Widow Penalty – The Simply Retirement Podcast

Inherited IRA Options Every Widow Should Understand (Ep. 113)

By The Simply Retirement Podcast | July 15, 2026

Losing a spouse often brings emotional and financial decisions that can affect your future for years to come.

What happens when one of the largest assets you inherit is a retirement account? How do you know which choices may affect taxes, healthcare costs, income planning, and retirement flexibility?

In this episode, I discuss one of the most important financial decisions many widows face after losing a spouse: what to do with an inherited IRA or retirement account. I explain the unique options available to surviving spouses, how inherited IRAs differ from rolling assets into your own IRA, and why those choices can influence retirement income, taxes, healthcare costs, and required distributions.

We also share a real client example, common mistakes to avoid, and five key questions every surviving spouse should ask before making a permanent decision about inherited retirement assets.

Key Takeaways:

Why surviving spouses often have retirement account options unavailable to other beneficiaries
How inherited IRA decisions may affect taxes, healthcare costs, and retirement income flexibility
Why age differences between spouses can influence future required minimum distributions
Common mistakes widows make when using inherited retirement assets for large expenses
Five questions that can help guide decisions before making permanent account changes
And more!

Resources:

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How the New Tax Law Could Impact Your Retirement (Ep. 65)

By The Simply Retirement Podcast | August 13, 2025

Tax law changes might not sound exciting, but these updates could have a powerful impact on your retirement plans.

In this episode, I unpack the top provisions from the new One Big Beautiful Bill Act and how they may affect retirees, especially women planning for long-term income.

I break down tax deductions, clarify what’s changing (and what’s not), and offer timely planning strategies you can apply before 2028.

Key points:

The new $6,000 bonus tax deduction for those age 65 and over, and how it stacks on top of standard or itemized deductions
The deduction’s income limits, expiration in 2028, and how to plan around it strategically
Changes to the SALT cap and how high-tax-state residents may benefit from a significant increase in deductible amounts
The importance of reevaluating Social Security filing decisions and leveraging Roth conversions
Charitable giving options, widow tax planning, and long-term income strategies to reduce lifetime tax liability
And more!

Resources:

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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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