Episode
Retirement Toolkit: How Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) Work
- Podcast
- Retirement Answer Man
- Published
- Jul 1, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2751
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://share.transistor.fm/s/a8e8ff63
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Summary
This week Roger explores the idea of "digging where your feet are" and how focusing on what you can do today can reduce anxiety about the future and regret about the past. In the Retirement Toolkit, he explains the basics of Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), including when they begin, which accounts they affect, how they're calculated, and strategies for managing them through retirement. Listener questions cover Roth conversions, 401(k) rollovers, donor-advised funds versus direct charitable giving, and healthcare costs before Medicare. Roger closes the episode with a Fourth of July story about unexpected kindness from strangers in rural Texas. OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN (00:00) Roger introduces the idea of "dig where your feet are" and explains why focusing on today's actions leads to better retirement planning than living in the future or the past. RETIREMENT TOOLKIT (04:06) Roger breaks down Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), explaining what they are, when they begin, which retirement accounts are affected, how they're calculated, and strategies for minimizing their long-term tax impact. LISTENER QUESTIONS (17:10) Michael asks whether Roth conversions are worthwhile with only a short window between retirement and the start of Required Minimum Distributions. (23:10) Lynn asks how to minimize market risk when rolling a 401(k) into an IRA and worries about being out of the market during the transfer. (28:19) Sandy shares concerns about donor-advised funds and encourages earlier conversations around charitable giving. Roger discusses both the advantages and criticisms of donor-advised funds. (32:52) John shares concerns about healthcare costs before Medicare. Roger discusses replacing vague fears with concrete planning and evaluating t…