Safe Money Radio with Brad Pistole

Retirement plans don’t usually fail because of a bad spreadsheet. They fail because of a life event. From the sold-out Horizons 2026 conference at The American College of Financial Services, we bring you three powerful conversations that hit the real pressure points in retirement planning: widowhood, longevity risk, taxes, Social Security, Medicare costs, and the emotional weight of major transitions.

First, we sit down with Gene Chatsky of HerMoney.com and the Her Money Podcast to talk about why so many women end up managing money alone later in life. One statistic says it all: 80% of men di...

You can be a thrill seeker and still buckle your seatbelt, and that simple truth is the best metaphor for retirement planning I know. With Peak 65 here, more families are reaching the “now what?” moment at the same time, and the questions are getting sharper: How do we protect the nest egg we built, create reliable income, and avoid getting forced into the wrong move when the market is down?

We walk through a Kiplinger report that says the definition of investment success is changing. Returns still matter, but retirees are increasingly measuring success by durability, flexibility, and...

If you’ve been told “just take Social Security at 62” because the system is running out of money, pause. We sit down with Heather Schreiber, our go to Social Security and retirement income planning expert, to unpack what insolvency actually means, what it doesn’t mean, and why fear based claiming can permanently shrink your paycheck. The core message is simple: Social Security is not a stand alone decision, it’s a lever that affects taxes, Medicare premiums, and the surviving spouse’s income.

We also go deep on why women in finance and women in retirement planning des...

You can know all the rules of money and still get blindsided by retirement. Brad sits down with Dr. Kevin Lynch, a former CFP program instructor with 20 professional designations, to talk about what happens when the paycheck stops and the decision becomes real. Kevin explains why he didn’t “need” an advisor, but absolutely wanted one, because managing your own money brings emotions to the surface in a way textbooks never can.

We unpack the planning framework that helped him sleep well at night: coordinating Social Security with annuities to create guaranteed income that covers the household basics...

“Convert or not convert?” sounds like a simple yes-or-no question until you run headfirst into the Roth IRA rulebook. We break it down in plain English, starting with the real difference between tax-deferred retirement accounts like traditional IRAs and 401(k)s and tax-free retirement accounts like Roth IRAs: it’s all about when you pay taxes, how withdrawals are taxed, and what that means for your retirement income plan.

From there, we get specific on the rules that trip people up most: Roth income limits, IRA contribution limits, early withdrawal rules, and required minimum distributions. We also clear...

The market can drop hard, surge 1,125 points in a day, then whipsaw you again and that’s a nightmare if you’re retiring right as you start taking withdrawals. I talk straight about what I’m seeing at the end of Q1 2026, including a real panic call from someone who trusted online reviews, handed over their life savings, and watched their account fall fast because their portfolio didn’t match their risk tolerance. That story isn’t about “bad people.” It’s about bad timing, poor risk analysis, and the retirement reality that losses early on can do damage you never recove...

Social Security isn’t a “pick a date and hope” decision, it’s a lifetime income lever that can change your retirement and your spouse’s future. We’ve heard all the noise: claim at 62, Social Security is going broke, take it and run. We slow it down and replace the rumors with rules, math, and planning you can actually use.

I’m Brad Pistol, and I explain why Social Security behaves like one of the best forms of guaranteed lifetime income. Delaying can add roughly 8% per year in delayed retirement credits up to age 70, which can turn a permane...

The internet is packed with confident Social Security advice, but a lot of it collapses the moment you apply the real rules. We dig into why the “just claim at 62” message spreads, what parts of it are true, and where it can flat-out mislead you, especially for married couples trying to coordinate benefits. With Peak 65 underway and millions of Americans hitting Medicare and retirement decision points, getting this right can mean the difference between stable retirement income and years of avoidable stress.

We break down Part 1 of a two-part guide: seven reasons you might consider claiming Social Secu...

Social Security is one of the biggest levers in retirement income planning, yet most people still make their claiming decision with a rule of thumb and a half-remembered story from a friend. We wanted to fix that. From our brand new studio, we share why we expanded our office and why we went deeper on Social Security training so we can help families make decisions that hold up for decades, not just this year’s budget.

We walk through the real history of Social Security from 1935 forward, because the “why” behind the program explains the “why” behind the rules...

Social Security is not just a government benefit. It’s a lifetime income decision that can define how retirement feels at 75, 85, or 95. We sit down with industry veteran Joseph Jordan to unpack why claiming rules feel confusing, why so many families miss meaningful dollars over a lifetime, and why the “take it at 62” advice often ignores today’s longevity reality. 

We talk about what’s really driving the pressure on Social Security and Medicare, starting with demographics: fewer workers supporting more retirees who live longer and need more expensive care. From there, we get practical about the new Registe...

Your retirement plan can get blindsided by one question you never budgeted for: “What happens if my parent can’t live alone anymore?” We get real about the moment caregiving begins and why it feels like you’re solving ten problems at once: safety, doctors, accounts, passwords, housing, and family dynamics, all under time pressure.

We share the practical first steps that reduce chaos fast, including how to think about legal authority like durable power of attorney and health care directives, and why waiting too long can push families into guardianship. Then we zoom out to the money si...

IRMAA isn’t a headline; it’s a hidden drain on retirement income that too many people meet for the first time in a letter. We sit down with our friend and IRMAA specialist Paul Morrison to expose how Medicare’s income-related monthly adjustment amounts work, why the two‑year tax return lookback catches people off guard, and what to do before you cross the line. From the SECURE Act’s inherited IRA rules to the surge of “unretiring” workers, the pressures pushing retirees into higher surcharges are rising fast—and often avoidable with the right plan.

We break down wh...

A plan that looks perfect on paper can fall apart in a single day. We walk through two true stories that start with strong income, low rates, and tidy portfolios—and then get hit by the kind of events that no spreadsheet can predict. A cancer diagnosis. A fall from a ladder. A pension election that seemed smart until it erased $8,000 a month for a surviving spouse. These moments reveal the cracks most people miss: survivor income, healthcare gaps before Medicare, taxable withdrawals as a single filer, and the silent cost of picking the wrong pension option.

Fr...

Tax season doesn’t have to feel like a gut punch. We pull back the curtain on the biggest myths—why a refund is not a win, why the “IRA deduction saves taxes” line is misleading, and how required minimum distributions can hijack your retirement income. From contribution limits to smart rollovers, we map the moves that help you keep more of every dollar you earn.

We start by reframing the goal: lifetime, after‑tax income. You’ll hear how 401k, 403b, TSP, and 457 contributions affect future taxes, when an in‑service rollover at 59½ can expand your choices, and wh...

Ever felt that jolt of panic when you imagine your savings running out too soon? We brought in ThinkAdvisor’s John Manganaro to pull fear out of the shadows and replace it with a plan. John’s journey from late-night policy reporting to leading retirement coverage gives him a rare vantage point: he hears what top researchers discover, what advisors do on the ground, and where real people get blindsided—especially by avoidable taxes and timing mistakes.

We start with IRMAA, the Medicare surcharge that often arrives two years after a big income move. If you’ve ever tak...

What if the safest path to a confident retirement starts with who you are, not how much you’ve saved? We sit down with Lynn Toomey, founder of Her Retirement and the More for Her Collective, to unpack a human-first approach that helps women feel prepared, informed, and in control. Instead of chasing a “magic number,” we focus on personality, purpose, and practical moves that translate assets into steady, predictable income.

We dig into how retirement personality types change the conversation around risk, spending, and the definition of “enough.” Lynn explains why women often feel behind—career breaks, care...

Imagine retirement income that ignores market swings while your heirs receive wealth without a tax surprise. That’s the blueprint we unpack as we walk through how permanent life insurance and lifetime annuities can lock in essentials, create tax-free liquidity, and make your estate plan work harder.

We start by challenging the “returns first” mindset with a simple goal: guarantee the money that pays for your core expenses, then optimize for taxes. Banks and major corporations quietly hold billions in cash value life insurance, using it to build tax-advantaged reserves and fund future obligations. We translate that playbo...

A comfortable retirement isn’t built on hope or hot tips; it’s built on coordination. We sit down with Social Security strategist Heather Schreiber to unpack what’s new for 2026, why a 2.8% COLA can feel smaller after Medicare premium hikes, and how IRMAA cliffs can quietly siphon thousands from your income. From the first minute, we focus on practical steps you can take right now: when to claim benefits, how earnings tests really work, and how to avoid the most common mistakes at Peak 65.

The conversation goes deeper than dates and dollar amounts. We connect Social Securi...

A one-hour package turned into a 19-day odyssey across four states and seven planes—and it’s the perfect lens for understanding what happens when your retirement is ruled by someone else’s playbook. We take that vivid detour and map it onto 401(k)s, IRAs, TSPs, and 403(b)s, where the “silent partner” isn’t so silent: the government sets withdrawal ages, taxes your income, and tells your heirs how fast they must drain your accounts.

We dig into the shifting RMD ages—70½ to 72 to 73, with 75 on the horizon—and explain how forced withdrawals can push you into higher b...

Most people picture retirement as endless Saturdays, but the real question is what those Saturdays look like and how you’ll pay for them. We take you through the ten questions that shape a confident future: how to define your daily purpose, where to live without inflating costs, how much income you truly need, and how to build an income floor that stands up to market swings. Along the way, we dig into Social Security timing strategies, the sequence of returns risk, and why annuities with lifetime income riders can secure essentials while freeing your investments to grow.

The steak is free. The advice isn’t. We pull back the curtain on the seminar ecosystem targeting people near retirement with glossy mailers, “nonprofit” classes, and polished scripts that funnel you into preselected products—often before anyone asks what you actually need. Along the way, we challenge celebrity talking points with precise rules that impact your wallet, including the real RMD ages, why half-years matter for penalties and QCDs, and how Roth conversions should be planned around tax brackets, Medicare IRMAA thresholds, and future rates rather than hype.

You’ll hear two real stories that hit hard. In o...

New year, new stakes—we’re celebrating our 17th year on the air and more than 800 shows with two big announcements: we’ve doubled our office space to expand service in the Ozarks, and we’re launching recurring “Ask Heather” segments with national Social Security expert Heather Schreiber. That means sharper guidance across Social Security timing, tax planning, Medicare, and IRMAA, all coordinated to protect your lifestyle, not just your account balance.

We get candid about why “winging it” fails. A simple farm-road story and two recent health shocks reveal what really derails retirements: unplanned risks, medical surprises, and s...

A year of milestones and momentum meets a simple truth: income is the outcome. We look back at 2025 with gratitude and clarity, sharing what really moved the needle for retirees and pre-retirees—fresh tax opportunities, smarter Social Security decisions, and practical ways to turn savings into reliable monthly cash flow. From holiday reflections and new grandbabies to big stages and bigger ideas, this conversation blends heart and hard facts to help you build a retirement that feels steady, not stressful.

You’ll hear highlights from a National Advisor Summit in Denver and a surreal day at Glenn Beck...

Prices change, risks evolve, and so do the rules of a secure retirement. We take a time jump from 1971 to 1989, 2001, 2008, and today to uncover what history teaches about building income you can trust. Along the way, Brad shares personal stories, like his father’s 2008 losses at Merrill Lynch and the pivot that created guaranteed paychecks for life, to show how real households turn pain into better planning.

We break down the forces that matter most: the true cost of living in 2025, the impact of taxes on every withdrawal, and why sequence of returns risk can undo decades of...

Eight hundred shows in, the mission hasn’t changed: build income you can trust so you can sleep well at night. To celebrate the milestone, we brought together five leaders whose work has shaped modern retirement planning—Tom Hegna on the go‑go, slow‑go, and no‑go years, Heather Schreiber on Social Security strategy and IRMAA, Cheryl J. Moore on the truth about indexed annuities, Dr. Wade Pfau on the RISA framework, and Ed Slott on turning tax traps into tax opportunities.

We start with Hegna’s simple playbook: guarantee paychecks for life during the go‑go years so yo...

You don’t build a great retirement by guessing the market’s next swing; you build it by owning your tax future. To mark our 800th show, we sit down with Ed Slott, America’s IRA expert, to map a clear path from tax-deferred uncertainty to tax-free control. We revisit the 2010 Roth conversion opening and draw a straight line to today’s unusually wide, still-low tax brackets that make strategic conversions a rare bargain. Ed explains why “tax laws are written in pencil” and how bracket-filling, not RMD minimums, is the mindset that protects your wealth.

From there, we ta...

The first year after you stop working feels like a dream—then real life shows up. We map the true shape of retirement through four phases: the thrilling vacation year, the unexpected season of loss and being lost, the trial-and-error reset, and finally the reinvention that brings purpose back to the center. Drawing on insights from Dr. Riley Moynes, Tom Hegna, Dr. Wade Pfau, and years of client stories, we show why the nonfinancial side—routine, identity, relationships, and health—can make or break even the best-funded plan.

I walk through how decumulation planning turns savings into steady...

Taxes don’t retire when you do, which is why smart planning now can save you stress and money later. We sit down with attorney and retirement expert Sarah Brenner to unpack the most powerful moves you can make before year-end and the major rule shifts arriving in 2026. From using qualified charitable distributions to cut adjusted gross income to timing your first RMD and designing “many mini” Roth conversions, we show you how to keep more of what you’ve earned and reduce the surprise bills that can hit Medicare and Social Security.

We break down QCD eligibil...

What if the biggest risk to your retirement isn’t market volatility, but waking up to a calendar with nothing that matters on it? We dig into the side of planning most people ignore—how to design days that feel purposeful, healthy, and connected—and show why money alone can’t deliver a satisfying life after work.

We unpack a hard-hitting cautionary tale of “doing everything right” financially and still feeling lost, then break down the four non-financial pillars that drive happiness in retirement: purpose and meaning, health and wellness, social connections, and personal growth. From building a weekly rhy...

Your retirement doesn’t fail because of one bad market day; it fails when you trust the wrong person. That’s the hard lesson we bring home by connecting a weekend of tactical training to the choices that make or break your nest egg. Awareness, technique, and preparation save lives in dangerous moments, and they save wealth when salesmanship masquerades as expertise.

We unpack the Dunning Kruger effect and why so many polished presenters overestimate their skill. You’ll hear how dinner seminars, “nonprofit” workshops, and scripted pitches lure smart people into needless moves—like surrendering strong annuities fo...

The fastest way to stall your finances isn’t a market downturn—it’s the quiet habits that drain your cash, time, and energy. We unpack seven common behaviors that keep people stuck and the simple, repeatable systems that wealthy people use to build and protect their money. From saying no to depreciating toys and high-interest debt to paying yourself first and buying assets that cash flow, we spell out the exact shifts that turn uncertainty into a plan.

I share my own path from paycheck-to-paycheck stress to debt-free multimillionaire, including what changed during the 2008 crisis and why I...

Imagine turning a paid-off roof into a flexible, tax-free safety valve that protects your retirement from market swings, big tax bills, and rising costs. That’s the promise of today’s deep dive into reverse mortgages—especially the FHA-insured HECM—and why they’re no longer a last resort but a serious planning tool for homeowners in their 60s and beyond.

We start by clearing the air: your name stays on title, the lender doesn’t take your home, and equity isn’t erased. Then we map the real choices retirees face—cash-out refi, HELOC, or HECM—and explain why op...

Picture-perfect retirements often hide sharp edges. We kick off with a vivid beach story—beautiful sunset, calm water, then a sudden hit from a rock you couldn’t see—and use it to reveal the biggest threats waiting beneath the surface of your financial life. From sequence of returns risk and market volatility to inflation, healthcare shocks, fraud, and gray divorce, we unpack how a single event at the wrong time can bruise a nest egg and how to build defenses that last.

You’ll hear research-driven insights on why early market losses are so dangerous once withdraw...

A pond that swings from overflowing to bone dry can teach you everything about retirement. We open with a vivid farm story—feast, famine, and the long wait for rain—to show how markets rise, stall, and plunge in repeating seasons, and why lasting financial peace comes from structure, not prediction. From there, we dig into inflation the way you’ve actually felt it: the $4.04 pizza buffet that now rings up at $12.06 (or more). That price shock becomes a lens for designing income that keeps its buying power for 20–25 years.

We walk through a simple, not easy framewor...

From humble beginnings in a single office during the 2008 financial crisis to a thriving practice with 40 team members across multiple states, the journey of Brad Pistole's financial planning firm represents a true American success story. Today marks a significant milestone as Brad announces the evolution of Trinity Insurance and Financial Services into the Ozarks Retirement Group.

This transformation celebrates not just growth but a deepening commitment to comprehensive retirement planning. As Brad shares, "When the market goes up, you go up. When the market goes down, you don't go down." This philosophy has guided his practice for...

What happens when the unexpected derails your retirement plans? In this eye-opening conclusion to our three-part series on Dr. Wade Pfau's retirement research, we reveal how to transform your 401(k) or IRA into a lifetime income stream that can weather any storm – including those you never see coming.

The retirement landscape has changed dramatically. It's no longer just about accumulating assets but creating sustainable income that lasts regardless of market conditions. We explore the devastating impact of sequence of returns risk – when market downturns hit early in retirement while you're taking withdrawals – and why traditional approaches leave retire...

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To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com 

Have you ever wondered why generic retirement advice feels so uncomfortable? The answer might lie in your unique Retirement Income Style. 

In this illuminating conversation with Dr. Wade Pfau, renowned retirement income expert and creator of the Retirement Income Style Awareness (RISA) framework, we uncover how understanding your personal financial psychology transforms retirement planning. Dr. Pfau reveals why the endless debates about retirement strategies miss the mark - there's no single "right way" to retire, only the approach that aligns with your individual preferences.

We tackle the very real danger of sequence of returns risk, d...

The retirement landscape is changing dramatically, with a hidden threat lurking in the shadows of your Medicare premiums. In this eye-opening episode, Paul Morrison, co-founder of IRMA University, returns to unpack the growing crisis of Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amounts (IRMA) – what he calls "the shadow tax" silently eroding retirees' Social Security benefits.

Medicare premiums are skyrocketing at an alarming rate, with projections showing some beneficiaries could pay over $1,100 monthly by 2034. That's $26,400 annually for a retired couple! While Social Security COLAs hover around 2.6%, Medicare costs are inflating at 7.7% annually – a mathematical disaster for your retirement budget. For those in h...

The financial world is shifting beneath our feet. As market volatility returns with alarming regularity, traditional retirement planning approaches built solely on stocks and bonds are revealing critical vulnerabilities. This eye-opening conversation with Curtis Cloak—pioneer of the Deferred Income Annuity and architect behind Tom Hegna's 13-annuity retirement strategy—challenges everything you thought you knew about securing your financial future.

Curtis shares his remarkable journey from farm kid to financial innovator, revealing how a workplace injury at 21 and wise financial decisions set him on a path to revolutionize retirement planning. His discovery in 1999 of what would become the...