In the previous episode, we broke down what IRMAA is and why it catches so many retirees off guard when it comes to Medicare surcharges. Now it's time to actually see it in action.

In this episode, Michael Custer CFP®, EA pulls up real retirement and tax planning software tools and walks through a live scenario — showing how Roth conversions, IRA distributions, and even paying off your home could trigger Medicare surcharges you didn't saw coming.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐋 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧!

💭 How a couple with $1.5M in pre-tax savings could increase their plan's success rate from 76% to 88% just through tax strategies

💭 Why converting up to the 22% bracket could trigger IRMAA

💭 An IRMAA-aware conversion strategy that could add to your tax-adjusted retirement assets

💭 How RMDs quietly push retirees into higher Medicare brackets in their 80s

💭 The senior enhanced deduction people don't know they're phasing out of

💭 What can happen to your Medicare bill when you pull a large IRA distribution to pay off your house

💭 Why going just slightly over the IRMAA threshold might mean you should use the whole tier instead

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬?

💭 You may want to watch Part 1 where we cover what IRMAA is, how the cliff rule works, and why your taxable income isn't what Medicare really cares about.

Chapters:

00:00 Tax Time Bomb for Retirees?

01:09 Software Uses for Tax Planning

01:41 Background Info on Couple

02:22 Do We Need 100% Success Rate?

02:55 Exploring Roth Conversions

04:04 Improve Retirement Chances but Hitting Medicare Surcharges?

05:36 Managing RMDs and Future Taxes

06:32 Increase Retirement Spending for Better Outcomes?

07:15 Different Spending Methods in Retirement

07:53 Software for Tax Analysis Ideas

08:49 Losing Senior Tax Deductions?

10:03 Roth Conversions and Their Impact on Income

11:19 Taxes of Large Home Payoff In Retirement from Retirement Accounts

13:14 Let's Try to Avoid Paying More In Tax Than Legally Possible

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞?

We’re here to make retirement planning feel less intimidating by helping people think through their strategies and plans through clear relatable financial topics!

💬 Questions or Want to Connect?

🌐 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞: www.custerfinancialadvisors.com

📧 𝐄𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥: custerfinancialadvisors@lpl.com

Disclosures:

Harborfront Financial Group is a Registered Investment Advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training, and the content of this communication has not been approved or verified by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or by any state securities authority.

The information contained in this material is intended to provide general information about Harborfront Financial Group and its services. It is not intended to offer investment advice. Investment advice will only be given after a client engages our services by executing the appropriate investment services agreement. Information regarding investment products and services are provided solely to read about our investment philosophy and our strategies. You should not rely on any information provided on our web site in making investment decisions.

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Harborfront Financial Group, a Registered Investment Advisor. Harborfront Financial Group and Custer Financial Advisors are separate entities from LPL Financial.

This is a hypothetical example and is not representative of any specific situation. Your results will vary. The hypothetical rates of return used do not reflect the deduction of fees and charges inherent to investing. All investing involves risk including loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss.