. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I pick back up on the Fun Number series, this time bringing Jacob on to tackle investment positioning, the piece everybody asks about once they’ve done the math from the first two episodes. Jacob spent years helping me build this from scratch, back when we tracked everything by hand before we ever had access to professional-grade tracking software, and he shares some of the tools do-it-yourselfers can use to keep track of their own toy box of positions without that kind of software. We also dig into the liquidity account, the piece that quietly connects your positions to your actual spending. Jacob’s two-credit-card idea for separating Minimum Dignity Floor from fun spending ties directly into it, and I explain why we do our tax planning once a year, in the fall, rather than guessing all year long. There’s a reason we’d rather convert to a Roth than take a straight withdrawal when refilling that account, and it comes down to what happens if your plans change. Once Jacob turns to investment options for the delay period and post-delay portions of your essential spending needs, we get into how the degree of principal protection shifts depending on how far out that money is needed, from fully protected in the near term to something with a little more market exposure further down the road. This is the heart of what I call the See-Through Portfolio, the whole reason we break things out this way instead of running one big portfolio, and there’s a real difference in how we treat money a couple of years away versus a decade out. The post Investment Positioning Explained: EDU #2631 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on Social Security survivor benefits after the GPO repeal, estate planning for minor children, and annuity safety. (10:00) A listener asks whether the repeal of GPO permits the survivor in a mixed Social Security and non-covered pension couple to keep both Social Security benefits rather than only the higher benefit, and where this rule appears in the POMS. (37:00) The guys review whether a revocable living trust should remain the contingent beneficiary of retirement accounts while the couple’s children are minors, despite the potential for higher taxes, and what alternatives or overlooked issues may apply. (1:16:15) Jim and Chris address whether someone considering a $500,000 single premium immediate annuity (SPIA) should split the purchase between two insurers to reduce insolvency and state guaranty association risk. The post Social Security, Estate Planning, Annuity Safety: Q&A #2631 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary Jim and I continue our discussion on the Fun Number, this time tackling what comes out first and how we plan for covering retirement income gaps. We look at funding both the delay period and post-delay period, including how a SPIA quote helps determine how much to set aside today to close a future gap. We also address aging and long-term care, and the smaller, less common carve-out for a guaranteed inheritance tied to a special needs dependent. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I pick up the Fun Number conversation right where we left off, and this time we’re finally cracking open the toy box to show you what has to come out before anything gets set aside for fun. I still say it best with the seesaw: younger you on one side, older you on the other, and every dollar you carve out first is a promise you’re making across that fulcrum. We walk through the delay period, those years before your Social Security or pension is fully turned on, and why we don’t discount those dollars down the way you might expect. Then Chris shifts to the post-delay period, pulling a real annuity quote to price out a future income gap and translating that future need into a present-day number using our See Through Portfolio thinking, so you can actually see which assets are spoken for and which ones aren’t. We talk through how to close retirement income gaps step by step, and I even work in my usual gripe about the crystal ball nobody’s built yet. From there we get into the harder, more emotional carve-outs, the ones tied to aging, long-term care, and in some cases a guaranteed inheritance, before circling back to what’s actually left over for you to enjoy. There’s a reason people tend to want to spend now rather than reserve for later, and we talk about why that instinct is so hard to fight. Next week Jacob joins us to talk through how we actually invest each of these positions, so consider this the setup for that conversation. The post Covering Retirement Income Gaps: EDU #2630 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on Social Security survivor benefit strategies, a Roth 401(k) catch-up rule loophole, HSA reimbursement for Medicare premiums, pension options including a lump sum rollover, and trust titling versus individual beneficiaries. (13:00) — George asks whether his brother can claim his own Social Security benefit at 62 and switch to the higher survivor benefit at full retirement age. (22:45) — A listener asks whether starting a new job in 2026 could exempt him from the new mandatory Roth 401(k) catch-up rule. (28:45) — The guys field a question about using HSA funds to reimburse Medicare Part A premiums paid for a spouse before age 65. (40:00) — Jim and Chris review a listener’s decision to take a pension lump sum and roll it into an IRA over the annuity options. (1:13:00) — Georgette asks which accounts should be retitled into her trust versus left as individual beneficiary designations. The post Social Security, Roth 401k, HSA Reimbursement, Pension Options, Trust Planning: Q&A #2630 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary “Jim and I begin a multi-part discussion on the Fun Number, a retirement budgeting concept for how much someone can spend on what they want rather than what they need once other obligations are covered. Jim traces how the idea originated from a client hesitant to follow through with his retirement dreams despite having more than enough saved to do so. In response, a single undifferentiated portfolio evolved over time into separately identified reserve positions. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I are kicking off a series on the Fun Number, the concept, along with the Minimum Dignity Floor, that I’ve built my whole approach to retirement budgeting on. This first episode lays the groundwork for a multi-part discussion, since arriving at that number means first identifying everything else that needs to be sorted out first. To get into where the idea actually came from, I tell the story of a client who had more than enough saved but still couldn’t bring himself to buy the camper trailer he’d been dreaming about for years. Watching that play out taught me something I just couldn’t shake: money sitting inside one big portfolio, all lumped together, is money many don’t feel safe spending, no matter what the math says. That realization led me to start pulling pieces out of a portfolio. It started with handwritten notes and a three-bucket approach that never quite solved the problem. I kept pulling pieces out, the way a kid digs through a toy box, separating out what’s needed for security and reserves so what’s left becomes visible and spendable, for whatever someone wants to do with it. That thinking eventually grew into what’s now called the See Through Portfolio. The post Retirement Budgeting – The Fun Number: EDU #2629 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss the new PROMISE Act’s potential impact on Social Security before covering listener emails on pension RMD timing, interest taxation versus capital gains indexing, and portfolio strategy around Social Security survivor benefits and multi-account allocation. (5:30) — Chris discusses the new PROMISE Act and how it may impact Social Security. (17:15) — George asks how long he can delay pension distributions without violating RMD rules, given his 73rd birthday falls in February 2027. (29:45) — A listener asks whether interest income should be inflation-indexed the same way some propose indexing capital gains for wealthier taxpayers. (43:00) — The guys field a two-part question on how a surviving spouse’s Social Security loss factors into MDF portfolio and annuity design, and how to allocate a portfolio strategy across different account types. The post Social Security, Pension RMDs, Interest Taxation, Portfolio Strategy: Q&A #2629 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary Jim and I dig into two beneficiary disputes as part of what we’re calling a “potpourri” EDU show: the 1930s Goodman Triangle life insurance gift tax dispute and a recent Montana Supreme Court ruling on an uncashed cashier’s check. We also discuss a bipartisan proposal to raise the home sale capital gains exclusion and a separate proposal to index capital gains for inflation more broadly. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I dig into a variety of topics, starting with a court fight that traces back nearly a hundred years, something folks in the industry call the Goodman Triangle. Picture three people tied to one policy: an owner, an insured, and a separate beneficiary. Mrs. Goodman took out five life insurance policies on her husband, moved them into a revocable trust, and thought she was fine, until he died and the IRS said she’d made a taxable gift. She fought it and the court’s decision on the case still gets cited whenever a policy or an annuity has three different people sitting in those three roles. From there we get into a couple of proposals sitting in Congress right now. One would finally raise the exclusion on gains from selling your primary home, something that hasn’t budged since the late nineties even as home prices have doubled and tripled around the country. The House and Senate versions land in slightly different places, but both would roughly double the current numbers and index them for inflation going forward. The other proposal is a longer shot, backed by senators who don’t have much bipartisan goodwill behind them, and it would apply an inflation multiplier to stocks, real estate, and other capital assets so you’d only owe tax on the growth that’s actually real. We close with one of our beneficiary disputes out of the Montana Supreme Court: a husband pulls eighty thousand dollars out as a cashier’s check made out to himself, hides it in the house, and dies without a will. His wife cashes it, his son sues, and the ruling comes down to whether a gift was ever actually completed. The post A Potpourri of Beneficiary Disputes and Tax Laws: EDU #2628 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris welcome back returning guest Dr. Phillip Snider for a Q&A episode that plays a little differently than usual. Listener emails open a broader discussion of healthspan and lifespan, (including how wealth, genetics, and lifestyle factors shape longevity), retirement planning for longevity, and Dr. Snider’s recommendation for additional tests to help assess your health risks. (5:15) — George cautions that median longevity statistics are heavily influenced by wealth, genetics, and individual behavior, and shares CDC data showing life expectancy rises significantly once someone reaches age 65. (29:45) — A listener asks Dr. Snider to discuss the value of the cardiac calcium score in assessing longevity. She also asks about the science behind statins, including their effect on plaque stability and a possible link to reduced dementia risk. Show Notes: Dr. Snider’s list of recommended tests: CAC test (coronary artery calcium,) or heart scan – a noninvasive, low-dose CT scan that measures calcified plaque in your arteries to predict future heart attack risk. hsCRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) – measures inflammation in the body related to cardiovascular disease risk. IL-6 (Interleukin-6) – elevated levels are associated with multiple conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes (insulin resistance), cancer, and autoimmune disorders.  The sample has to be frozen before sending to the lab for processing, so it may need to be collected at a hospital lab or free-standing lab facility rather than at a doctor’s office. MPO (Myeloperoxidase) – measures an enzyme found in white blood cells (neutrophils and macrophages). It is a key biomarker of inflammation and oxidative stress. In the bloodstream, high MPO levels indicate that immune cells are actively attacking vessel walls, making it a powerful predictor of cardiovascular disease and plaque instability. Lp-PLA2 (lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2) – measures a specialized inflammatory enzyme highly concentrated in unstable, rupture-prone fatty plaques within your arteries. Unlike general inflammatory markers (like hs-CRP), Lp-PLA2 is specifically localized to inflammation of blood vessels. The post Healthspan and Retirement Planning for Longevity with Dr. Snider: Q&A #2628 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary Jim and I review a reader-submitted article on funding essential expenses in retirement, examining how one engineer split his portfolio into what we would call the Minimum Dignity Floor and Fun Number, using Social Security and a TIPS ladder. We compare that approach to our own income-based framework, discuss mortality credits from income annuities, and address reader emails about how long an essentials-only spending floor should realistically last. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I get into a short piece a listener sent us, written by an engineer who approached retirement spending in a very engineer style way: building a model, gathering the data, and running the numbers. But he initially still came up short on peace of mind and ended up splitting his retirement into two portfolios, leaning on Social Security and a TIPS ladder for funding essential expenses, and landing on a lot of ground Chris and I have been covering for twenty-five years, even though he’s never heard of the show. I’ve got some thoughts on that TIPS ladder approach, particularly around mortality credits and what happens when you’re the one holding all the longevity risk yourself instead of pooling it. It ties into what I call the See Through Portfolio, our approach to positioning assets so you can actually see what each dollar is doing for you rather than treating everything as one big undifferentiated pile. I also bring back my seesaw, the younger you on one side, the older you on the other, to work through what happens with whatever’s left once the essentials are covered. We close out on a couple of relevant reader emails, including one from someone who put together twenty-five years of essential spending coverage on his own. Chris and I do some math on what that actually means for him, and I end up talking about fish schooling and birds flocking, because nature figured some of this out a long time before we did. Show Notes: Humble Dollar Article The post Funding Essential Expenses in Retirement: EDU #2627 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on Social Security spousal benefit calculations, variable annuities in a 403(b), converting Inherited IRAs, and the Social Security child-in-care provision’s effect on spousal benefits. (10:00) — A listener asks Chris to explain why his additional high-earning years increased his own benefit so little, due to Social Security’s bend point formula, and how that translated into only a small spousal benefit adjustment for his wife. He also asks whether Social Security stops recalculating a worker’s PIA once they reach age 70. (28:00) — Georgette asks why her 403(b) funds are classified as variable annuities rather than mutual funds, and whether they function like other variable annuities sold on the open market. (54:30) — The guys field a question about a non-spouse inherited IRA, where the account holder wants to know whether the required RMD must be taken before completing a separate Roth conversion. (1:05:15) — Jim and Chris address whether the child-in-care provision removes the early-claiming reduction to a wife’s spousal benefit, in a case where she claims at 62 and her husband, the higher earner, waits until 65. The post Social Security, 403b Variable Annuities, Converting Inherited IRAs: Q&A #2627 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary Jim and I continue our discussion on annuity insurer failures and state guarantee fund protections before turning to jointly owned annuities, examining how they differ from other jointly titled assets. We cover credited versus uncredited interest, mortality table calculations for annuitized contracts, and how a jointly owned annuity’s death benefit passes to named beneficiaries rather than the surviving owner. Contract language varies by insurer on how the surviving joint owner is treated relative to named beneficiaries. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I pick up where we left off last week and close out our take on that NBC article about a woman whose annuity insurer ran into serious financial trouble. I get into the timing behind a related lawsuit, why I think the agent involved should have caught the warning signs, and why the insurance company itself deserves plenty of blame too. We also break down how state guarantee funds actually work once an insurer goes under, the difference between credited and uncredited interest, and what changes once you’ve annuitized and the fund has to figure out your payments using its own mortality tables. Then we shift into jointly owned annuities, and this is the part worth paying close attention to. Most people assume a joint annuity behaves like any other jointly titled asset, where the survivor automatically ends up owning the whole thing. However, that is not always how it works. I walk through language from two different insurance contracts we have dealt with over the years, and the two companies handle a joint owner’s death in completely different ways. If you have an older jointly owned annuity with someone other than your spouse listed as primary beneficiary, this is worth looking into now, because what actually happens at the first owner’s death might not be what you expect. The post What to Know About Jointly Owned Annuities: EDU #2626 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on Social Security benefits for a disabled adult child, SPIA timing and funding, longevity assumptions, and QLAC planning. (15:15) A listener asks why Social Security appears to be paying a disabled adult child benefit and child-in-care spousal benefit as a combined 50% of the worker’s PIA rather than 50% each, and how they might address the issue. (32:45) The guys discuss whether to buy a SPIA now or wait until age 70, along with the pros and cons of purchasing one with pre-tax, Roth, or brokerage assets. They also address where a DIY investor may be able to purchase a SPIA. (1:11:00) Jim and Chris respond to a listener considering whether expected AI-driven longevity advances should factor into the timing of a future SPIA purchase. (1:19:15) A listener asks about using a QLAC to help accelerate Roth conversions and whether a special needs trust for a disabled adult child could avoid a large lump-sum tax hit if both parents pass early. The post Social Security, SPIA, SPIA Timing, QLAC: Q&A #2626 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary Jim and I examine an Annuity Collapse involving PHL Variable Insurance Company, a $99,000 annuity, private equity ownership, state guarantee funds, and the limits of what the article explains. We separate fixed annuities, variable annuities, general accounts, separate accounts, insurer insolvency risk, market risk, and rating history, while noting why the missing annuity details matter. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I dig into Annuity Collapse coverage that had a lot of listeners understandably worked up, but also left out some details that matter. The headline says a woman paid $99,000 to generate retirement income for life and then the insurance company collapsed. That gets attention. It should. But before everyone runs around saying annuities are terrible and insurance companies should all be burned at the stake, we have to slow down and ask what she actually owned, because the article never clearly says whether this was fixed, variable, in payout, deferred, in the general account, or in a separate account. That distinction matters. If this was a variable annuity held in separate accounts, those assets may not be part of the insurance company’s bankruptcy estate, though market losses and access problems may still be real issues while the company is in rehabilitation or liquidation. If it was a fixed annuity or money sitting in the general account, state guarantee funds can matter, but they are not FDIC insurance, and they do not move in a few days. They can take a really long time, and the limits vary by state and product type. The larger issue is not that this woman did something wrong. I do not fault her. I fault the agent, the regulators, and the private equity games that Tom Gober has been warning about for years. PHL had weak ratings for a long time, and if it begins with a B, I think it is bad. We also talk about using AI to research insurer ratings, downgrades, ownership history, and state guarantee protections, especially before using an annuity for a lifetime income stream connected to a Minimum Dignity Floor. Link to the article: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/paid-insurance-company-99000-generate-retirement-income-life-collapsed-rcna331934 The post Annuity Collapse: EDU #2625 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on delayed Social Security credits, annuity provider ratings, DIA versus QLAC income planning, and fixed indexed annuity (FIA) recommendations. (10:30) A listener shares a long delay in receiving additional Delayed Retirement Credits on their Social Security benefit and asks whether there are any further steps to take or whether patience is the best option. (26:00) Another listener passes along Kiplinger reader survey results on annuity providers and asks whether the information may be useful in a broader discussion about choosing an insurance company. (45:00) The guys are asked when a deferred income annuity (DIA) might be better than a qualified longevity annuity contract (QLAC) inside an IRA, especially given the potential RMD and tax advantages of a QLAC. (1:15:45) Jim and Chris respond to a listener nearing retirement who was advised to move TSP G Fund money into a fixed indexed annuity (FIA) and wants to understand whether that is better than keeping the funds in the TSP and using a withdrawal strategy. The post Social Security, Annuities, Income, Annuities: Q&A #2625 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary Jim and I continue our discussion on Forced Annuitization in a highly appreciated non-qualified variable annuity owned by a 90-year-old listener’s mother. We examine LIFO taxation, IRD, IRMAA, period certain annuitization, beneficiary options, IOVAs, and the difference between a codified annuitization approach and the less certain non-qualified stretch. The distinction between a noun annuity and a verb annuity does a lot of work here. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I pick back up with a listener’s situation involving Forced Annuitization, a 90-year-old mother, and a non-qualified variable annuity with a tremendous amount of gain. This is not the insurance company being nefarious. These contracts have annuitization dates, and in an older contract, age 95 may once have seemed far away. Now it is an iceberg. The first question is still simple: what does mom want to do? From there, the insurance company’s actual annuitization options matter, preferably in writing, because every policy is unique. We get into the black-and-white choices and the gray area. A life with period certain option may spread payments beyond the forced annuitization point if the insurer allows it. If death occurs before annuitization, a non-spouse beneficiary generally faces two cleaner choices: annuitize within one year based on actuarially sound life expectancy, or use the five-year rule. Then we look at investment-only variable annuities, where the insurance company may provide the annuity wrapper, the assets remain in separate accounts, and one company Jim contacted allows new contracts up to age 95 with forced annuitization pushed out to age 121. The gray area is the non-qualified stretch. Jim explains why he has softened, but not flipped, on it. The SECURE Act changed Section 401, not Section 72(s), and that matters. Still, the comfort level depends on PLRs, insurance company practice, and how much uncertainty someone is willing to tolerate. One path is the verb annuity: give up access and control in exchange for a lifetime stream of income. The other keeps the noun annuity alive, with more flexibility, but less certainty. Same problem, very different wrappers. The post Forced Annuitization: EDU #2624 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on Social Security earnings limits, and two emails relating to using annuities for LTC planning. (13:00) — A listener asks whether income from selling NSO stock counts as earned income for Social Security, potentially triggering the earnings limit before full retirement age. (21:00) — George asks about using a 1035 exchange to move variable annuities with guaranteed living benefits into a product offering long-term care benefits, and wants help weighing the tradeoffs of this approach. (49:45) — The guys help a listener think through annuity planning to fund future long-term care costs for in-laws, including whether to use one joint annuity or two individual annuities and where to find SPIA quotes. The post Social Security, Annuities for LTC Planning: Q&A #2624 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary: Jim and I continue our discussion on annuity basics before turning to a listener’s email centered on forced annuitization, a maturity date built into every annuity contract requiring annuitization or full distribution by a set age. A listener’s mother faces this deadline at 95 with a variable annuity that grew over 10x, creating a substantial IRD (Income in Respect of a Decedent) tax burden. We consider options including period-certain annuitization, adding a younger co-annuitant, a 1035 exchange, and charitable strategies. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary: Chris and I are picking back up where we left off last week on the basics of annuities, and we take a hard look at the licensing mess on both sides of the industry: insurance agents selling products tied to indexes they’re not licensed to discuss, and investment advisors selling annuities through wholesalers without ever getting an insurance license. We also get into why AI is becoming the great equalizer for consumers, and how a 2005 class action lawsuit built on a complete misunderstanding of annuity maturity dates sets up the real conversation. That real conversation is a listener’s email about forced annuitization. His mother bought a variable annuity in 2002 with money she didn’t need to cover her Minimum Dignity Floor and invested it aggressively. Set it and forget it. Now, decades later, a deadline is closing in, and what looked like a smart, tax-deferred decision has turned into a significant IRD problem with no clean exit. The listener has been chipping away at it, but the math isn’t cooperating. There are options, some involving the existing contract, some involving moving it entirely, and at least one that surprised even me when I dug back through my notes. None of them are perfect, but the worst move may be the one he’s already making. We’ll get into all of it. The post Understanding Forced Annuitization: EDU #2623 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on whether Social Security should be compared to an annuity, Rule of 55 distribution rules, using period-certain annuities during the delay period, QLAC timing and taxes, and using a SPIA for Minimum Dignity Floor coverage. (5:20) The guys address a listener’s objection to describing Social Security as an annuity and whether that comparison is accurate. (32:00) A listener seeks clarification on Rule of 55 distributions after receiving conflicting information about whether plan-specific rules matter. (38:45) Georgette asks whether a 10-year period before her mortgage is paid off can be treated like a delay period and covered with a period-certain annuity. (51:30) Jim and Chris answer a question about whether QLACs can be purchased for a spouse from an IRA, how QLAC timing can be structured, and how payments are taxed. (1:13:45) George wonders whether relying on excess RMDs or purchasing a qualified second-and-survivor SPIA from IRA funds is a better way to support long-term MDF coverage. The post Social Security, Rule of 55, QLAC Timing, SPIAs: Q&A #2623 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary Jim and I tackle annuity basics to start off another National Annuity Awareness Month. We cover what annuities are as insurance contracts, the four parties to a contract, the accumulation and distribution phases, and the key differences among the major annuity types. We also touch on tax deferral rules, LIFO treatment, and the historical and industry context behind why annuities remain so widely misunderstood. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary  Chris and I use National Annuity Awareness Month to get back to annuity basics. I have a book in my office, Lee Welling Squier’s Old Age Dependency in the United States, written in 1912, before Social Security existed, that begins by asking why people don’t use annuities to help provide against want in old age. That question stuck with me because I was taught early in this industry that annuities were horrible, while pensions were wonderful. But, if a pension was one leg of the old three-legged stool, and the 401(k) helped pull that leg out, then maybe we ought to at least understand the product that can mimic some of that pension-like income for retirees who need it. Not love it. Not hate it. Just understand it. So, we start with the basics: what you are buying, who is making the promise, who controls the contract, whose life the payment is based on, how the accumulation phase works, and when/if the thing you own turns into a stream of income all matter. The word “annuity” covers a lot of very different vehicles. Some are plain and straightforward. Some are complex, with riders, caps, participation rates, and spreads. Some may be useful in the right circumstances. Others may be costly, confusing, or misapplied. And if you do not understand which type of annuity you are looking at, it is easy to use the wrong one in the wrong place. The post Annuity Basics: EDU #2622 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on Social Security survivor and ex-spouse benefits, using annuity income to satisfy RMDs, and annuity laddering strategies for both SPIAs and DIAs and MYGAs. (6:30) George writes in about a cousin who turns 62 in November 2026 and whose ex-spouse recently passed away — he wants to know what survivor and ex-spouse Social Security claiming options may be available. (19:45) A listener asks whether annuity income payments from a qualified annuity can be used to satisfy the RMD requirement on a separate IRA, potentially eliminating the need to take distributions from the IRA altogether. 43:15) The guys hear from a long-term buy-and-hold investor at the start of his transition from accumulation to decumulation who is drawn to the idea of purchasing SPIAs or DIAs in multiple chunks rather than a single lump sum and is curious about tradeoffs as well as how to apply a dollar-cost averaging mindset to annuity income. (1:01:00) Jim and Chris take a question from a listener about 2.5 years from retirement who is considering laddering MYGAs through his 401(k) and wants to know whether the yield advantage of A-rated carriers is worth the added risk compared to sticking with A+ or higher, and whether CD laddering might be a simpler alternative. The post Social Security, Annuity RMDs, Annuity Laddering: Q&A #2622 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary Jim and I discuss income annuities in retirement as a lead-in to National Annuity Awareness Month, using a Fidelity Viewpoints article to frame the discussion. We walk through the article’s points on essential expenses, paycheck-like income, and management simplicity later in retirement. We also distinguish traditional income annuities from more complex annuity products and address liquidity, inflation protection, insurance company risk, and death-benefit trade-offs. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I use a Fidelity Viewpoints article on income annuities in retirement to get an early start on National Annuity Awareness Month. The article points out that an income annuity may help when Social Security and pensions do not fully cover essential expenses, may provide some peace of mind around income that lasts for life, and may make retirement easier to manage later on. Those are not new ideas around here! Those essential expenses the article discusses is what we refer to as the Minimum Dignity Floor: food, utilities, transportation, housing, and healthcare. If Social Security and pensions do not fully cover those expenses, a simple income annuity may be worth understanding because if the basics are projected to outlast the income already in place, the question deserves more than a knee-jerk yes or no. We also spend time on what happens when the paycheck stops. People can have plenty of money and still miss the safety of income showing up on schedule. That is where the bottomless cup of coffee idea comes back in, and why spending during the Go-Go years can feel different when the basics are covered. Chris also gets into the simplicity point: aging, confidence, fraud risk, and why the older you, or a surviving spouse, may not want every decision tied to a portfolio. We also get into the article’s trade-offs, including loss of liquidity, lack of inflation protection, insurance company credit risk, and what happens if someone dies earlier than expected. Show Notes: Fidelity Article – “How to feel financially secure in retirement” The post Income Annuities in Retirement: EDU #2621 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on Social Security spousal benefits, portfolio withdrawal strategy for early retirement, HSA and Medicare premiums, the 4% rule, Roth self-employed 401(k)s, Roth conversions, and retirement trusts. (10:45) A listener asks whether her husband claiming Social Security on his own record before she files at 70, including as early as 62, would reduce his eventual spousal benefit, and in what circumstances an earlier filing might make sense for them. (20:45) She also asks how to structure her portfolio to cover a seven-year income gap before Social Security begins and fund a potential home purchase at retirement. (46:15) George and Georgette want to know which Medicare-related costs – IRMAA surcharges, Part D, and supplemental insurance – qualify for HSA reimbursement, and whether they can apply HSA funds retroactively to prior-year premiums. (54:30) The guys address the idea that money reimbursed from an HSA isn’t restricted to medical use, so saving receipts over the years can turn an HSA into a source of tax-free cash for virtually any expense. (1:01:15) A listener compares the 4% rule to Newton’s laws of motion – foundational but not the final word – and describing how he’s combining that framework with their retirement income approach for his own long-range planning. (1:08:30) Jim and Chris share a listener’s PSA that Fidelity began offering a Roth self-employed 401(k) in 2025, in response to a question from a recent episode. (1:11:30) One listener pushes back on the idea that Roth conversions only make sense at a lower tax bracket, walking through a math example to show that tax-free compounding can make converting at the same — or even a higher — bracket financially worthwhile. (1:17:45) George has structured his IRA with a testamentary trust for a financially irresponsible adult child and asks whether a “retirement trust”, could allow the trust to receive IRA assets without the compressed tax rates that typically apply to trusts. The post Social Security, Withdrawal Strategy, HSAs, 4% Rule, Roths, Retirement Trust: Q&A #2621 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary: Jim and I discuss a listener’s strategy for funding the delay period in this dialog show. A 59-year-old chemical engineer shares his plan to transition from 100% equities by purchasing TIPS only when his portfolio reaches new market highs. We cover his Social Security claiming strategy, concerns about CPI-based inflation adjustments relative to Minimum Dignity Floor expenses, and the potential role of a QLAC for late-in-life secure income. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary: Chris and I dig into a listener’s email in this dialog show, examining the retirement strategy of a self-described Vanguardian and chemical engineer who is three years out from retirement. His approach is built around what he calls “pedal to the metal” accumulation – 100% equities for his working years – and now he is figuring out how to transition his assets to a decumulation model. The centerpiece of his plan is a TIPS ladder covering his eight-year delay period, funded by selling from his all-stock portfolio only when it reaches a new market high. Most of his rungs are already purchased, and the approach has worked – the market has been kind. But Chris and I both flag the same concern: it works until it doesn’t. If markets go sideways or drop and stay there, he could find himself heading straight into sequence of returns risk without the rungs he needs, still waiting on new highs that may not come. Beyond those mechanics, we get into some of the things he may be underweighting. The five expense categories that anchor his retirement spending — food, utilities, transportation, housing, and health care — tend to rise faster than headline CPI, which is what TIPS are tied to. His year-over-year projections are clean and consistent, but real-world spending in those categories is variable, not a steady march. We also touch on his Social Security claiming plan and his note that he still needs to fine-tune his Fun Number once that funding is complete. The episode wraps with his mention of QLACs for late-in-life secure income – something Chris and I agree can make sense, and buying sooner rather than later may give more income dollar for dollar given how deferral and mortality credits compound inside these contracts. The post Delay Period Funding Strategy: EDU #2620 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on the SSA-44 and IRMAA process for a couple approaching Medicare, Social Security survivor benefit strategy, tax diversification for young investors, HSA vs. IRA prioritization and spending strategy during the delay period, and inherited IRA RMD rules for non-eligible beneficiaries. (15:30) A listener approaching Medicare asks how the SSA-44 process applies when one spouse is retiring while the other continues to work, and whether their planned Roth conversions could complicate the IRMAA appeal filing. (33:15) Georgette wonders whether she can start her own Social Security at 67, switch to a lower survivor benefit if her husband passes, and then return to her own larger benefit at 70. (41:00) The guys hear from a parent helping his adult children decide whether to convert their traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs or preserve a mix of account types for tax diversification in retirement. (57:45) Jim and Chris address two questions: (1) whether HSA contributions should be prioritized over IRA contributions for retirement savings, and (2) how to bridge a cash flow gap when brokerage funds run out during the delay period without undermining ongoing Roth conversions. (1:26:15) A listener asks whether a non-eligible beneficiary who inherits a traditional IRA before the decedent’s required beginning date must still take RMDs, given that the decedent had already taken one RMD in the year they turned 73. The post IRMAA, Social Security, Tax Diversification, Delay Period, Inherited IRA: Q&A #2620 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary Jim and I are joined by Dr. Phillip Snider, in what we hope is his first appearance of many, as we discuss what a healthy retirement requires. In this episode we discuss health span versus life span, or how long a person stays vibrant and independent versus how long they simply live. Grounded in the idea that a retirement plan is not only about how long money lasts but how long someone is healthy enough to enjoy it. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I are joined by Dr. Phillip Snider as we dig into what a healthy retirement actually means. We say it all the time on this show – we’re not getting younger, stronger, or healthier – but most retirement plans are built around all your retirement years being the same. Maybe only five, eight, or ten of them will be your go-go year where you can truly enjoy spending. That is exactly why we wanted a physician in this conversation who, for the record, genuinely geeks out on retirement. Dr. Snyder puts some real numbers around how long the average person stays vibrant and independent and how those numbers compare to average lifespan. That gap has direct implications for how you think about your Fun Number and when to spend it. He also gets into specific, measurable indicators that can give you a clearer picture of where you personally stand. Right now, no tool exists that can do for the go-go window what long-term care software already does for future care costs. That question comes up directly in this conversation and Dr. Snyder has a view on what variables such a tool would actually need, and what could be coming on that front. Show Notes: CalcVita Biological Age Calculator The post Enjoying a Healthy Retirement: EDU #2619 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on IRMAA appeals, Social Security survivor benefits, a Venn Diagram PSA, Roth IRA spousal rollover and the five-year rule, and Rollover IRA protections. (8:15) A listener asks whether their parents should appeal an IRMAA surcharge—triggered by a one-time annuity payout—on the basis of loss of pension income. (17:15) George asks how a serious health diagnosis may affect his Social Security strategy, including whether his wife should claim on her own record now and delay survivor benefits until he would have reached age 70. (35:30) A listener shares a Venn Diagram PSA 38:15) The guys hear from someone who used spousal rights to roll his late wife’s Roth 401k into his own Roth IRA, and wants to know whether doing so reset the five-year clock on her previously qualified funds. (54:00) Jim and Chris address whether the ERISA protections of 401k and 403b plans are reason enough to avoid rolling them into IRAs, and whether an umbrella insurance could offer additional Rollover IRA protections. The post IRMAA, Social Security, Roth 5-Year Rule, Rollover IRA Protections: Q&A #2619 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s Summary Jim and I discuss the Safe Withdrawal Rate as a projection tool before retirement, but not as the distribution tool we would use for many retirees. We address Bill Bengen’s research, the 1968 retiree scenario, Monte Carlo planning, and why a worst-case floor can limit early retirement spending on fun. We also contrast accumulation planning with distribution planning and explain how the See Through Portfolio helps separate different retirement spending needs. Jim’s “Pithy” Summary Chris and I discuss why we think Bill Bengen’s research has real value, while still believing the Safe Withdrawal Rate is the wrong tool once the rubber meets the road in retirement. His work helped advisors move away from unrealistic withdrawal rates, and it can be useful for people still in the accumulation phase who are trying to see if they are on track. But once someone reaches retirement, especially with only so many Go-Go years ahead, I think the tool has to change. The part I don’t like is when the industry takes a worst-case historical number and turns it into the anchor for everyone. Chris and I talk about Bengen’s own comments, Monte Carlo probability statistics, and why software can make this kind of planning look cleaner than it really is. That may work for some people, especially if the goal is to leave the biggest portfolio possible, but that is not the same as helping someone spend with more clarity while they still have the health, desire, and ability to do so. That is where our process separates the money allocated for needs, reserves, and later-life planning from the money available for fun. Minimum Dignity Floor, SEAL Reserve, and the Fun Number help frame those dollars differently instead of treating retirement as one big portfolio with one smooth withdrawal path. You are not getting younger, stronger, or healthier, and most people’s retirement goals don’t include being the wealthiest person in the graveyard. The post Is The Safe Withdrawal Rate Useful? EDU #2618 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Jim and Chris discuss emails on Social Security survivor benefit strategies, IRMAA exceptions, Roth conversion timing during market downturns, and the implications of naming IRA beneficiaries directly versus routing assets through a trust. (8:15) A listener whose husband plans to delay Social Security to 70 while she claims early at 62 asks whether she can still receive the maximum survivor benefit if he passes away before reaching 70. (19:30) The guys field a question about whether the SSA-44 reduced work exception to IRMAA applies when the reduction in earned income is far too small to bring MAGI below the applicable tier. (31:00) Jim and Chris address whether it makes sense to front-load Roth conversions during a market downturn so that subsequent recovery gains are captured tax-free. (1:06:00) George wants to better understand the mechanics a trustee must navigate when distributing IRA assets to trust beneficiaries, compared to simply naming beneficiaries directly on the account. The post Social Security, IRMAA, Roth Conversions, IRA Beneficiaries: Q&A #2618 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Chris’s SummaryJim and I continue our discussion of the New York Times article titled “You Saved and Saved for Retirement. Now You Need a Plan to Cash Out,” focusing on Retirement Spending Phases as the article moves into go-go, slow-go, and no-go years. We walk through how the article is using that framework and how it compares with how we approach retirement planning, particularly in how different types of spending behave and how that ties to Social Security, pensions, and simple annuities. Jim’s “Pithy” SummaryChris and I pick back up with the New York Times article from last week and this time we focus on Retirement Spending Phases and how that go-go, slow-go, no-go framework is being used. I’m not saying the concept is wrong. I’m saying if you apply it across everything, you’re going to miss the point. Because not all expenses behave the same way. Your Minimum Dignity Floor is there no matter what. Your Fun Number is what actually changes depending on how you’re living your life. If you don’t separate those, you can end up making decisions that don’t reflect reality. That’s really the issue we keep coming back to as we walk through this and react to how the article is presenting it. And that’s where this starts to matter. Because once you’re thinking about what has to be covered versus what can change, you’re dealing with different kinds of decisions. That’s where Social Security, pensions, and annuities come into the conversation. Not as a blanket solution, but as part of figuring out how different pieces of a plan are supposed to work depending on the job they’re trying to do. And it’s why you can’t just treat everything the same and expect the outcome to make sense over time, especially as those phases play out differently across different types of spending. The post Retirement Spending Phases: EDU #2617 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.