Most retirees are asking the wrong tax question.

They ask, “How do I pay less this year?”
But the better question is, “How do I pay less over the next 10 years?”

In this episode, I break down the tax trap that can happen before RMDs begin — when retirees avoid taking IRA withdrawals or doing Roth conversions during low-income years, only to face bigger forced withdrawals, higher taxable income, possible IRMAA Medicare surcharges, and rising living costs later.

We’ll cover:

• What RMDs actually are and why they matter
• How IRMAA can quietly increase Medicare premiums
• Why inflation makes tax planning even more important
• How Roth conversions may help before RMD age
• Why withdrawal sequencing can make or break a retirement income plan
• The danger of planning around one tax return instead of the next decade

The goal is not to pay more tax.
The goal is to pay tax in the right years, at the right rate, with the most control.

Because the cheapest tax year is not always the smartest tax plan.

Listen now: The Tax Trap Before RMDs: Why Paying Less This Year Can Cost You More Later

Before I ever recommend an investment, I ask five questions.

Not about stocks.
Not about the market.
Not about what your neighbor is buying.

Because great retirement planning has very little to do with chasing returns—and everything to do with building a strategy around your actual life.

In this episode, I walk through the five questions I ask every new client to uncover:

• What “work optional” really looks like for them
• Where their retirement income will actually come from
• The tax risks hiding inside their current accounts
• What happens if life doesn’t go according to plan
• What they’re truly optimizing for: lifestyle, legacy, flexibility, or something else

This episode pulls back the curtain on how I work, how real financial planning should feel, and why a portfolio alone is not a retirement plan.

If you can’t clearly answer these five questions… you may be guessing more than you think.

Most high-income W-2 employees are doing exactly what they were told to do:

Max out the 401(k). Save aggressively. Keep building.

The problem? Almost nobody is showing them what happens later.

In this episode, I break down one of the most overlooked tax strategies I see with professionals in their 40s and 50s—and why waiting too long to address it can create a massive tax problem in retirement.

We cover:

• Why “tax deferred” doesn’t always mean “tax efficient”
• The hidden future risk of large pre-tax retirement accounts
• How backdoor Roth strategies work
• Why Roth conversion planning matters before RMDs begin
• The difference between tax preparation and actual tax planning

If you’re building wealth but haven’t thought about what your tax bracket could look like at 70… this episode is for you.

Because retirement planning isn’t just about growing your money.
It’s about keeping more of it.

You don’t mess up retirement at 65…
You lock in the mistakes at 45.

In this episode, I break down why I focus on the Retirement Red Zone—the 10–20 years before you retire—and why that’s where the biggest financial decisions actually get made.

Are you ready to navigate the unpredictable seas of retirement? What if your golden years could be generously funded and worry-free?

In this episode, Nicholas tackles the burning question of how to make your money last in retirement amid rising inflation and longer lifespans. He addresses the realities of longevity risk, the importance of planning for healthcare and housing in retirement, and the often-overlooked inflation factor that can chip away at your nest egg. This episode is packed with humorous, yet brutally honest, insights to help you keep your financial future secure.

Nick discusses:

• (01:22) Retirement Risks and How to Navigate Them
• (02:22) The Impact of Increased Life Expectancy
• (04:55) Balancing Enjoyment with Financial Security
• (05:58) Healthcare and Housing Costs
• (09:27) Embracing Flexible Working During Retirement
• (13:53) The Reality of Inflation on Your Savings
• (19:15) The Importance of Emergency Planning and Communication
• And more

Connect with Nicholas St. George:

• St. George Wealth
• LinkedIn: Nicholas St. George
• Facebook: Nicholas St. George
• Phone: 828-481-8836

Ever wonder why your retirement portfolio might resemble a messy clearance aisle at TJ Maxx?

In this episode, Nick St. George sits down with Eric Woodraska, Client Portfolio Manager from Helios, a financial wizard who knows his way around a portfolio like no other! They dig into the good, the bad, and the downright “what were they thinking” moments of investment management. This conversation is brimming with real-life portfolio mishaps and tips to steer clear of those financial train wrecks. Plus, it’s not all business – find out their bourbon favorites, because hey, life’s about balance, right?

Nicholas and Eric discuss:

• (02:12) The risks of concentrating investments in one fund family and how diversification should really look
• (06:28) A simple guide to understanding fund performance metrics, from flashy returns to actual sustainability
• (13:45) How to avoid the ‘latest-and-greatest’ investment traps and stick to what’s proven
• (22:01) The impact of risk tolerance on portfolio choices, especially during unpredictable markets
• And more

Connect with Nicholas St. George:

• St. George Wealth
• LinkedIn: Nicholas St. George
• Facebook: Nicholas St. George
• Phone: 828-481-8836

Connect with Eric Woodraska:

• Helios
• LinkedIn: Eric Woodraska

👮‍♂️ In the Retirement Unit, financially-motivated crimes against common sense are considered especially heinous…

These are their stories. DUN DUN.

Hi, I’m Nick St. George, CFP®, and in today’s episode of Retirement & Order, we meet Rob and Jen Langston. (Not their real names, of course—the names and some details have been changed to protect the financially innocent.)

They’re retired. Living the good life. Then BOOM 💥—curveball. One of their adult kids hits a financial snag.

Rather than torch their retirement plan with capital gains or mortgage stress, we got creative. No, not “hide your money in a coffee can” creative—strategic creative.

We used an asset-backed loan against their taxable investment account.
✅ No closing costs
✅ No tax returns or underwriting drama
✅ No capital gains
✅ No disruption to their portfolio

Just fast, flexible help—with structure, boundaries, and peace of mind.

🎯 Moral of the story: You can be generous without going broke.

If you’re in the same boat, don’t play financial detective solo. Book a quick call—let’s protect your retirement and your sanity.

What’s the secret sauce for building wealth while juggling life’s chaos?

Nick St. George from St. George Wealth Management kicks off the latest episode of Un Eff Your Finances with an engaging discussion on the importance of a structured financial plan for busy executives and business owners. With a mix of humor and expertise, he breaks down why starting early is key, the risks of an unstructured approach, and how failing to plan is essentially planning to fail. This episode dives into the mindset of strategic achievers—those who are too busy to manage every financial detail but want their money to work just as hard as they do.

Nicholas discusses:

1. (00:02:22) Strategic financial planning for busy professionals
2. (00:04:20) The importance of starting retirement savings early
3. (00:06:13) Real-life investment missteps and successes
4. (00:12:27) Creating a flexible financial game plan
5. (00:20:03) The role of a financial advisor in managing emotions and legacy planning

Connect with Nicholas St. George:

• St. George Wealth
• LinkedIn: Nicholas St. George
• Facebook: Nicholas St. George
• Phone: 828-481-8836