A Smarter Way To Retire with Tony Leonardi, CFP®

Most adult children who inherit a traditional IRA after 2019cannot stretch withdrawals over a lifetime. Tony Leonardi, CFP®, walks through the SECURE Act 10-year rule, eligible designated beneficiaries, annual inherited RMDs when the owner had already started distributions, estates andcharities as beneficiaries, and why waiting until year 10 can stack income, state tax, and IRMAA. Educational only...

October 15 through December 7 is Medicare Annual Enrollment— not the Social Security claiming window.   Tony Leonardi, CFP®, explains what you can change this fall,why the January–March window is only for people already on Medicare Advantage, and how IRMAA uses a two-year lookback. Official 2026 CMS figures: standardPart B is $202.90; the first surcharge starts above $109,000 single or $218,000 jo...

Does a 3.6% Social Security COLA mean more money to spend? Not automatically. Medicare premiums, IRMAA, and taxes can take a bite out of the raise. In this episode of A Smarter Way to Retire, CFP® professional Tony Leonardi covers Social Security optimization before October: claiming age, how benefits get taxed, and what to model so you are not reacting to a headline. What you’ll learn • Why the 2...

December 31 is the deadline. September is when the work should get done. In this episode of A Smarter Way to Retire, Tony Leonardi, CFP®, walks through why last-minute IRA withdrawals and Roth conversions can create April tax surprises — and Medicare IRMAA surcharges two years later. We use ahypothetical couple, Tom and Diane, to show what a napkin calculation misses: gains already taken, RMDs sti...

Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer — and a useful moment to check whether 2026 is still on track. Tony Leonardi, CFP®, covers summer spending, cash reserves, and a simple four-part review of income, spending,investments, and taxes. Enjoy the barbecue, then make one adjustment for fall if you need it. Next week: year-end tax planning.

Leaving a large traditional IRA to your kids can be one ofthe most expensive retirement mistakes a family makes. In this episode of *A Smarter Way to Retire*, Tony Leonardi, CFP®, explains the difference betweenthe tax you pay on withdrawals during your lifetime and the tax your heirs may pay on the remaining pre-tax balance under the 10-year rule.   A traditional IRA is tax-deferred, not tax-free...

Once you retire, investing becomes a differentgame. Market drops no longer help you buy more shares — they force you to sell more shares. Combined with the 50/100 Rule, early volatility can permanently damage a retirement plan. In this episode, Tony Leonardi explains the twoforces working against retirees and what you can do about them.

Most retirement plans look fine when everything goes smoothly. Real life rarely does. In this episode of A Smarter Way to Retire , Tony Leonardi walks through how to stress-test a three-bucket retirement income plan against the challenges that actually show up: • Sequence of returns risk in the early years • Higher inflation •Longevity (living into your 90s or beyond) • Elevated spending periods •...

How should you actually withdraw money from your retirement savings once you stop working?   In this episode, I walk through practical withdrawalstrategies using the three-bucket retirement income approach. You’ll learn:   - Why you should generally spend from Bucket 1 first  - How to refill Bucket 1 without increasing risk  - The “slow drip” method using dividends and interest  - Why Bucket 3 sho...

Once you’ve organized your retirement savings into threebuckets, the next important question is how to invest the money *inside* each one.   In this episode, Tony Leonardi, CFP® explains why a singleallocation (like 60/40 or 70/30) applied to your entire portfolio often fallsshort — and how matching investment strategy to the job of each bucket cancreate a more intentional approach.   You’ll learn...

Once you’ve organized your retirement savings into three buckets, the next important step is learning how to fund them in a tax-efficient way. In this episode, Tony Leonardi, CFP® explains how to strategically fill each of the three buckets — the Early Retirement Income Bucket, the Longer-TermLive On Bucket, and the Leave On Bucket — while considering taxes, RMDs, IRMAA, and legacy planning. You’l...

Most people only think about two buckets of retirement money— what they’ll spend and what they’ll leave to their kids. But there’s a critical third bucket that can make a significant difference, especially in the early years of retirement.   In this episode, Tony Leonardi, CFP® explains why adding an**Early Retirement Income Bucket** (designed to cover the first 3–5 years of retirement spending) c...

Many people know long-term care is expensive and that theymight need it one day, but they haven’t actually addressed it in their retirement plan. As a result, the concern often lingers in the background like a dark cloud.   In this episode, Tony Leonardi, CFP® explains how to stopavoiding the issue and start dealing with it practically using the Live On vs Leave On framework.   You’ll learn: - Why...

Most retirees make one costly mistake — they treat all their retirement savings the same way. But not all retirement dollars have the same purpose. In this webinar, Tony Leonardi, CFP®, explains the critical distinction between Live On Assets (money you’ll spend during retirement) and Leave On Assets (money intended for your children and grandchildren). You’ll learn: -Roth IRA Conversion Playbook...

If you have $1.5 million or more in retirement accounts — and you don’t actually need all of it to live on comfortably — this episode is for you. In this video, Tony Leonardi, CFP®, reveals the hidden problem that affects many successful savers: Without proper planning, the IRS can end up as one of your largest “heirs” — taking two bites at the same retirement savings. You’ll learn: -Why RMDs and...

Most retirement advice is too generic. That’s why I created the Smart Retirement Strategy Quiz — it identifies which of the 18 unique retiree profiles best matches your situation. In this episode, Tony Leonardi, CFP® explains the four key questions behind the quiz and shares three common profiles so you can start thinking about where you fit. You’ll learn: Live On vs Leave On assets and why it mat...

New in 2026 — Trump Accounts (Section 530A) give families apowerful way to save for children and grandchildren with tax-deferred growth and a $1,000 government seed contribution.   In this episode, Tony Leonardi, CFP® breaks down: - Who qualifies and how to open an account - Contribution limits and growth potential (including realnumbers at 6% and 7%) - How Trump Accounts compare to 529 plans, UGM...

If you have a large estate and want to support causes you care about while potentially reducing taxes for your children, a Charitable Lead Trust (CLT) may be worth exploring. In this episode, Tony Leonardi, CFP®, breaks down how Charitable Lead Trusts work, who they’re best suited for, and how they can help reduce the taxable value of assets passed to the next generation. You’ll learn: How a CLT f...

Tony Leonardi, CFP®, breaks down Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs) — an advanced planning strategy that may help individuals with appreciated assets potentially reduce capital gains taxes, generate lifetime income, and support charitable causes. In this episode, Tony walks through how CRTs work, shares a detailed example of a business owner comparing an outright sale versus using a CRT, and discu...

If you don’t need your IRA for living expenses, it canbecome one of the most tax-inefficient assets to leave your children. The IRS often takes two bites at the same dollars — once during your lifetime and again when your heirs are forced to withdraw over 10 years.   In this episode I show you the real cost with clear examplesand introduce four practical strategies under the Smart Legacy Tax Shiel...

Most retirees never separate their Live On assets (moneythey’ll spend) from their Leave On assets (money for heirs). This one mistake often leads to higher taxes, unnecessary risk, and a smaller legacy.   In this episode I walk through the simple way to calculatethe split and share the four most effective strategies to minimize taxes on the money you actually need to live on — including Roth conve...

Last week we talked about paying tax once instead of twice. This week we go deeper: the critical difference between **Live On assets**(money you’ll spend) and **Leave On assets** (money for your heirs).   Most people treat all their retirement accounts the same way— but once you separate them into these two buckets, everything changes:investment strategy, tax planning, and withdrawal approach.   I...

Many retirees don’t need their RMD income, yet face double taxation — once during their lifetime and again when heirs inherit the account. In this episode, Tony Leonardi introduces the Smart Retirement Tax Shield and Smart Legacy Tax Shield — two strategies to pay tax once instead of twice. Includes real client examples with significant projected lifetime tax savings. Download the free Smart Tax S...

How do you turn your savings into reliable retirement incomethat lasts as long as you do? Tony Leonardi, CFP® breaks down the best retirement income solutions for 2026 — including the bucket approach, protected income layers, guardrails, and blending sources. Plus why a good financialmodel is essential.    Free Roth IRA Conversion Playbook 2026 Edition:  https://www.leonardifamilywealthcare.com/ro...

Maxing your 401(k) sounds smart — until the tax torpedo hitsin retirement. Tony Leonardi, CFP® explains the three tax buckets, how Social Security taxation creates hidden spikes, and why balanced retirement income planning is essential for tax-efficient retirement and legacy protection.    Timestamps:  00:00 – The Trap Most Savers Fall Into  03:00 – The Three Tax Buckets  07:00 – The Most Valuable...