In this Episode of the Secure Your Retirement Podcast, Radon and Murs discuss why the beginning of the year is one of the most important times for smart tax decisions and how early planning can prevent costly mistakes later. With the help of their Director of Financial Planning and Tax Strategy, Taylor Wolverton, they walk through practical smart tax strategies designed to support effective tax planning in retirement and help you stay ahead with a proactive tax planning checklist. From contribution rules to charitable strategies, this episode focuses on building a strong foundation for retirement tax planning that supports long-term confidence.

Listen in to learn about key decisions that impact your ability to plan for retirement, reduce unnecessary taxes, and ultimately secure your retirement. Whether you are still working, transitioning into Retirement, or already planning retirement income, these insights can help you align your retirement checklist with current rules, deadlines, and opportunities—so you can focus on retiring comfortably without last-minute surprises.

In this episode, find out:

1. How the 401k catch up rule works, including 401k catch up contributions and updated 2026 401k contribution limits
2. Why the IRA contribution deadline matters and how a Roth IRA contribution can still be made after year-end
3. How qualified charitable distribution strategies work, including important QCD rules
4. When it may make sense to donate stock to charity versus giving cash and how this affects your charitable deduction
5. How income choices impact a long-term Roth conversion strategy and overall retirement tax planning

Tweetable Quotes:

1. “The beginning of the year is where smart tax planning really starts—what you do now determines how much flexibility you’ll have later.” — Radon Stancil
2. “Tax planning in retirement isn’t just about deductions; it’s about choosing the right accounts at the right time.” — Murs Tariq

Understanding how the standard deduction, charitable strategies, and income planning work together is a critical part of Retirement Planning. From managing distributions to timing conversions, early awareness helps avoid mistakes that can limit your ability to secure your retirement and maintain tax efficiency throughout the year.

Resources:

If you are in or nearing retirement and you want to gain clarity on what questions you should be asking, learn what the biggest retirement myths are, and identify what you can do to achieve peace of mind for your retirement, get started today by requesting our complimentary video course, Four Steps to Secure Your Retirement!

To access the course, simply visit POMWealth.net/podcast.