Austin Rinard CFP® AIF®

Financial Advisor. Founder of Wealth Ease Wealth Management. Aspiring dad of the year. Tweets and/or retweets are not investment advice. CFP®. AIF®.

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

Could the new 2026 Senior Tax Deduction reduce taxable income for some retirees?

The recently enacted rules include a new deduction that may create planning opportunities for eligible individuals age 65+.

In our latest blog, we break down:
✅ Who may qualify
✅ Income limitations to be aware of
✅ How the deduction works with other tax provisions
✅ Key planning considerations for retirees

Read the full article: https://t.co/xE8aS9JSpV

Educational only. Not advice. Investing risks loss. Consult advisor. SEC-registered RIA. No guarantees.

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

7 Retirement Mistakes That Could Cost You Thousands (And How to Avoid Them)

Are you making one of these retirement mistakes?

Many retirees and pre-retirees spend years building their savings but never develop a plan for turning those savings into sustainable retirement income.

In our latest article, we discuss 7 common retirement planning mistakes, including:

✓ Claiming Social Security too early
✓ Underestimating healthcare costs
✓ Overlooking retirement tax planning
✓ Taking more investment risk than necessary

If you're within 10 years of retirement—or already retired—this is a worthwhile read.

📖 Read the full article here: https://t.co/2gluLCOrMN

Compliance Note: Educational content only. Nothing in this post should be construed as personalized investment, legal, or tax advice.

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

Check out my new blog post about Beneficiary IRA withdrawals and how they may affect IRMAA!

https://t.co/kq1FKTxlt5

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

I keep hearing people say the S&P 500 is a conservative investment — and I have to bust that myth. ❎

It’s not conservative. Index funds move with the market — which means when the market crashes, they crash too.

In 2008, the S&P 500 dropped about 37% (or over 50% peak-to-trough in some measures). In March 2020 it fell 34% in five weeks. The dot-com crash? Same story.

These aren't conservative investments - they're volatile growth investments that happen to be diversified.

👉 Conservative = treasury bills, CDs, money markets, high-yield savings
👉 Index funds = smart long-term investments

Index funds can be great — but calling them conservative is how investors get blindsided the next time the market falls 30–50%.

If you can't stomach watching your account drop 40% without panicking, stock index funds alone aren't conservative enough for your risk tolerance.

At Wealth Ease, we give objective advice, even when it’s hard to hear. If you’re interested in working with a firm with your best interest in mind, Schedule a meeting by: Calling [phone] or by filling out the Contact Us form on our website https://t.co/COFVR71ZxB.

Educational only. Not advice. Investing risks loss. Consult advisor. SEC-registered RIA. No guarantees.

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

💰 Most advisors say to delay Social Security until 70 — but for clients with millions saved, that strategy might not make sense.

Here’s the truth: when you’ve built significant wealth, claiming early could actually grow your portfolio more over time. Why? Because you can let your investments keep compounding while you live off your Social Security income instead.

Meanwhile, those with smaller savings should strongly consider waiting until age 70 — it all comes down to your unique situation.

Every retirement plan is different, but wealthy clients shouldn't automatically follow the "wait until 70" idea that many preach.

📲 For help creating your personalized Social Security strategy for your retirement, Schedule a meeting by: Calling [phone] or by filling out the Contact Us form on our website https://t.co/COFVR71ZxB.

Educational only. Not advice. Investing risks loss. Consult advisor. SEC-registered RIA. No guarantees.

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

Most retirees think the safe move is shifting everything to bonds and CDs — but that can actually create more risk.

I’m Austin, a Certified Financial Planner and founder of Wealth Ease. Here’s how we de-risk portfolios without killing growth — one approach is the bucket strategy:

👉 Now Money (0–5 yrs) — CDs & high-yield savings for immediate needs
⏳ Soon Money (5–10 yrs) — moderate-risk investments like balanced funds
📈 Later Money (10+ yrs) — higher growth investments like stocks

Why not go all-conservative? New retirees may be able to safely withdraw 3.7% annually from a portfolio with 20-50% in stocks (Morningstar). Going too conservative means you can't keep up with inflation over 20-30 years of retirement.

The bucket strategy helps protect you from sequence of return risk when bad markets hit early in retirement. Quarterly rebalancing can keep your strategy on track without making emotional decisions.

If you want to work with a wealth management firm who keeps things simple for you, Schedule a meeting by: Calling [phone] or by filling out the Contact Us form on our website https://t.co/COFVR71ZxB.

Educational only. Not advice. Investing risks loss. Consult advisor. SEC-registered RIA. No guarantees.

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

Everyone talks about trusts like they’re some kind of magic solution — but a lot of people don’t actually need one.

Most families can avoid probate with simple strategies:

👉 Add beneficiaries to investment, retirement, life insurance & bank accounts
👉 Use Joint Tenancy for shared accounts allowing 100% of the account to transfer after a loved one passes (depending on your state laws)
👉 Use tools like a Lady Bird Deed (in states like Michigan) to transfer real estate without the paperwork of a trust

Trusts are powerful tools for complex situations, but if you're just trying to avoid probate and keep things simple, things like beneficiary designations and transfer-on-death accounts might be all you need.

If you want help figuring out whether you need a trust or just a simpler solution, Schedule a meeting by: Calling [phone] or by filling out the Contact Us form on our website https://t.co/COFVR71ZxB.

Educational only. Not advice. Investing risks loss. Consult advisor. SEC-registered RIA. No guarantees.

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

I sometimes meet very smart retirees who keep 100% of their portfolio in stocks to chase higher returns — and I have to say, that can be a dangerous move near retirement. ⚠️

The 5 years before and after you retire are the most vulnerable.
A stock market crash during this window can devastate your retirement plan because you can't rely on future income to recover.

There are rare exceptions where holding a 100% stock portfolio might work. This would include retirees with guaranteed income (Social Security + pensions + business income) 💵 that fully covers expenses, or people with so much saved they could withstand a 50% drop and still live comfortably. This is a general consideration; individual risk tolerance and financial situation vary.

But for most people entering retirement, 100% stocks create too much sequence of returns risk.

✅ If you want an advisor whose focus is your long-term success, Schedule a meeting by: Calling [phone] or by filling out the Contact Us form on our website https://t.co/COFVR71ZxB.

Educational only. Not advice. Investing risks loss. Consult advisor. SEC-registered RIA. No guarantees.

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

Legendary investor Peter Lynch once said the most important organ in investing isn’t your brain — it’s your stomach.

This is why managing your emotions often matters more than predicting market moves. 📉📈

Even the smartest investors underperform when emotions take over — selling during downturns and buying at highs (Morningstar).

To help this, I use what’s called the bucket strategy: short-term money stays in conservative investments so market drops don’t force panic decisions, while long-term money rides out volatility and recovers over time.

The peace of mind from this strategy allows my clients to stay calm and confident through every market cycle.

If you struggle with market swings and want a process that helps you stay the course, Schedule a meeting by: Calling [phone] or by filling out the Contact Us form on our website https://t.co/COFVR71ZxB.

Educational only. Not advice. Investing risks loss. Consult advisor. SEC-registered RIA. No guarantees.

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

A lot of people feel stuck in old Variable Annuities they regret buying — and the taxes are usually the reason why.

💡Here’s the issue: Variable Annuities use LIFO taxation (Last In, First Out). When you take money out, the gains come out first, and you have to pay tax on those gains.

Here’s an example: you put in $100k to a variable annuity 20 years ago and it’s now worth $400k. That’s a $300k gain inside the contract. Every contract has different expense levels, but it's not uncommon to see Variable Annuities with annual expenses of 3% per year — that’s $12,000 per year.

Most people think the only way out is to withdraw and trigger a big tax bill.

👉 But there’s another option: a 1035 exchange.

A 1035 exchange lets you transfer one annuity to another without triggering taxes. Your cost basis carries over, and you can move to a lower-cost provider and reduce ongoing fees — without paying tax to make the move.

You’re not stuck. You just need the right path out.

If you have an old Variable Annuity and want a fiduciary to help, Schedule a meeting by: Calling [phone] or by filling out the Contact Us form on our website https://t.co/COFVR71ZxB.

Educational only. Not advice. Investing risks loss. Consult advisor. SEC-registered RIA. No guarantees.

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

Do you want your kids to become interested about investing? 👇

Here’s a simple way I’ve seen completely change kids’ financial futures:
Let your young children invest in individual stocks they know and love.

Open a custodial account, put $10–20 into 5-10 recognizable companies, check in together each week, and show them how their investments are doing. Watching their money grow (or sometimes drop!) teaches them real lessons about long-term investing — and the value of patience.

Mutual funds are great tools for building wealth, but they won't capture a 12-year-old's imagination like owning a piece of Disney, or Coca-Cola, or Apple.

It’s one of the best ways to turn curiosity into lifelong financial confidence.

If you want to work with an advisor who helps families build financial confidence across generations, Schedule a meeting by: Calling [phone] or by filling out the Contact Us form on our website https://t.co/COFVR71ZxB.

Educational only. Not advice. Investing risks loss. Consult advisor. SEC-registered RIA. No guarantees.

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

If your advisor is building your retirement plan using a simple fixed rate of return, they may not fully capture market volatility. 📉

Real markets don’t move in straight lines — they swing, crash, rally, and repeat. That’s why we use Monte Carlo simulations, which test thousands of possible outcomes with random market returns.

Monte Carlo simulations model volatility, provide probability-based results, factor in inflation and taxes, and help stress-test your plan so you’re not blindsided by a bad market stretch. All of these factors give you a clearer picture of your plan’s likelihood of success — not just how things look “if everything goes perfect.”

Monte Carlo simulations offer actionable insights, letting you adjust contributions or retirement age based on risk tolerance, something a static model doesn't do well.

👉 For help building a realistic retirement plan that accounts for market uncertainty, Schedule a meeting by: Calling [phone] or by filling out the Contact Us form on our website https://t.co/COFVR71ZxB.

Educational only. Not advice. Investing risks loss. Consult advisor. SEC-registered RIA. No guarantees.

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

It might surprise you that I recommend bond funds over individual bonds — especially since many people believe individual bonds are the lower-cost option. 💡

Here’s why: every time you buy or sell a bond, you pay a bid-ask spread — the hidden gap between what a buyer will pay and what a seller wants. You pay this spread when you buy a bond AND when you sell.

Bond funds, on the other hand, get institutional pricing with much tighter spreads — meaning more of your money stays invested.

In many cases, I think the expense ratio involved with buying low-cost bond funds is worth the price of admission, and can often be a cost-effective option.

If you’d like a second opinion on your bond strategy or portfolio, Schedule a meeting by: Calling [phone] or by filling out the Contact Us form on our website https://t.co/COFVR71ZxB.

Educational only. Not advice. Investing risks loss. Consult advisor. SEC-registered RIA. No guarantees.

[Austin Rinard CFP® AIF® @AdvisorAustin]

Pre-tax IRAs are great for your retirement—but they can be a terrible way to pass wealth to your heirs. Here are three tax-efficient alternatives that can keep more money in your family’s hands:

1️⃣ Long-term appreciated equities in taxable accounts
These get a step-up in cost basis when you pass away, meaning your heirs may owe little to no capital gains tax — unlike pre-tax IRAs, which are taxed as ordinary income when withdrawn. (IRS)

2️⃣ Name a charity as your IRA beneficiary
Charities don’t pay taxes on IRA withdrawals. If you plan to give some money to charity, giving from your IRA account can be far more efficient than leaving it to your kids first.

3️⃣ Life insurance death benefits
Life insurance payouts are income tax-free to beneficiaries (IRS) and often a simple, conservative way to move money to the next generation without tax drag.

The way you save and the way you transfer wealth are two different strategies — and the tax rules are not equal.

If you want help building a tax-efficient estate plan, Schedule a meeting by: Calling [phone] or by filling out the Contact Us form on our website https://t.co/COFVR71ZxB.

Educational only. Not advice. Investing risks loss. Consult advisor. SEC-registered RIA. No guarantees.