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One Death, Higher Taxes

Here's the math most couples never see coming.

When one spouse passes, the survivor usually keeps most of the household income — but starts filing as a single taxpayer. Same IRA. Same required distributions. Roughly half the standard deduction, and tax brackets that compress to nearly twice the rate at the same income.

It's called the survivor's tax trap, and it's one of the most preventable problems in retirement — if you act while both spouses are alive and rates are still low.

Craig Wear, CFP®, has walked 3,000+ families with $1M+ in IRAs through exactly this planning. His new book, Roth Conversion Reset, lays out the year-by-year framework for converting at today's rates so the tax problem never lands on the person you love most.

The book is free. Full PDF, in your inbox in minutes.

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Featured Campaign

Featured Campaign

Candidate for FL, 13th Congressional District

I’m running for Congress in Florida’s 13th District as an Independent because I believe government should work for the people it serves. My campaign is focused on accountability, transparency, and addressing the everyday challenges facing working families rather than advancing partisan agendas or special interests.

My priorities are shaped by personal experiences with health and financial hardships that showed me how quickly life can change for ordinary families. That perspective drives my focus on affordable health care, affordable housing, fair wages, and a government that is more responsive to the people it represents. I also want to create new ways for residents of FL-13 to share feedback and help guide discussions on important issues and legislation.