Big Picture Retirement Devin Carroll and John Ross

In today's episode, we examine the recent IRS Chief Counsel Memorandum, which introduces significant changes to one of the cornerstone strategies in estate planning. We explore how these new guidelines impact assets placed in trusts like intentionally defective grantor trusts (IDGTs) and spousal lifetime access trusts (SLATs). These trusts have traditionally been used to 'freeze' asset values for estate tax purposes while benefiting from more favorable individual income tax rates. But there’s a core piece of this that is going to look different moving forward.
If you’re thinking "I love the Big Picture Retirement podcast” please consider rating and reviewing this show! This helps us support more people -- just like you -- move toward a confident retirement. Just scroll down to the “ratings and reviews” section, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let us know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. We’re adding new content every week and if you’re not following there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!
Want to ask Devin or John your question? Just visit https://www.bigpictureretirement.com/ and look for the tab on the right side that says “Send A Voicemail.” 
Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advice, you can engage Devin or John through their individual firms. 
Contact Devin’s team at https://www.carrolladvisory.com/ 
Contact John’s team at https://www.rossandshoalmire.com/ 

Lots of investors use the S&P 500 index as a key part of their investment plan, thinking it spreads their money out well among America's biggest companies. But in this episode, we're going to question that idea by looking at the risks of having too much money in just a few of the index's top companies. Even though the index includes 500 stocks, a big chunk of its value comes from just a few big names like Microsoft. We'll explore how this uneven distribution can bring more risk than you might expect, and talk about what happens when too much of your investment is tied up in just a few places
If you’re thinking "I love the Big Picture Retirement podcast” please consider rating and reviewing this show! This helps us support more people -- just like you -- move toward a confident retirement. Just scroll down to the “ratings and reviews” section, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let us know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. We’re adding new content every week and if you’re not following there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!
Want to ask Devin or John your question? Just visit https://www.bigpictureretirement.com/ and look for the tab on the right side that says “Send A Voicemail.” 
Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advice, you can engage Devin or John through their individual firms. 
Contact Devin’s team at https://www.carrolladvisory.com/ 
Contact John’s team at https://www.rossandshoalmire.com/ 

Roth IRA conversions can be a powerful tool for retirement planning, offering tax-free growth and withdrawals. However, there's a fine line between optimizing and overdoing it. In this episode, we talk about the dangers of over-converting to a Roth IRA. We'll explore how converting too much can lead to higher taxes in retirement and cause missed opportunities later. 
If you’re thinking "I love the Big Picture Retirement podcast” please consider rating and reviewing this show! This helps us support more people -- just like you -- move toward a confident retirement. Just scroll down to the “ratings and reviews” section, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let us know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. We’re adding new content every week and if you’re not following there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!
Want to ask Devin or John your question? Just visit https://www.bigpictureretirement.com/ and look for the tab on the right side that says “Send A Voicemail.” 
Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advice, you can engage Devin or John through their individual firms. 
Contact Devin’s team at https://www.carrolladvisory.com/ 
Contact John’s team at https://www.rossandshoalmire.com/ 

 
Are there lessons we should learn from the comparison of the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts? In this episode, we look at the contrasting estate planning tactics of two of America's wealthiest dynasties. While both families amassed incredible fortunes, their legacies diverged significantly due to their different approaches to wealth management and succession planning.
If you’re thinking "I love the Big Picture Retirement podcast” please consider rating and reviewing this show! This helps us support more people -- just like you -- move toward a confident retirement. Just scroll down to the “ratings and reviews” section, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let us know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. We’re adding new content every week and if you’re not following there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!
Want to ask Devin or John your question? Just visit https://www.bigpictureretirement.com/ and look for the tab on the right side that says “Send A Voicemail.” 
Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advice, you can engage Devin or John through their individual firms. 
Contact Devin’s team at https://www.carrolladvisory.com/ 
Contact John’s team at https://www.rossandshoalmire.com/ 
 

 
Retirement has five distinct phases and each of them have their own unique challenges and opportunities. Understanding these distinct phases is important for anyone who is approaching retirement or has retired within the past year or two. If you know what to expect on the road ahead, it should lead to a much smoother and more fulfilling transition into this new part of your life.
If you’re thinking "I love the Big Picture Retirement podcast” please consider rating and reviewing this show! This helps us support more people -- just like you -- move toward a confident retirement. Just scroll down to the “ratings and reviews” section, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let us know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. We’re adding new content every week and if you’re not following there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!
Want to ask Devin or John your question? Just visit https://www.bigpictureretirement.com/ and look for the tab on the right side that says “Send A Voicemail.” 
Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advice, you can engage Devin or John through their individual firms. 
Contact Devin’s team at https://www.carrolladvisory.com/ 
Contact John’s team at https://www.rossandshoalmire.com/ 

In this episode, we dive into the concept of investment location—a tactical approach in asset allocation across various accounts like IRAs and joint accounts, which can significantly influence your tax liabilities. 
If you’re thinking "I love the Big Picture Retirement podcast” please consider rating and reviewing this show! This helps us support more people -- just like you -- move toward a confident retirement. Just scroll down to the “ratings and reviews” section, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let us know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. We’re adding new content every week and if you’re not following there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!
Want to ask Devin or John your question? Just visit https://www.bigpictureretirement.com/ and look for the tab on the right side that says “Send A Voicemail.” 
Although this show does not provide specific tax, legal, or financial advice, you can engage Devin or John through their individual firms. 
Contact Devin’s team at https://www.carrolladvisory.com/ 
Contact John’s team at https://www.rossandshoalmire.com/