Are annuities a smart retirement tool or a product to avoid? The answer depends on your plan.

In this episode of Capitalize on Retirement, David and Brandon break down the four main types of annuities, the most common misconceptions, and the questions worth asking before you consider one.

This episode is for informational purposes only and should not be considered individualized tax, legal, or investment advice. Please consult your financial advisor, tax professional, or legal professional before making decisions about your retirement strategy.

Inflation can be one of the quieter risks in retirement because its impact may happen gradually over time.

In this episode of Capitalize on Retirement, David and Brandon discuss how inflation may affect retirement income, lifestyle spending, and long-term purchasing power.

They also talk through asset segmentation, including how retirees may think about safety, income, and growth when building a retirement strategy designed around their goals and time horizon.

This episode is for informational purposes only and should not be considered individualized tax, legal, or investment advice. Please consult your financial advisor, tax professional, or legal professional before making decisions about your retirement strategy.

Key Topics:

• Why inflation can be an overlooked retirement risk

• How rising costs may affect purchasing power over time

• Why longer retirements can make inflation planning more important

• The role of Social Security and income gaps in retirement planning

• How retirees may think about safe, income, and growth buckets

• Why too much cash may not keep pace with inflation

• How market risk and inflation risk can both affect retirement outcomes

• Why income planning and investment planning should be coordinated

• The importance of building a strategy around personal retirement goals

• Why retirement planning should balance liquidity, income, and growth

Taxes may be one of the most overlooked expenses in retirement.

In this episode of Capitalize on Retirement, David and Brandon discuss how tax-deferred accounts can create future tax liabilities and why retirement tax planning may play an important role in a broader financial strategy.

They also talk through required minimum distributions, Roth conversions, Medicare premium considerations, inherited IRA rules, and why income, investment, tax, and legacy planning should be coordinated over time.

This episode is for informational purposes only and should not be considered individualized tax, legal, or investment advice. Please consult your financial advisor, tax professional, or legal professional before making decisions about your retirement strategy.

Key Topics:

• Why taxes may become one of the largest expenses in retirement

• How tax-deferred accounts can create future tax liabilities

• Why IRA and 401(k) balances may not fully represent what retirees keep

• Required minimum distributions and their impact on retirement income

• Roth conversions and tax diversification

• Why converting too much at once may create unintended tax consequences

• How Medicare premiums may be affected by income levels

• The potential impact of tax planning on surviving spouses

• How the SECURE Act changed inherited IRA rules

• Why retirement planning should coordinate income, investments, taxes, and legacy goals

As excitement builds around one of the largest expected public listings in market history, David and Brandon recorded a special episode to discuss the opportunity, the valuation, and the risks.

They break down why SpaceX may be viewed as more than a rocket company, including its connection to Starlink, launch services, satellite-to-cell technology, government and defense applications, and the future of space infrastructure.

They also discuss valuation, investor expectations, and why it is important to understand both the opportunity and the risk when evaluating a company built around future growth.

This episode is for informational purposes only and should not be considered individualized investment, tax, or legal advice. Discussion of any company, security, or public offering is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. Please consult your financial advisor, tax professional, or legal professional before making decisions about your investment or retirement strategy.

Key Topics:

• Why SpaceX may be viewed as more than a rocket company

• How Starlink fits into the broader business model

• The role of launch services and reusable rocket technology

• Why satellite-based internet may change infrastructure conversations

• The potential opportunity around satellite-to-cell technology

• Government and defense applications

• Space commerce, logistics, and other long-term possibilities

• Why valuation matters when investing in future growth

• The risks of buying into hype around a public offering

• Why understanding the business behind an investment is important

When should you claim Social Security benefits?

In this episode of Capitalize on Retirement, David and Brandon discuss why Social Security claiming strategy is an important part of retirement income planning and how timing decisions may affect long-term financial outcomes.

They also talk through common concerns surrounding Social Security, the differences between claiming benefits early or delaying benefits, and how taxes, retirement savings, and spousal considerations can all play a role in the decision-making process.

This episode is for informational purposes only and should not be considered individualized tax, legal, or investment advice. Please consult your financial advisor, tax professional, or legal professional before making decisions about your retirement strategy.

Will Roth IRAs ever be taxed?

In this episode of Capitalize on Retirement, David and Brandon discuss how Roth IRAs work under current law, why future tax policy is part of many retirement planning conversations, and how tax diversification may help create more flexibility over time.

They also touch on Roth conversions, contribution rules, required minimum distributions, inherited retirement accounts, and the importance of building a retirement strategy around what you can control.

This episode is for educational purposes only and should not be considered individualized tax, legal, or investment advice. Please consult your financial advisor, tax professional, or legal professional before making decisions about your retirement strategy.

In this episode, David and Brandon break down what really happened in the markets during the first quarter of 2026 and why it likely felt worse than it actually was.

After a strong start to the year, markets pulled back amid uncertainty around interest rates, government policy, and global events. But rather than a broad market collapse, the quarter was defined by shifting leadership across sectors and short-term volatility driven by headlines.

They walk through what changed, what mattered, and how investors should think about market movements in the context of a long-term financial plan, especially in or near retirement.

Key Topics:
• What caused the Q1 market pullback after early-year momentum
• How uncertainty around the Fed, politics, and global events impacted markets
• Why this wasn't a broad market decline, but a shift beneath the surface
• The importance of diversification across sectors and asset classes
• How interest rates, inflation, and earnings influence market direction
• Why reacting to headlines can derail long-term investment success
• The core message: stay disciplined, stay invested, and trust your plan

In this episode, David and Brandon tackle one of the biggest concerns facing retirees today, outliving their money, and what it takes to build a plan that supports you for decades. With retirement potentially lasting 25–35 years, having a strategy for income, inflation, and long-term expenses is more important than ever.z

Key Topics:
• Why retirement planning should start with income, not just a savings number
• How longer life expectancy impacts your financial plan
• The power of compounding (and why starting early matters)
• Major risks in retirement: inflation, healthcare costs, and market volatility
• The three phases of retirement (go-go, slow-go, no-go) and how spending changes over time
• Why having a structured income plan is the foundation of a successful retirement