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The $250,000 Mistake Most Retirees Never Know They Made

Aug 3, 2026 · 39m

Summary

Tyler Gardner explains how retirees can save hundreds of thousands by establishing an annual tax practice centered on Roth conversions. He details the strategy of converting traditional IRA funds during the low-tax window before Required Minimum Distributions begin, while carefully avoiding the IRMA Medicare premium cliffs. The episode emphasizes that proactive, yearly tax management offers the highest return on investment for retirees.

Topics discussed

Intro: The high ROI of an annual tax practice Case study: Jim and Linda's missed Roth conversion opportunity Part 1: Traditional IRAs as wrapped tax bombs Part 2: Why Roth conversions save money (3 reasons) Part 3: How to execute a Roth conversion (5 steps) Part 4: Numerical example of bracket filling strategy Sponsors: Fabric by Gerber Life and Thrive Market Part 5: The RMD trap and the conversion window Part 6: IRMA cliffs and Medicare surcharges Part 7: Pro rata rule, spousal conversions, and widow's penalty Part 8: Establishing an annual tax planning practice
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