Tag: Retirement Taxes
Spring Tax Cleaning: 3 Hidden Opportunities in Last Year’s Return (Ep. 107)

Spring Tax Cleaning: 3 Hidden Opportunities in Last Year’s Return (Ep. 107)

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A tax return can reveal more than what happened last year; it can point to choices that may help reduce friction and improve retirement income over time.

What hidden issues could be sitting in your paperwork, and what small moves today could help you avoid bigger tax headaches later?

In this episode, Josh Leonard explains how a closer look at your tax return can uncover planning opportunities before they grow into larger retirement issues. He covers phantom gains in taxable accounts, why a 0% tax bill can still create future problems, and how tax bracket planning matters before required distributions begin. Josh also walks through charitable giving strategies, including new 2026 deduction rules and qualified charitable distributions for IRA owners.

Key takeaways:

  • Why phantom gains from mutual funds can create taxable income even when your account balance declines overall
  • How a 0% tax return may hide a future jump into higher brackets once pensions and RMDs begin later on
  • Why reviewing taxable income sources can reveal avoidable drag from dividends, rebalancing, and fund sales
  • How Roth conversions can help spread taxes across retirement years instead of pushing income into later spikes
  • Why charitable gifts may be more effective through new deductions or direct IRA transfers after age 70 and a half
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

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Taxes, Timing, and the End of the Year: What You Can Still Control (Ep. 101)

Taxes, Timing, and the End of the Year: What You Can Still Control (Ep. 101)

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The end of the year can bring financial stress, but it’s also a valuable time to take control of your retirement strategy.

In this episode of Relax, It’s Retirement, Josh Leonard walks through year-end tax planning steps that can make a real difference for retirees. From RMDs and charitable giving to Roth conversions and managing Medicare costs, Josh highlights how intentional planning today can lead to more confidence tomorrow.

Josh shares:

  • Why year-end tax planning matters and how deadlines impact your financial picture
  • How to use Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) to meet RMD requirements while supporting meaningful causes
  • What to do if you face the “good saver tax problem” and want to pass wealth efficiently to the next generation
  • How Roth conversions and new senior deductions can help balance taxes in retirement
  • Why managing IRMAA limits can prevent unexpected Medicare cost increases
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

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