The Power Of Zero Show

David McKnight
  • 4.6 (144)
  • Investing
  • Updated Weekly

Tax rates 10 years from now are likely to be much higher than they are today. Is your retirement plan ready? Learn how to avoid the coming tax freight train and maximize your retirement dollars.

  1. 6d ago

    This Small Trick Could Increase Your Retirement Income by 22%

    A recent landmark study from BlackRock caught David McKnight – he shares what it was all about and why you should care in this new episode of the Power of Zero Show. For decades, Americans were told that if they simply contributed faithfully to their 401(k) and avoided emotional decisions during market downturns, they would have enough money in retirement. According to the BlackRock study, retirees who incorporated guaranteed lifetime income in the form of an annuity into their retirement portfolio experienced an average increase of 22% in potential retirement spending. That number became approximately a 25% increase for lower income retirees! The increase came primarily from giving retirees greater confidence to spend money because a portion of their retirement income was guaranteed for life. David explains that, while 30 or 40 years ago retirees could rely on company pensions that provided predictable monthly income for life, the modern retirement system has shifted enormous responsibility onto the shoulders of ordinary Americans. Employers used to bear the responsibility for generating the income stream and ensuring that retirees did not outlive their money.  Today, however, pensions have all but disappeared, and most Americans now rely on 401(k) or other tax-qualified retirement plans. One of the big problems is the fact that such tax-affirmed accounts can help you build wealth, but don't come with instructions on how to make sure your money lasts a full 30-year retirement. The BlackRock study echoes something that David has stressed several times on the show: retirees spend more when at least a portion of their retirement income is guaranteed. David clarifies that when he talks about guaranteed lifetime income, he does not suggest retirees place all of their assets into annuities or eliminate market exposure altogether. David talks about 100% stock allocation and why you can be much more aggressive in your stock market allocation once you create an income floor in retirement. The current status quo of the American fiscal system – and exploding national debt – appears to be painting a picture where future tax rates will be significantly higher than they are today. David is a strong advocate for tax-free investment accounts in retirement. In particular, he points to six different tax-free income streams: Roth IRAs, Roth 401(k)s, Roth conversions, RMDs up to standard deductions, certain types of cash value life insurance as a volatility shield in retirement and, if you can keep your provisional income low enough, your Social Security can be 100% tax-free. David touches upon a strategy that can give you guaranteed tax-free income for life. The old retirement model gave Americans confidence through company pensions. The modern model requires retirees to create their own personal private pension in the form of an annuity. It's important to understand that retirement isn't just about accumulating wealth, but also about creating a stream of lifetime income that's guaranteed to last as long as you do. David concludes by explaining what retirement planning should accomplish beyond merely maximizing account balances.     Mentioned in this episode: David's new book: The Secret Order of Millionaires David's national bestselling book: The Guru Gap: How America's Financial Gurus Are Leading You Astray, and How to Get Back on Track Tax-Free Income for Life: A Step-by-Step Plan for a Secure Retirement by David McKnight DavidMcKnight.com DavidMcKnightBooks.com PowerOfZero.com (free video series) @mcknightandco on Twitter  @davidcmcknight on Instagram David McKnight on YouTube Get David's Tax-free Tool Kit at taxfreetoolkit.com BlackRock BlackRock's paper Who Benefits From Guaranteed Lifetime Income?

    8 min

  2. May 27

    Should I Do a Roth Conversion in my 60s?

    Today's episode of The Power of Zero Show revolves around a question host David McKnight gets asked all the time: "Should I still be doing Roth conversions in my 60s, even if I'm already retired?" In short, David believes that you should not only do a Roth conversion in your 60s, it's actually one of the most optimal times in your entire life to do it. When doing a Roth conversion, you're choosing to pay the IRS its portion of your IRA now, on your terms, instead of paying it a much larger portion later, on their terms. That's why Roth conversions don't only make sense for younger people but for retired folks too. Remember: with Roth conversions, you're not catching up because you're not behind. You're locking in a lower tax rate today to avoid a much higher tax rate down the road. David explains why the so-called "retirement income valley" is a strategically perfect time to do a Roth conversion. The 32% tax bracket is David's least favorite tax bracket, which he recommends avoiding at all costs when doing Roth conversions. David touches upon the Penn Wharton Budget Model and why 2040, or so, will be the do-or-die date for these matters. What if you don't have extra cash sitting around? Would you still need to pay the taxes on your Roth conversion out of pocket? David illustrates what you can do if you find yourself in that situation. David goes over why you should want to get as much of your IRA into Roth as you possibly can – and what's the beauty of doing that in your 60s.     Mentioned in this episode: David's new book: The Secret Order of Millionaires David's national bestselling book: The Guru Gap: How America's Financial Gurus Are Leading You Astray, and How to Get Back on Track Tax-Free Income for Life: A Step-by-Step Plan for a Secure Retirement by David McKnight DavidMcKnight.com DavidMcKnightBooks.com PowerOfZero.com (free video series) @mcknightandco on Twitter  @davidcmcknight on Instagram David McKnight on YouTube Get David's Tax-free Tool Kit at taxfreetoolkit.com Congressional Budget Office Penn Wharton Budget Model

    8 min

  3. May 20

    The 5 Most Common Objections to Roth Conversions (and Why They're Wrong)

    David McKnight unpacks the five most common objections to Roth conversions and why they simply don't hold up under scrutiny.  The first objection has to do with people not wanting to voluntarily pay taxes before the IRS requires them to. While on the surface, postponing this may sound logical, it ignores a fundamental aspect: the state of the U.S. national debt. It has just passed $39 trillion, and it's slated to grow by $2 trillion per year for the next 10 years, and $3 trillion after that. In other words, interest on the national debt is becoming one of the largest line items in the federal budget.  That means that by refusing to pay taxes today, you're making an insanely risky bet that taxes in the future will be lower than they are right now. All, while your IRA keeps growing and compounding over time. Thus, 10 years from now, not only could tax rates be higher, but your required minimum distributions could be dramatically larger. The second most common objection to Roth conversions revolves around people saying, "If I do Roth conversions, that additional income will force me to pay increasingly higher levels of IRMAA or cause my Social Security to be taxed." David points out that Roth conversions do increase your taxable income, which can trigger those additional expenses during the conversion period.  However, while it's true that you'll pay IRMAA and Social Security taxation in the short term, you'll get rid of those additional expenses for the rest of your life once your conversion period is over. Objection #3 is "There's too much opportunity cost, I won't have time to make up for the taxes I paid".  David explains that, despite sounding sophisticated, this objection is based on a flawed premise. Your IRA is a "business partnership" with the IRS – and every year they get to vote on what percentage of your profits they get to keep. So, when you do a Roth conversion, you're not losing money. You're simply buying out your "silent business partner" at today's historically low tax rates. David highlights that, if taxes double in the future, you'll be glad you bought them out while taxes were still on sale. The fourth objection – "In retirement, I'll be in a lower tax bracket" – is actually one of the most dangerous assumptions in all of retirement planning. People assume that when they retire, their taxes automatically go down. For many Americans, the exact opposite happens, though. Once required minimum distributions kick in, they can force huge amounts of taxable income onto your tax returns. David touches upon an additional issue almost nobody talks about: the so-called widow's penalty. The fifth objection to Roth conversions revolves around the question, "Won't the federal government tax Roth IRAs sometime down the road?" People don't realize that the government loves Roth IRAs because they generate tax revenue today – unlike traditional IRAs, which delay tax revenue. That's why, every time Congress needs money, they tend to pass legislation that makes Roth accounts even more attractive. Remember: Roth conversions are about taking advantage of the tax sale of a lifetime before catastrophic levels of debt force tax rates higher.     Mentioned in this episode: David's new book: The Secret Order of Millionaires David's national bestselling book: The Guru Gap: How America's Financial Gurus Are Leading You Astray, and How to Get Back on Track Tax-Free Income for Life: A Step-by-Step Plan for a Secure Retirement by David McKnight DavidMcKnight.com DavidMcKnightBooks.com PowerOfZero.com (free video series) @mcknightandco on Twitter  @davidcmcknight on Instagram David McKnight on YouTube Get David's Tax-free Tool Kit at taxfreetoolkit.com

    8 min

  4. May 13

    How Roth Conversions Affect Social Security Taxes and IRMAA

    David McKnight dissects a topic that causes a lot of confusion for retirees and pre-retirees: How  Roth conversions affect social security taxation and Medicare premiums (IRMAA). Some warn against Roth conversions in retirement as they can cause your Social Security to become taxable and could also raise your Medicare premiums. While that's true, David believes that the long-term benefits of Roth conversions can far outweigh the temporary, short-term pain they can cause. In order to determine whether your Social Security benefits will be taxed, the IRS tracks the so-called provisional income. If you perform a Roth conversion after you begin collecting Social Security, that additional income can push you above certain thresholds that cause your Social Security benefits to become taxable. Medicare premiums are also influenced by your income through IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount), and they look at your income from two years earlier to determine your IRMAA bracket, Remember: A Roth conversion today could trigger higher Medicare premiums two years from now.  David also explains that Roth withdrawals are not included in provisional income. Not only do they not cause your Social Security benefits to become taxable, but they also do not count towards the income thresholds that trigger higher Medicare premiums. As David points out, with the approach discussed in this episode, you're essentially compressing the tax pain into a few years, so you can enjoy decades of tax-free income later on. The national debt continues to spiral out of control to the point where economists are now predicting massive tax increases within the next 10 to 20 years. If such predictions are accurate, the people who will benefit most are those who have already shifted large portions of their retirement savings into tax-free accounts like Roth IRAs. By performing Roth conversions today – while tax rates are historically low – you're effectively locking in today's tax rates and protecting yourself from the possibility of much higher rates down the road. When talking about Roth conversions affecting Social Security taxation and IRMAA, we have to remember that those impacts are temporary, while the tax-free benefits can last for the rest of your life. David touches upon two reasons why it may make sense to delay taking Social Security while you're performing Roth conversions. Increasing the likelihood that your money will last as long as you do should be the #1 goal of every retirement plan.     Mentioned in this episode: David's new book: The Secret Order of Millionaires David's national bestselling book: The Guru Gap: How America's Financial Gurus Are Leading You Astray, and How to Get Back on Track Tax-Free Income for Life: A Step-by-Step Plan for a Secure Retirement by David McKnight DavidMcKnight.com DavidMcKnightBooks.com PowerOfZero.com (free video series) @mcknightandco on Twitter  @davidcmcknight on Instagram David McKnight on YouTube Get David's Tax-free Tool Kit at taxfreetoolkit.com

    8 min

  5. May 6

    How to Protect Against a Market Crash in the First Ten Years of Retirement

    David McKnight addresses one of the biggest threats to your retirement plan: sequence of returns risk. Are you retired or within 10 years of retirement? Sequence of returns risk may be the single most important concept you need to understand if you want to ensure your money lasts as long as you do. Sequence of returns risk refers to the danger of experiencing a market downturn early in retirement while you're simultaneously taking withdrawals from your portfolio. David explains why this risk is most dangerous during your first 10 years of retirement. Early in retirement, your money still needs to last 20 to 30 years – an early blow to your portfolio can significantly impact its ability to do so. To defend yourself in the most dangerous decade of retirement, you need an account that allows you to avoid touching your stock portfolio until the market has recovered. The reason for that is that, historically, most market downturns take 3-5 years to recover back to their previous peak. David discusses the 4% Rule and the "catch" that comes along with it. Some experts, like Suze Orman, recommend having 3-5 years' worth of expenses accumulated in an emergency fund. David goes over why it may not be a good idea.  David brings Indexed Universal Life insurance (IUL) and the concept of volatility buffer into the conversation. Remember: if you're within 10 years of retirement, now is the time to start thinking seriously about how you'll create a volatility buffer.     Mentioned in this episode: David's new book, available now for pre-order: The Secret Order of Millionaires David's national bestselling book: The Guru Gap: How America's Financial Gurus Are Leading You Astray, and How to Get Back on Track Tax-Free Income for Life: A Step-by-Step Plan for a Secure Retirement by David McKnight DavidMcKnight.com DavidMcKnightBooks.com PowerOfZero.com (free video series) @mcknightandco on Twitter  @davidcmcknight on Instagram David McKnight on YouTube Get David's Tax-free Tool Kit at taxfreetoolkit.com Suze Orman

    8 min

  6. Apr 29

    How I'd Invest $2 Million Right Now

    David McKnight breaks down the approach he would follow if he were to invest a $2 million 401(k) in retirement. David points out that when you retire, you're no longer just investing for growth; you're investing for income.  Remember: If you get this wrong, you don't get a do-over. In the case David discusses, many financial advisors would recommend investing the $2 million in the market and withdrawing whatever your lifestyle requires. The problem with that way of doing things, however, is the exposure to the sequence of returns risk. If the market crashes early in retirement and you're pulling money out at the same time, your portfolio could go into a death spiral from which it never recovers. The main trap those planning their retirement and retirees should avoid is running out of money before running out of life. David touches upon the role that a guaranteed lifetime income annuity plays in retirement planning. As far as annuities are concerned, he's in favor of annuities that have what he refers to as "piecemeal internal Roth conversion feature." That means being able to gradually convert that annuity from tax-deferred to tax-free during the annuity's deferral period. David recommends investing discretionary funds with the following ratio: 70% in a total U.S. stock index, 30% in a total international stock index. He would automatically rebalance if his allocations ever got more than about 5% out of alignment. The reason why David's approach lacks bonds is simple: if your portfolio goes down in your retirement years, your guaranteed lifetime income gives you the luxury of watching it recover before you take further distributions. Long-term care is a piece of the strategy that most advisors completely ignore – David explains why it shouldn't be overlooked. Moreover, the cash value inside that policy can also act as a volatility buffer. David brings up a move that can increase the sustainable withdrawal rate on your stock portfolio from 4% to as high as 8% with a 95% confidence rate. "I believe we're currently experiencing the lowest tax rates we're likely to see in our lifetime," says David. Many experts believe that by 2035, when the debt-to-GDP ratio will hit about 150%, the Federal Government would have to begin phasing in tax increases over time to avoid an all-out economic crisis. That's why David would like to convert his IRA to Roth, little by little, over the next 10 years in the most tax-efficient way possible. David provides a bird's eye view of the entire strategy, which by his own admission, "checks every single box." An Ernst & Young study looked at this type of strategy combining investments with insurance-based solutions like annuities and life insurance – David discusses its findings. "I'm proposing a strategy that gives you certainty where you need it most, your income and tax-free flexibility everywhere else," he adds.  Such an approach allows you to neutralize longevity risk and tax rate risks all in one cohesive strategy.     Mentioned in this episode: David's new book, available now for pre-order: The Secret Order of Millionaires David's national bestselling book: The Guru Gap: How America's Financial Gurus Are Leading You Astray, and How to Get Back on Track Tax-Free Income for Life: A Step-by-Step Plan for a Secure Retirement by David McKnight DavidMcKnight.com DavidMcKnightBooks.com PowerOfZero.com (free video series) @mcknightandco on Twitter  @davidcmcknight on Instagram David McKnight on YouTube Get David's Tax-free Tool Kit at taxfreetoolkit.com Ernst & Young

    10 min

  7. Apr 22

    What Is the 22% Roth Conversion Mistake?

    David McKnight explores the so-called "22% Roth conversion mistake," which he considers a common and costly mistake when it comes to Roth conversions. He points out that, despite Trump tax cuts being made permanent with the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025, tax rates can change at any time with a simple act of Congress. That's why he refers to this as a "temporary permanent tax cut." The $200 trillion underfunding of entitlement programs and the exploding interest on the national debt makes it clear that tax rates are unlikely to stay this low for long. Many Americans currently find themselves in the 22% bracket and refuse to bump into the 24% bracket for Roth conversion purposes – because they've been told to stay in their current bracket. However, if you stay in the 22% bracket, you are unlikely to be able to convert a meaningful amount of your IRA to Roth before tax rates go up for good. David shares an example that illustrates why, by trying to save a little bit on taxes today, you actually set yourself up for a massive tax bill down the road. The other scenario – where you allowed yourself to rise into the 24% bracket – buys you the ability to convert a lot more money every single year. Even though most people would be willing to pay 2% more in taxes today if it meant avoiding potentially much higher tax rates in the future, most people don't consider this option.  That's because they have been conditioned to believe that any move into a higher tax bracket during the Roth conversion period is inherently bad… 10 years from now, you are probably going to look back at the 24% tax bracket as a good deal of historic proportions… Remember: you are not trying to minimize taxes this year, you are trying to minimize taxes over the rest of your life. For David, you shouldn't let the 22% Roth conversion mistake keep you from fully insulating your hard-earned retirement savings from the impact of future higher taxes. The goal, he reminds everyone, should be to get to the 0% tax bracket in retirement.     Mentioned in this episode: David's new book, available now for pre-order: The Secret Order of Millionaires David's national bestselling book: The Guru Gap: How America's Financial Gurus Are Leading You Astray, and How to Get Back on Track Tax-Free Income for Life: A Step-by-Step Plan for a Secure Retirement by David McKnight DavidMcKnight.com DavidMcKnightBooks.com PowerOfZero.com (free video series) @mcknightandco on Twitter  @davidcmcknight on Instagram David McKnight on YouTube Get David's Tax-free Tool Kit at taxfreetoolkit.com One Big Beautiful Bill Act

    8 min

  8. Apr 15

    The Three Biggest Retirement Planning Mistakes I See All the Time

    David McKnight discusses the three biggest retirement planning mistakes that show up over and over again. Avoiding them will dramatically increase the likelihood that your retirement savings will last as long as you do.  Mistake #1 pertains to over-accumulating in tax-deferred accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs – a mistake that surprises many people as they feel they're doing everything right. The problem here is that you're taking a deduction at historically low tax rates only to postpone the payment of those taxes to a point in the future where tax rates are likely to be much higher than they are today. The moment you hit age 73 or 75, Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) kick in. In other words, the IRS is forcing you to take money out, whether you need it or not. Those RMDs get combined with all your other sources of income: The taxable portion of your social security, your pension(s), and your investment income. David notes that, before long, you can find yourself in a higher tax bracket in retirement than you were during your working years. Remember, RMDs count as provisional income, which can cause up to 85% of your social security to become taxable – plus, it can trigger IRMAA surcharges on your Medicare premiums too. Building a retirement plan that is almost entirely tax-deferred looks good on paper but leaves you entirely exposed to the impact of higher taxes in the future. The second mistake is waiting too long to execute Roth conversions. David touches upon the so-called "retirement income valley," the ideal window within which to fully execute your Roth conversion. Many people ignore it. They're hesitant, reluctant to pay a tax to the IRS before it's absolutely required of them. Failing to take advantage of the "retirement income valley" puts you at risk of having your social security become taxable, while also paying higher Medicare premiums for the rest of your life. When it comes to Roth conversions, David recommends having a "rip the band-aid off" approach.  It may hurt a little during the conversion period but once that money is in the Roth bucket, it's tax-free for the rest of your life. The third big mistake David sees over and over again is underestimating future tax rates and overestimating your control over them. Most retirement plans today are built on the dangerous assumption that tax rates in the future will look a lot like they do today. However, David stresses that looking at the fiscal trajectory of our country paints a different picture. The national debt will grow by $2 trillion per year over the next 10 years, and $3 trillion per year after that. With the rising interest costs and $200 trillion in unfunded obligations for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, there will be a financial day of reckoning where tax rates will be forced higher. David predicts that to be around 2035 – which gives you around 10 years to plan and execute on your plan. People spend their entire lives focusing on building as big a retirement nest egg as possible, but they give almost no thought to the type of accounts within which that nest egg is being built. The lack of consideration for the tax implications upon distributions is a huge oversight, says David.  At the end of the day, the only thing that really matters in retirement is how much money you get to spend after taxes. David concludes by highlighting that the best way to regain control over your after-tax income retirement is to pay taxes on it preemptively at historically low tax rates and on your terms (rather than on the IRS' terms).     Mentioned in this episode: David's new book, available now for pre-order: The Secret Order of Millionaires David's national bestselling book: The Guru Gap: How America's Financial Gurus Are Leading You Astray, and How to Get Back on Track Tax-Free Income for Life: A Step-by-Step Plan for a Secure Retirement by David McKnight DavidMcKnight.com DavidMcKnightBooks.com PowerOfZero.com (free video series) @mcknightandco on Twitter  @davidcmcknight on Instagram David McKnight on YouTube Get David's Tax-free Tool Kit at taxfreetoolkit.com

    7 min
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About

Tax rates 10 years from now are likely to be much higher than they are today. Is your retirement plan ready? Learn how to avoid the coming tax freight train and maximize your retirement dollars.

Information

  • Creator
    David McKnight
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    395
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Power Of Zero
  • Show Website
    The Power Of Zero Show

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