THE PLAN WISE RETIREMENT PODCAST
Roth Conversions Explained: Buckets, RMDs, and Window's Penalty
Roth conversions, the tax bracket you are actually in, and why the years between your last paycheck and your first required withdrawal decide so much of what you keep.
Most people know a Roth is supposed to be good. Almost nobody can explain what it actually is. So we put buckets on the table.
Richy walks through what a Roth account really is in plain language, how a Roth conversion works, and then the part most married couples have never had shown to them. What happens to the tax bill when one spouse passes away and the survivor starts filing as a single filer, holding the same required withdrawals and the same Medicare surcharges on half the brackets.
We also get into RMDs, why doing nothing is itself a decision, and the thing nobody warns you about, which is how hard it is to go from saving for thirty years to giving yourself permission to spend.
These questions come straight off the 3x5 cards people fill out at our seminars.
CHAPTERS
00:00 The questions people actually ask us
00:35 Welcome back
01:02 Where these questions come from
02:05 What a Roth actually is, explained simply
03:45 The bucket demonstration
06:38 What a balanced retirement looks like
08:19 RMDs and the risk of waiting too long
09:23 IRMAA and your Medicare premium
10:48 The Roth conversion sweet spot
12:06 The widow's penalty
15:16 Why not to leave a qualified account to your kids
17:49 The two biggest mistakes retirees make
20:47 Nobody warns you how hard it is to spend
23:51 Prepare the night before
Wand to see your own numbers?
Bring your actual accounts and we will walk through what your own tax window looks like, year by year, between your last paycheck and your first required withdrawal. It costs nothing and nothing gets sold on a first conversation..
Who you are watching
Richy Hirtle
Richy founded Plan Wise Wealth Group as an independent registered investment adviser in 2025 and holds a Series 65. He does the multi-year tax planning and income work himself, and Roth conversion strategy is the center of it.
Hannah Hirtle
Hannah is co-owner of Plan Wise and runs the client experience side of the firm, from the first phone call through every event we host. She is not an investment adviser representative.
Important disclosures. This episode is educational and informational only. Nothing in it is individual investment, tax, or legal advice, and nothing in it is an offer or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or insurance product. Any strategy discussed may not be appropriate for your situation.
The views expressed are those of the speakers on the date of recording and are subject to change. Plan Wise Wealth Group is not a law firm or an accounting firm. Attorneys draft legal documents.
Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. No return, tax result, or other outcome is guaranteed. Guaranteed income features described on this podcast come from specific contracts issued by specific insurance carriers and are subject to those carriers' terms, limitations, and claims-paying ability.
Advisory services are offered through Plan Wise Wealth Group, an Investment Advisor firm. 9998 Crosspoint Blvd, Suite 320, Indianapolis, IN 46256. 317-759-7328.
