Roth IRA – The Simply Retirement Podcast

Year-End Tax Planning Checklist for 2025 (Ep. 75)

By The Simply Retirement Podcast | October 22, 2025

The final months of the year are the perfect time to review your finances and take action before December 31st.

New tax laws bring both opportunities and risks, making this year’s planning even more important.

In this episode, I walk through my year-end tax planning checklist to help you understand the key areas that can impact your retirement, your taxes, and your long-term goals. I explain how to approach contributions, distributions, and deductions strategically while also touching on family gifting and estate considerations.

Key points:

Why reviewing your tax plan in October and November helps maximize opportunities before the year ends
How to use retirement accounts, Roth IRAs, and HSAs to reduce taxes and grow long-term wealth
The importance of required minimum distributions (RMDs) and qualified charitable distributions (QCDs)
Family gifting strategies and the unique advantages of 529 contributions
Deduction changes, charitable giving rules, and new provisions under the current tax law
And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake:

Roth IRA earnings grow tax-free, and qualified withdrawals are also tax-free, provided certain conditions are met (e.g., the account has been open for at least 5 years and you are age 59½ or older, or meet another qualifying condition). Eligibility to contribute to a Roth IRA phases out at higher income levels. Non-qualified withdrawals of earnings may be subject to income taxes and a 10% early withdrawal penalty. Converting a traditional IRA or other tax-deferred account to a Roth IRA is a taxable event and may increase your current-year tax liability. Roth conversions cannot be undone.

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Social Security Claiming Strategies: Beyond the Breakeven Calculator (Ep. 74)

By The Simply Retirement Podcast | October 15, 2025

Deciding when to start Social Security is more than a math equation. It’s about balancing life expectancy, risk tolerance, and long-term income needs.

In this episode, I explore the trade-offs of claiming early versus delaying for larger benefits. I explain how investing early benefits might change the picture, why survivor benefits matter, and how taxes and policy changes could influence your strategy. This conversation highlights the importance of tailoring the decision to your unique situation.

Key Points:

Why breakeven calculators don’t tell the full story about Social Security timing
The potential of investing early benefits into accounts like a Roth IRA
How spousal benefits and survivor planning influence claiming strategies
The role of taxes, risk tolerance, and other income sources in the decision
Possible future adjustments Congress may make to Social Security rules
And more

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake:

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Roth IRAs and Retirement: What You Need to Know (Ep. 73)

By The Simply Retirement Podcast | October 8, 2025

Roth IRAs can feel confusing—but when you understand how they work, they can become one of the most powerful tools in your retirement plan.

In this episode, you’ll discover how Roth IRAs may give you more control over your taxes in retirement, create flexibility for future withdrawals, and help protect your income for the long run.

We’ll cover the basics—what Roth IRAs are (and aren’t), how the rules for contributions, conversions, and withdrawals really work, and why Congress has been pushing Roth accounts more in recent years. You’ll also hear how Roth IRAs may help you avoid hidden tax traps like higher Medicare premiums or unexpected Social Security taxes.

Key takeaways:

Why Roth IRAs are not investments themselves, but tax-advantaged account types that act like umbrellas shielding money from future taxes
How Congress is encouraging Roth contributions through Secure Act 2.0, giving retirees long-term tax-free opportunities
The importance of tax diversification, comparing it to and even elevating it above portfolio diversification
Four ways to fund Roth accounts: contributions, conversions, rollovers, and backdoor strategies
The five-year rule, distribution order, and how Roth IRAs can help control tax brackets, Medicare premiums, and Social Security taxation
And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake:

Roth IRA earnings grow tax-free, and qualified withdrawals are also tax-free, provided certain conditions are met (e.g., the account has been open for at least 5 years and you are age 59½ or older, or meet another qualifying condition). Eligibility to contribute to a Roth IRA phases out at higher income levels. For 2025, contributions begin to phase out at a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of approximately $150,000 for single filers and $236,000 for married couples filing jointly. Non-qualified withdrawals of earnings may be subject to income taxes and a 10% early withdrawal penalty. Converting a traditional IRA or other tax-deferred account to a Roth IRA is a taxable event and may increase your current-year tax liability. Roth conversions cannot be undone.

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7 Ways to Access Retirement Funds Early Without a Penalty (Ep. 57)

By The Simply Retirement Podcast | June 18, 2025

Accessing your retirement funds early doesn’t have to be a costly mistake.

In this episode, I break down seven ways you may be able to withdraw from your retirement savings before age 59½ without facing that dreaded 10% early withdrawal penalty.

Whether you’re helping a family member, navigating a crisis, or just need more options, these strategies could offer critical flexibility.

Key points:

The “Rule of 55” and when it applies to 401(k) withdrawals after job separation
How SEPP (Substantially Equal Periodic Payments) can be used to create penalty-free income streams before 59½
Why Roth IRA contributions are a valuable option for young savers needing access to funds
Little-known exceptions like domestic abuse withdrawals and how self-certification simplifies access
Using inherited IRAs, education expenses, first-time home purchases, and unreimbursed medical costs as legitimate ways to avoid penalties
And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake:

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