Secure Act – The Simply Retirement Podcast

Beneficiary Designations: 9 Key Questions for Retirement Planning (Ep. 122)

By The Simply Retirement Podcast | September 16, 2026

Life changes, but the beneficiary forms attached to your retirement accounts, insurance policies, and other assets may still reflect decisions you made years ago.

In this episode, I explain why beneficiary reviews should be part of ongoing retirement planning and walk through nine questions that can help you determine whether your current designations still reflect your wishes. I cover primary and contingent beneficiaries, coordinating designations with your estate plan, trusts, minor beneficiaries, charitable giving, inherited IRA rules, and potential tax consequences.

I also share real client situations that show why verifying these details can be so important after divorce, widowhood, and other major life changes.

Key points:

Why beneficiary forms should be reviewed after divorce, widowhood, remarriage, and other major life changes
How beneficiary designations can control where certain assets go, regardless of instructions written in your will
Why primary and contingent beneficiaries should be checked across IRAs, 401(k)s, insurance, and other accounts
How trusts, minor beneficiaries, charitable gifts, and inherited retirement accounts can require added planning
How beneficiary choices can affect taxes, distribution options, and what your family ultimately receives
And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS | More

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS | More