Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®
Retire Smarter with Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®
Kevin Kroskey, CFP® & Tyler Emrick, CFA® CFP®
The RMD Tax Trap: Required Minimum Distribution Strategies That Lower Lifetime Taxes
24 minutes Posted Feb 19, 2026 at 1:48 pm.
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Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are not just mandatory withdrawals — they are forced taxable income that can quietly reshape your retirement tax picture.
Higher income from RMDs can trigger increased marginal tax rates, IRMAA surcharges, greater Social Security taxation, and long-term compounding tax consequences — especially for married couples navigating the widow/widower tax penalty.
In this episode, Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP®, breaks down how to think about RMD tax planning as a long-term process — not just a once-a-year withdrawal decision — including:
Why RMD planning is really tax bracket management over time
How Roth conversions can shrink future Required Minimum Distributions
Smart timing and withholding strategies that create flexibility
How Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) reduce taxable income
The role of income targeting and IRMAA awareness
What types of assets to convert — and why it matters
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