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July 14, 2025

Income Generation

Show Notes

Tom returns from his surprise Canadian adventure and the duo dive into the age-old retirement question: How do I get my money out? They break down the three most common withdrawal strategies—dividends, total return, and hybrid—and make the case for why a well-managed total return strategy usually comes out on top. Listener questions cover Roth IRA gifts to a niece, inherited IRA distribution rules, Paul Merriman’s small-cap stance, and whether long-term care insurance is a smart bet or an emotional security blanket.

0:04 Tom’s Canadian re-entry, Uber tally, and chocolate croissant confessions

1:27 Intro to retirement income strategies: the great withdrawal confusion

2:52 Strategy #1: Living off dividends—why it’s flawed and risky

5:19 Strategy #2: Total return—rebalancing for sustainable income

8:07 Strategy #3: Hybrid approach—Don’s skeptical take

10:51 Listener Q&A: Best way to gift a Roth IRA to a 30-year-old niece

12:01 IRA inheritance rule: what happens if the inheritor dies

13:33 Paul Merriman’s international small-cap comment clarified

16:44 Federal retiree asks about withdrawal order; daughter’s international allocation

24:28 Long-term care insurance: practical planning or expensive gamble?

27:35 How to get a free, pressure-free portfolio review from the team
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