In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, financial advisor Stewart Willis and Spike Spengel are joined by Scott Preble, an advisor from the Arizona offices, to talk about the tax bill that could be hiding inside the retirement savings you worked so hard to build. The conversation starts with the headline that Social Security benefits could be cut by 22%, and Stewart explains why that number is widely misunderstood and why rushing to file early out of fear could be the wrong move.

You'll also hear why Social Security is often the most overlooked part of a retirement plan, even though it can represent between one and two and a half million dollars over a married couple's lifetime. Stewart and Scott explain why they believe taxes are likely headed higher for people who saved in IRAs and 401ks, and why Social Security may not stay as tax friendly as many people assume.

Then, a real question from one of our events: a couple in their sixties who share a home and a life but are not legally married. Stewart and Scott break down what that means for survivor benefits, spousal continuance on an IRA, the 10 year rule for non spouse beneficiaries, and the shorter five year clock that can hit your kids when an inherited IRA gets passed along again. Stewart shares a story about a longtime client who is nearly 90 and just now rethinking Roth conversions, and he explains why the "you're too old for a Roth conversion" advice is nonsense, and why some advisors may steer you away from it.

If you want to avoid leaving your family with a tax bill instead of a legacy, this episode will give you plenty to think about before tax planning season begins.

📞 Call 877-5-RETIRE or visit AssetPreservationWealth.com to schedule your complimentary Social Security and tax planning review.

In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, financial advisor Stewart Willis and co-host Spike Spengel tackle a problem nobody warns you about: retirees who did everything right, saved diligently for decades, and then spend their retirement too afraid to enjoy it. Stewart makes the case that living far below your means out of fear is just as damaging as never saving at all, and that the cure is a clear plan showing exactly what you can spend and why.

Much of that fear traces back to taxes. Stewart explains why taxes are on sale right now, why he expects rates to climb back toward historical highs, and how scheduling Roth conversions over several years can help you get ahead of it. You'll hear why the money sitting in your IRA, 401k, or 403b isn't entirely yours, how Uncle Sam takes a bigger piece the more you withdraw, and how IRMAA penalties, state taxes, and Social Security taxation can stack up until a huge share of every dollar disappears.

The conversation also digs into a real client situation involving a $200,000 withdrawal meant to fund a down payment for an adult daughter who earns a seven figure household income, a decision that would have triggered penalties and unnecessary taxes on a Roth still inside its five year window. Stewart and Spike walk through estate tax exposure for property rich families like Midwestern farmers, the training discipline Stewart brings to jiu jitsu and why it mirrors retirement planning, and the reason he flew to Denver to meet three generations of one family in a single trip. As Asset Preservation approaches its 30th year in business, the message is simple: the greatest legacy you can leave is a family that knows what to do with what you leave them.

📞 Call 877-5-RETIRE or visit AssetPreservationWealth.com to schedule your complimentary tax review and portfolio review.

In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, financial advisor Stewart Willis and co host Spike Spengel tackle the longevity revolution: the reality that Americans are living longer than any generation before them, and what that means for the money you spent a lifetime building. Stewart explains why living an extra decade is a blessing that most retirement plans were never designed to handle, and why hoping for the best is no substitute for actually preparing.

The conversation opens with fourth quarter tax planning and why Stewart wants Roth conversions handled before December 31 rather than rushed in January, when a single early conversion can box you in for the rest of the year. From there, Stewart pulls back the curtain on how advisors get paid, the difference between fee only fiduciary guidance and commission driven product sales, and how to spot loaded mutual funds hiding on your own statements. He compares portfolio fees to running across a parking lot with a parachute strapped to your back, and explains what a real portfolio review should uncover about risk, costs, and double dipping you may never have noticed.

You will also hear the numbers behind Peak 65, with roughly 11,000 Americans turning 65 every single day into 2027 and 2028, and what happens to the market when an entire generation stops contributing to their portfolios and starts withdrawing from them. Stewart and Spike dig into rapid advances in health care, artificial intelligence in medicine, required distributions at 73, and why the retirement products of 20 years from now may not even exist yet.

📞 Call 877-5-RETIRE or visit AssetPreservationWealth.com to schedule your complimentary tax review and portfolio review.