Safe Money Radio with Brad Pistole

Brad Pistole
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Safe Money Radio host Brad Pistole is a nationally recognized Financial Professional who specializes in planning that protects principal from stock market volatility and creates guaranteed lifetime income. Listen here to receive insights from Brad and hear what he has to say regarding retirement income planning. 

  1. 6H AGO

    From Journalism To Retirement Insights With ThinkAdvisor’s John Manganaro

    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 taken a large IRA distribution at 63 and then wondered why your Medicare costs jumped at 65, this conversation breaks down the why and the how to fix it. From Roth conversions and bracket management to Social Security timing, we get specific on ways to reduce tax drag and steady your income. Then we turn to the data: two-thirds of Americans say they fear running out of money more than death. John explains why boomers are especially exposed—early 401(k)s without auto-escalation, heavy tax-deferred balances, and missed opportunities for Roth diversification. Housing plays a starring role too. Real home prices surged in recent years, handing many retirees a powerful lever. But higher rates and the emotional weight of leaving a family home complicate decisions. We explore practical paths—downsizing, renting after selling, or right-sizing to boost cash flow—without ignoring the psychology that keeps people stuck. Finally, we tackle persistent myths. No, an 8% withdrawal rate isn’t a plan. And no, annuities aren’t one-size-fits-all or off-limits. Research from Michael Finke and David Blanchett shows how combining Social Security with a carefully chosen slice of annuitized income can create an income floor that frees you to spend confidently. That “license to spend” is about more than math—it’s about peace of mind. If you want a retirement that feels calm, resilient, and guilt-free, this episode lays out the building blocks: secure income, tax-aware strategy, and the right housing choice at the right time. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs a nudge toward a smarter plan, and leave a review with your top retirement question—we’ll tackle it on a future show. Send a text To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

    50 min

  2. FEB 13

    From Net Worth To Income: A Woman’s Retirement Playbook with Lynn Toomey

    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, caregiving, wage gaps—and how to rebuild confidence with clear cash flow design. From there, we get tactical: coordinating Social Security timing with taxes and Medicare, avoiding IRMAA surprises, and building an income floor that frees you to enjoy life. You’ll hear why net worth is a scoreboard, but income for life is the outcome, plus smart ways to layer pensions, annuities, and portfolio withdrawals so your plan holds up in any market. Health care is front and center. We talk longevity risk, long-term care funding options, and realistic out-of-pocket estimates that won’t blow up your budget. Lynn shares approachable strategies to reduce uncertainty, use the right professionals, and keep your plan flexible when life changes. It’s a candid, actionable guide for women who want security, clarity, and choice—without the jargon or overwhelm. Ready to feel safer and more prepared? Listen now, subscribe for more clear guidance, and share this episode with someone who needs a confident path forward. If you found value, leave a review and tell us: what does “enough” look like for you? Send a text To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

    48 min

  3. FEB 6

    Dave Ramsey Says Buy Term; Brad Does The Math And Brings Receipts

    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 playbook to a household scale, showing how properly structured permanent policies can deliver increasing death benefits, accessible cash value, and tax-free policy loans. Along the way, we address popular advice to “buy term and invest the rest,” explain why most term policies never pay, and share clear math comparing disappearing premiums with policies that do multiple jobs for decades. You’ll hear real numbers from personal policies: a funded IUL that built six-figure cash value, increased the death benefit, and projects lifelong, tax-free income via policy loans; a 10-year-pay design targeting a $1 million tax-free benefit to cover future estate and IRA taxes; and riders that unlock cash during chronic or critical illness so you aren’t forced to sell investments in a downturn. We connect the dots between guaranteed annuity income for essentials and life insurance as a tax-free reservoir, reducing sequence risk and keeping more of your money away from the IRS. If you want a retirement plan that feels calm and deliberate, with income you can count on and a legacy that arrives cleanly to your family, this conversation delivers the steps. Subscribe for more practical strategies, share this with someone planning for retirement, and leave a review with your biggest question about building tax-free income. Send us a text To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

    44 min

  4. JAN 30

    Social Security 2026 Made Simple with Heather Schreiber

    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 Security to pensions, survivor benefits, and taxes, showing how the wrong survivorship choice can leave a spouse short on income and stuck in higher single tax brackets. Heather makes a powerful case for building a strategy around the higher earner, planning for longevity, and using tax diversification—Roth conversions, timing IRA withdrawals, and smart sequencing—to reduce lifetime tax drag and premium surcharges. If you’ve ever wondered whether IRMAA is “only for the rich,” the numbers here will change your mind. Real life enters the studio when Heather shares her experience caring for her mom through dementia. It’s a candid look at sudden change, unpaid caregiving, and the logistical maze of doctors, safety modifications, and benefits. We talk Medicaid lookbacks, spin-down rules, and the rising cost of long-term care—and how to start family conversations before a crisis hits. The takeaway is simple: you can’t control every curveball, but you can build a plan that bends, not breaks. If you’re approaching 65—or helping a parent—you’ll walk away with a checklist to protect income, lower taxes, and prepare for unknowns. Have a question for our upcoming Ask Heather series on Social Security, Medicare, or IRMAA? Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs it, and send your question to Brad@OzarksRetirement.com. Your future self will thank you. Send us a text To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

    47 min

  5. JAN 23

    How To Keep The Governments Hands Off Your Retirement

    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 brackets while triggering Medicare IRMAA surcharges and Social Security taxation. You’ll hear why a single distribution can be the domino that topples your whole tax plan, and how even well-known financial voices misstate rules that change the math on your life savings. Then we go deeper on beneficiaries under the SECURE Acts: spouses, non-spouse heirs, and trusts all face different clocks and penalties, with the 10-year rule often colliding with peak earning years. Most important, we outline practical moves to reclaim control: staged Roth conversions during low-income windows, qualified charitable distributions to satisfy RMDs without inflating MAGI, smarter income sequencing to avoid cliffs, and beneficiary updates that match today’s rules. The goal is not just market safety—it’s tax clarity, predictable income, and fewer bureaucratic surprises. If you’re ready to stop playing by a rulebook that changes mid-game, tap play, subscribe, and share this with someone who needs a tax-savvy retirement plan. When you’re done listening, leave a review and tell us your top retirement tax question—we might answer it on a future show. Send us a text To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

    47 min

  6. JAN 17

    The 10 Questions You Must Ask Before You Retire

    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. We also tackle the hidden budget breakers: health care and taxes. Medicare leaves gaps, so we walk through Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage, drug coverage, and long-term care options that keep your choices open. Then we shine a light on the “stealth debt” in tax-deferred accounts. Required minimum distributions, IRMAA surcharges, and Social Security taxation can erode cash flow unless you plan ahead. Thoughtful Roth conversions can cut lifetime taxes and protect surviving spouses and heirs. Rounding it out, we cover the must-do estate checklist—wills, powers of attorney, health directives, and those often-missed beneficiary forms on bank and retirement accounts—and the emotional side of retiring. If work has been your identity and rhythm, a phased transition or purpose-driven plan helps you avoid the post-retirement slump. Ready to turn uncertainty into a plan you trust? Subscribe, share this with someone who’s five to ten years from retirement, and leave a review with the question you’re wrestling with most. Need help now? Visit Ozarksretirement.com and click Contact Us for a free financial consultation. Send us a text To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

    43 min

  7. JAN 9

    How Free Dinners Can Cost Your Future

    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 one, a couple with a 7% income rider compounding for over a decade was convinced to remove it to “save fees,” wiping out a lifetime income base just as illness forced retirement. In another, a rider was placed on an account meant for heirs while being omitted from the IRA facing RMDs—fees paid where benefits wouldn’t be used, and protection withheld where it mattered most. These cases show how guarantees can vanish with a single signature and why the right feature on the wrong account is still the wrong plan. We talk straight about how to protect yourself: define a clear purpose for each account—income, liquidity, or legacy—then let that purpose pick the product and features. Demand written plans that show fees, surrender schedules, conservative projections, tax implications, and stress tests. Verify fiduciary status, designations, complaints, and licensing. Be skeptical when a first meeting asks for every statement before goals are discussed. If someone recommends removing a valuable guarantee, ask for numbers proving why, and get a second opinion. If you want a plan grounded in math, rules, and your goals—not marketing—tune in and take notes. Then share this episode with a friend who’s been invited to “dinner.” Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what high-pressure pitch have you faced, and how did you handle it? Send us a text To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

    50 min

  8. JAN 2

    Mexican Food, Deer Season, And Your 401(k)!

    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 sequence-of-returns damage. We break down the “quadruple whammy” that can drain portfolios—withdrawals during downturns, market losses, fees, and taxes—and show how to counter it with guaranteed lifetime income, risk-aware allocation, and tax-smart sequencing. You’ll hear how RISA risk profiling helps match your temperament to the right income strategy, and how modern tools like LTC strategies and impairment doublers on annuities can provide crucial cash flow when life takes a turn. If you’re tired of salesy dinner seminars and want straight answers, you’ll feel at home here. We share how to build a durable income floor, when to consider Roth conversions, how to avoid forced selling, and why reviewing your plan annually is non-negotiable. Plus, a look at what’s ahead: client stories, practical checklists, and monthly content that turns complex rules into usable steps. Subscribe, share with someone who needs a real plan, and send us your Social Security and tax questions for “Ask Heather.” Ready to stress test your retirement? Visit Ozarksretirement.com, click Contact Us for a free consultation, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. Send us a text To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com

    47 min
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About

Safe Money Radio host Brad Pistole is a nationally recognized Financial Professional who specializes in planning that protects principal from stock market volatility and creates guaranteed lifetime income. Listen here to receive insights from Brad and hear what he has to say regarding retirement income planning. 

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