In this episode of The Asset Preservation Hour, financial advisor Stewart Willis and host Spike Spengel unpack the real differences between S&P 500 ETFs and traditional mutual funds, especially when it comes to taxes in your non retirement accounts. Stewart explains why mutual funds can generate phantom capital gains even when you do not sell, how ETF structures give you more control over when you recognize taxes, and when it may be time to stop adding to old legacy mutual funds and consider lower cost ETF options instead.

They also dig into the importance of risk management in a market that keeps climbing, the huge fee gap between ultra low cost index ETFs and outdated mutual funds, and why your portfolio should evolve as the world changes. From step up in basis for heirs to the danger of letting the tax tail wag the investment dog, Stewart shows how to modernize your investments while keeping an eye on both risk and taxes.

Later in the show, Stewart reacts to news about leadership changes at the IRS and Social Security, talks about government technology finally catching up to the age of artificial intelligence, and highlights the critical difference between tax preparation and true tax planning. He shares why tools like TurboTax and even AI can be helpful but are not a complete substitute for a coordinated retirement and tax strategy, and uses his jujitsu journey as an analogy for finding counters to financial and tax challenges. The episode wraps with a reminder that the fourth quarter is when smart Roth conversions and proactive tax moves can have the biggest impact on your long term retirement picture.

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