Big Picture Retirement®

7 Social Security Rules Every Retiree Needs to Know

Smart retirees can still miss important Social Security rules. In this episode, we cover 7 common rules that even well-informed retirees often overlook, and how those bli

Can ChatGPT Write Your Will?

Can AI really help you create an estate plan, or could it create problems your family won't discover until it's too late? In this episode, we review a real Texas will a

Do Retirees Actually Run Out of Money?

Do retirees actually run out of money? After reading hundreds of real retirement stories from people who did, one pattern became clear: it usually wasn't poor investing t

They Froze His $3,000,000 Retirement Account

Can your brokerage firm actually stop you from accessing your own money? In this episode, we walk through a real case involving a $3 million retirement account, explain w

Will A Roth Conversion Save You Taxes?

Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advice, you can engage Devin or John through their individual firms.  📍Contact Devin's team at htt

The Gift Tax Loophole Congress Wants to Close

Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advice, you can engage Devin or John through their individual firms.  📍Contact Devin's team at htt

How to Get a Full Step-Up in Basis (Even If You Don't Live in a Community Property State)

Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advice, you can engage Devin or John through their individual firms.  📍Contact Devin's team at htt

The Social Security Earnings Limit May Be Eliminated

Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advice, you can engage Devin or John through their individual firms.  📍Contact Devin's team at htt

What 75 Year Old Retirees Regret Most

Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advice, you can engage Devin or John through their individual firms.  📍Contact Devin's team at htt

Inbox Question | Leveraged ETFs for Supercharging Retirement Savings

Kevin asks about using leveraged ETFs (2x and 3x return) for his retirement savings. LEverage Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advi

Inbox Question | QCD from a Workplace Retirement Plan

Ann asks about making qualified charitable distributions from her 457 plan.  Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advice, you can engag

You're Probably Looking at the Wrong Estate Tax

Unless you're listening to this while flying in your own Gulfstream, federal estate taxes probably aren't something you need to worry about. In 2026, they only apply to e

Inbox Question | Should I Use A Spendthrift Trust?

A listener asks about a spendthrift trust for his adult "airhead" granddaughter.  Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advice, you can

How Your AI Data Could Be Used Against You

More people are using AI tools every day to ask questions, solve problems, and even talk through personal decisions. But many users make one dangerous assumption: that

Should a Blood Test Shape Your Retirement Plan?

Advances in predictive medicine are starting to raise a fascinating question: what if we could estimate our longevity with much greater accuracy? New blood tests and bi

Why Recency Bias Is Dangerous for Today's Retirees

Most people assume the future will look like the recent past. That's called recency bias, and it can quietly wreck a retirement plan. If the market has been strong for

Five Retirement Loose Ends You Can't Ignore

Saving for retirement is only half the job. In this episode, we discuss the five financial loose ends that can quietly drain retirement income and why addressing them ear

Planning for Single Retirees — Part 4: Long-Term Care, Incapacity, and Estate Planning

In this last episode of our Planning for Single Retirees series, we tackle the part of retirement planning that matters most when you don't have a built-in safety net: wh

Planning for Single Retirees — Part 3: Tax Planning and Roth Conversions

The tax planning process doesn't change for single retirees—but the margin for error does. In this episode, we explain why taxes behave differently when there's only on

Planning for Single Retirees — Part 2: Social Security Claiming Decisions

For single retirees, Social Security isn't just another filing decision. It's the foundation of the entire retirement income plan. In this episode, we explain why claim