I started to focus on retirement income planning about 15 years ago. One thing that struck me early in this journey was just how much our clients detest required minimum distributions ( RMDs ).

A large percentage of our clients were federal retirees with large pensions under the old system. They didn't need the money.

It wasn't that they were mad about having to take the funds — it was the taxes. On top of the taxes, there were also the other dominos that could fall — the phaseout of certain deductions, higher capital gains taxes and, perhaps the most hated, Medicare premium hikes ( IRMAA ).

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