Curious about your retirement savings? Our How Much Do I Need To Retire? quiz gives you an idea of where you stand and a starting point to think about your long-term planning.

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You did everything right. You maxed your 401(k) for decades, watched the balance grow, and felt good about where you were headed. Then someone showed you a tax projection for retirement and it was a lot bigger than you expected.

In this episode, Scott walks through why a large, traditional 401(k) balance can quietly become a future tax trap. He breaks down a real world example of how required minimum distributions (RMDs), Social Security, and Medicare premiums can stack up in ways most people never saw coming and what a surviving spouse could face alone.

But this isn't a story about regret. It's about having a window of time to act before the IRS starts making decisions for you.

If 70 to 80% of your investable wealth sits in pre-tax accounts, this episode is for you. Scott walks through four practical levers: savings direction, Roth conversions, taxable bridge accounts, and asset location and closes with three concrete steps you can take right now to get clarity on where you actually stand.

Your401(k) isn't the issue, having one that is overly concentrated without a plan is.

Ready to learn more?

• Scott Frank on LinkedIn
• Stone Steps Financial

Leave us a question!

Money can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. When you’re able to understand the complexities, you can make better decisions to improve your daily life. Connect with us at Stone Steps Financial.

Curious about your retirement savings? Our How Much Do I Need To Retire? quiz gives you an idea of where you stand and a starting point to think about your long-term planning.

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Most people don’t actually want retirement, but they do want relief.

Relief from the schedule. Relief from the pressure. Relief from feeling like they can’t step off the treadmill.

But what if the question isn’t “When can I retire?” and it’s “What would I do if I knew I wasn’t trapped?”

In this conversation, Scott and Nick explore the tensions so many professionals feel but almost never say out loud: the golden handcuffs, the benefits package, the identity wrapped up in a title. And underneath all of it, another question: do I actually need this job… or am I just afraid to look?

Retirement doesn’t always have to mean stopping work. Sometimes it means choosing work, some others it’s testing something new, and every once in a while it means building enough cushion that you walk into Monday differently.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in a role you’ve outgrown, this episode of Real Personal Finance might open a door you didn’t realize was already unlocked.

Ready to learn more?

• Scott Frank on LinkedIn
• Stone Steps Financial
• Nick Covyeau on LinkedIn
• Swell Financial

Leave us a question!

Money can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. When you’re able to understand the complexities, you can make better decisions to improve your daily life. Connect with us at Stone Steps Financial.

There’s a common belief people have about money: you build it, you protect it, and whatever’s left gets passed on at the end.

But what if the timing matters more than the total?

As lifespans stretch into the 90s and portfolios grow beyond what many families will realistically spend, the question starts to change. Would a gift mean more when your kids are buying their first home, raising young children, or launching something meaningful? Would you rather see the impact while you’re here to experience it? And how do taxes, fairness, and family dynamics shape that decision?

This conversation invites you to switch your thinking into a more intentional approach. The big takeaway? Giving isn’t just about numbers, but about when the help lands, how it changes someone’s life, and whether you want to be part of that moment.

If you’ve ever wondered whether to give now or later, this episode of Real Personal Finance will stretch how you think about your legacy.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Die With Zero by Bill Perkins on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Die-Zero-Getting-Your-Money/dp/0358567092

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Curious about your retirement savings? Our How Much Do I Need To Retire? quiz gives you an idea of where you stand and a starting point to think about your long-term planning.

Ready to learn more?

• Scott Frank on LinkedIn
• Stone Steps Financial
• Nick Covyeau on LinkedIn
• Swell Financial

Leave us a question!

Money can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. When you’re able to understand the complexities, you can make better decisions to improve your daily life. Connect with us at Stone Steps Financial.