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  • The Rule of Three: How Segmenting Your Wealth Can Stop Retirement Panic

    The Rule of Three: How Segmenting Your Wealth Can Stop Retirement Panic
    2026/01/09
    Join host Todd "MJ" Schnitt alongside Steve and Elizabeth Holland of The Holland Group Retirement Wealth Advisors for an eye-opening deep dive into the "Risk Perception Gap." In this episode, the team explores why many investors are essentially playing Russian roulette with their futures without even knowing it. From the "ghosts" of inherited stocks to the reality of being "somewhere over the rainbow" in your planning, this show is a must-listen for anyone who wants to ensure their retirement house is built to weather any storm.
    • The Risk Perception Gap: Why many "conservative" investors are shocked to find they are actually exposed to massive drawdowns.
    • Accumulation vs. Distribution: Understanding why a market dip is a "sale" at age 35, but a potential disaster at age 65.
    • Reversed Dollar-Cost Averaging: How selling shares for income during a down market can permanently "wreck" a retirement plan.
    • The True Risk Number: Moving away from guesswork and using objective testing to find your specific "guardrails."
    • Risk Segmentation Strategy: A breakdown of the three-segment approach—Income, Growth, and Liquidity—to create emotional peace.
    • Things That Annoy Steve: A candid rant exposing industry lies about advisor experience and the "1%" annuity myth.
    • The Legacy Ghost: The psychological trap of holding onto "emotional" stocks just because they were inherited.
    • The Withdrawal Hierarchy: Expert advice on whether to pull from pre-tax or after-tax accounts first to stay tax-efficient.
    Contact The Holland Group Retirement Wealth Advisors for a complimentary, no-obligation review by calling (727) 295-3451, or visit AskTheHollands.com to schedule a discovery call at your convenience.
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    53 分
  • The Grandparent Playbook: Launching the Next Generation

    The Grandparent Playbook: Launching the Next Generation
    2025/12/29
    On this episode of Retirement Success, hosts Steve and Elizabeth Holland are joined by Todd M.J. Schnitt to discuss the "Education Launchpad." With 70% of grandparents now providing financial support to their families, the team breaks down how to gift money effectively while navigating rising college costs and the complexities of "unemployment" that can last 30 years in retirement.Key Discussion Points
    • The 529 Strategy Shift: Discover how new FAFSA rules have made grandparent-owned 529 plans more powerful than ever, and how "super-funding" can allow a couple to move up to $190,000 into a plan tax-free in a single year.
    • The Custodial Account Warning: Elizabeth shares a personal story about the "majority age" trap of UTMA/UGMA accounts, where major custodians can legally "fire" the grandparent from the account the moment the grandchild turns 21.
    • The McDonald’s Roth IRA: Learn why a simple summer job is the ultimate "set it and forget it" legacy move, potentially turning a few thousand dollars of summer earnings into $90,000 of tax-free retirement wealth for a grandchild.
    • Financial Wisdom & The "Sandwich Tax": Steve discusses the "Two Tens for a Five" lesson and why teaching grandchildren about taxes through everyday life (like taking a slice of their "pie") leads to better credit scores and lower debt in adulthood.
    • The 59.5 Countdown: In the listener corner, the Hollands explain why the IRS "always knows" if you touch your money even one month early and how to avoid the 10% "early exit" penalty.
    Whether you are looking to fund a college education or simply want to ensure your hard-earned wisdom outlasts your wealth, this episode provides a roadmap for purposeful gifting.Contact The Holland Group Retirement Wealth Advisors for a complimentary, no-obligation review by calling (727) 295-3451, or visit AskTheHollands.com to schedule a discovery call at your convenience.
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    53 分
  • Building an Unshakable Foundation: The Three Pillars of Financial Confidence

    Building an Unshakable Foundation: The Three Pillars of Financial Confidence
    2025/12/12
    On this episode of Retirement Success, hosts Steve and Elizabeth Holland, joined by Todd M.J. Schnitt, outline the three essential pillars for building a retirement plan that delivers true financial confidence. They stress that with risks like rising debt, inflation, and market volatility, relying on old strategies is not enough—you must proactively address Tax Planning, Investment Management, and Reliable Income Planning to secure your future.Key Discussion Points
    • Pillar 1: Tax Strategy is Future-Focused: Proactive tax planning is critical as the IRS does not retire. Strategies like Roth conversions and rethinking RMDs are necessary to minimize future tax liabilities and prevent taxes from eroding your savings (e.g., the teacher couple facing a $300,000 tax surprise on a $1.2M account).
    • Pillar 2: Balance Investment Risk: The retirement goal shifts from growth to preservation. Portfolios must be rebalanced to reduce exposure to devastating market drops (sequence of return risk), using diversification and solutions like guaranteed income annuities over low-performing bond funds.
    • Pillar 3: Sustainable Income is Key: Income planning ensures your money outlives you. You need reliable sources for essentials and variable income for lifestyle, with built-in protection against inflation and the high cost of out-of-pocket healthcare.
    If you're worried about market volatility, rising taxes, or joining the 51% of retirees who fear running out of money, this episode provides the foundation for an updated, confident strategy.

    Contact The Holland Group Retirement Wealth Advisors for a complimentary, no-obligation review by calling (727) 295-3451, or visit AskTheHollands.com to schedule a discovery call at your convenience.
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    54 分
  • Protecting Your Nest Egg: Mastering Tax-Efficient Asset Disposal

    Protecting Your Nest Egg: Mastering Tax-Efficient Asset Disposal
    2025/12/05
    This episode of Retirement Success focuses on the crucial topic of tax-efficient asset disposal and confronting the "silent partner" in your retirement savings: the IRS. Steve and Elizabeth Holland discuss proactive strategies to legally reduce your tax burden when selling major assets like businesses, real estate, or dealing with retirement accounts.Key Discussion Points
    • Retirement Account Taxes: Funds in traditional IRAs and 401(k)s are taxed as ordinary income upon withdrawal, compounded by mandatory RMDs that can increase both tax bills and Medicare premiums (IRMAA).
    • Roth Strategy: Roth conversions are the core defensive move, allowing you to pay taxes now (in a potentially lower bracket) to ensure all future growth and withdrawals are tax-free and avoid RMDs.
    • Real Estate & Business Sales: Strategies for highly appreciated assets include using a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) to sell property tax-free and generate lifetime income, or utilizing an installment sale to spread the capital gains tax from a business sale over many years.
    • Charitable Tools: Tools like the Donor Advised Fund (DAF) offer an immediate tax deduction against high-income years (like after a sale), while allowing you to decide on the charity later.
    • Legacy Planning: Even with high federal exemptions, advanced planning with irrevocable trusts is crucial to move asset appreciation out of the taxable estate. The overall goal is to synchronize all tax strategies to protect your family's financial legacy.
    If you own a business, highly appreciated real estate, or simply want to stop letting the IRS be your silent partner, listening to this episode will clarify the advanced tax strategies available to help you keep more of the wealth you built.

    Contact The Holland Group Retirement Wealth Advisors for a complimentary, no-obligation review by calling (727) 295-3451, or visit AskTheHollands.com to schedule a discovery call at your convenience.
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    53 分
  • Navigating "The Great Tax Storm": Why Roth Conversions Matter Now

    Navigating "The Great Tax Storm": Why Roth Conversions Matter Now
    2025/12/01
    This episode of Retirement Success focuses on the crucial topic of tax strategy in retirement planning, particularly emphasizing the use of Roth conversions as a defensive measure against future tax increases—dubbed "The Great Tax Storm." Steve and Elizabeth Holland discuss how to utilize Roth conversions strategically to ensure a tax-advantaged retirement.Key Discussion Points
    • The Roth Conversion Strategy: Roth conversions move pre-tax funds into a Roth IRA, allowing future growth and qualified withdrawals to be tax-free. This strategy is essential for protecting retirement wealth from potential future tax increases and helps you "disinherit the IRS" from your savings.
    • Avoiding Penalties and Taxes: Strategic Roth conversions can help you sidestep two major retirement threats: Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), which can push income into higher tax brackets and increase IRMAA (Medicare premiums), and high taxes for your heirs via the Legacy Planning Window.
    • Five Key Timing Windows: The Hollands detail optimal periods for conversion, including converting during a Market Downturn to pay tax on a smaller amount, utilizing the expiring Senior Bonus Deduction (2025-2028), and converting during low-income Gap Years between retirement and Social Security/RMDs.
    • The Conversion Playbook: Success relies on "precision work, not guesswork." The process involves building a multi-year conversion plan based on a projection of your current and future tax brackets, RMD timing, and income sources to ensure you stay under specific tax thresholds.
    • Getting Started: The Holland Group offers a Discovery Call to find out what prompted your call (your "pain" or concern). They then build a customized, comprehensive retirement plan after an in-depth financial review, ensuring your plan honors your core objectives.
    If you're wondering how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act extension might affect your personal retirement strategy or if you're taking advantage of the current "tax sale" before potential changes, this episode is a must-listen.

    Contact The Holland Group Retirement Wealth Advisors for a complimentary, no-obligation review by calling (727) 295-3451, or visit AskTheHollands.com to schedule a discovery call at your convenience.
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    53 分
  • Living Longer and Planning Wiser

    Living Longer and Planning Wiser
    2025/11/26
    This week on the show, Steve and Elizabeth Holland, along with MJ, discuss the crucial and evolving challenge of planning for a much longer and costlier retirement. They emphasize that retirement is no longer a finish line, but a complex, full-time financial strategy where planning wiser is essential to ensure your money lasts as long as you do.Key Discussion Points:
    • The New Longevity Reality: One in three 65-year-olds today is projected to live past age 90, significantly stretching retirement savings beyond the traditional 20-year plan.
    • The Two-Legged Stool: The traditional "three-legged stool" (pension, Social Security, and savings) is gone due to the lack of pensions, making personal savings carry a much heavier load.
    • Controlling Healthcare and Inflation Risks: Healthcare inflation (averaging over 5% per year) and general inflation pose massive threats to purchasing power, demanding growth in the portfolio to keep pace.
    • Social Security Strategy: Delaying Social Security benefits until age 70 can result in up to a 76% higher benefit compared to claiming at age 62, essentially acting as longevity insurance.
    • The Three-Strategy Approach: To balance risk and opportunity, the Hollands use a system (or "buckets") to manage assets: Immediate Income (1-3 years of cash/stable assets), Intermediate Income (predictable income tools like certain annuities/MIGAs), and Growth (long-term investments to beat inflation).
    • Preparing for the Unknowns: Flexibility is key, and a proper financial plan must be "stress-tested" against major unknowns like long-term care needs, which can quickly deplete assets if not planned for.
    • Financial Question of the Day: The team discussed what to do with old whole life insurance policies, noting that selling the policy to a life settlement firm may yield a significantly higher payout than cashing it out with the insurance company.
    The bottom line is that living longer is a gift, but it requires a disciplined, professional strategy covering income, taxes, and healthcare to ensure financial freedom.

    Contact The Holland Group Retirement Wealth Advisors for a complimentary, no-obligation review by calling (727) 295-3451, or visit AskTheHollands.com to schedule a discovery call at your convenience.
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    54 分
  • Building a Partnership for Retirement Success

    Building a Partnership for Retirement Success
    2025/11/21
    This episode of Retirement Success with Steve and Elizabeth Holland and host MJ Schnitt focuses on the essential concept of building a genuine partnership with your financial advisor to achieve a comprehensive and successful retirement. The discussion emphasizes that true comprehensive planning extends far beyond merely picking stocks, covering a necessary integration of tax strategy, estate planning, and healthcare considerations—all delivered with total transparency.Key Takeaways from the Conversation
    • Customized Investment Philosophy: Advisors must determine a client's Safety Concern Index (SCI) (a scale of 1-10) to align the investment strategy with their true risk tolerance, resisting the urge to push clients into riskier positions than they are comfortable with.
    • The Power of Comprehensive Service: True financial planning is a tailored, two-hour process that encompasses all elements of a client's financial life, including tax planning, estate planning, and healthcare, not just investment management.
    • Non-Negotiable Transparency: Clients must demand total clarity on all associated costs (advisors' fees, custodian fees, and mutual fund expenses) and avoid advisors who perform the "verbal dance" or push costly, complex products like structured notes which lack adequate downside protection.
    • Trust and Communication are Paramount: An advisor must act as a fiduciary, always putting the client's interests first. Effective communication requires the advisor to listen twice as much as they talk and maintain contact with clients, especially during periods of market volatility.
    • Red Flags to Watch Out For: A major warning sign is an advisor who immediately pushes specific products (like structured notes) instead of focusing on a personalized strategy, or pressures a client to make an immediate, on-the-spot decision.
    Contact The Holland Group Retirement Wealth Advisors for a complimentary, no-obligation review by calling (727) 295-3451, or visit AskTheHollands.com to schedule a discovery call at your convenience.
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    53 分
  • Retirement Income Strategies: Beyond the 4% Rule

    Retirement Income Strategies: Beyond the 4% Rule
    2025/11/17
    This episode of Retirement Success with Steve and Elizabeth Holland, and host MJ Schnitt, dives deep into one of the most complex puzzles facing retirees: designing an airtight, sustainable retirement income strategy that lasts without forcing a sacrifice in lifestyle. The discussion covers the critical shift from pensions to self-managed plans, demolishes outdated income rules, and introduces a foundational three-part framework for generating income while minimizing the impact of the "silent killer"—taxes.Key Takeaways from the Conversation
    • Move Past Outdated Rules: The old 4% withdrawal rule is no longer valid; a successful plan must be designed for longevity and must account for market volatility, inflation, and tax changes over 30+ years.
    • Segment Your Wealth: Employ a three-part strategy by segmenting funds into Short-Term (1–5 years for liquidity), Mid-Term (5–10 years conservative), and Long-Term (10+ years for strategic growth).
    • Create Your Own Pension: With the decline of defined benefit plans (pensions), modern retirement requires a custom plan to generate reliable income, placing the full responsibility on the retiree.
    • Factor in Essentials and Taxes: Prioritize covering "must-have" expenses (housing, healthcare, etc.) with stable income, and utilize a tax-aware withdrawal strategy that blends withdrawals from taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free accounts to maximize tax efficiency.
    • Optimize Social Security and Utilize Tools: Don't view Social Security as a simple check; it's a critical strategy. Supplement any income gap using tailored financial tools, such as fixed annuities with potential riders for long-term care, to provide stability and sustainability outside of the stock market.
    Contact The Holland Group Retirement Wealth Advisors for a complimentary, no-obligation review by calling (727) 295-3451, or visit AskTheHollands.com to schedule a discovery call at your convenience.
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    54 分