Cover Your Assets with Logan and Don

The Retirement Domino Effect: Forced Income, Rising Premiums, and Why AI Can't Stop the Fall

Most retirees assume taxes get easier in retirement — they don't. In this episode of Cover Your Assets, Logan Marcus and Don Spini break down the domino effect of RMDs, IRMAA surcharges, and Social Security taxation, and why one incomedecision can trigger three financial penalties at once. They also take on the growing trend of Americans replacing their financial advisor with AI — and why that shortcut is costing people real money. ChatGPT doesn't know your tax return, your estate structure, or what you'll do when markets drop. And finally, Logan and Don make the case for why a will alone won't protect your family, why an unfunded trust is worthless, and why the best thing you can do for the people you love is have your affairs in order before you need to.

Why Sophisticated Investors Pay Taxes on Purpose — And Why the Most Important Retirement Planning Conversations Are Usually About Control, Not Returns

Most people spend decades trying to grow their retirement accounts while paying as little tax as possible along the way. But many sophisticated investors think about taxes very differently. In this episode of Cover Your Assets, Logan Marcus and Don Spini break down why some wealthy investorsvoluntarily pay massive tax bills on purpose—and what retirees can learn from that mindset when it comes to Roth conversions, RMDs, and long-term retirement planning. The conversation covers the hidden tax exposure inside traditional IRAs and 401(k)s, why “tax deferred” does not mean tax free, and how poor coordination between advisors, CPAs, and estate planning can quietly create larger problems later in retirement. Logan and Don also discuss inherited IRArules, Medicare premium surcharges, risk tolerance, beneficiary mistakes, and why many retirees are still receiving little more than basic asset management instead of proactive financial planning.

“You’re Fine” Is Not a Plan: Tax Traps, Longevity Risk, and the Retirement Answers Your Advisor Should Be Giving You

Most people heading into retirement have accounts, statements, and a portfolio—but very few have a real plan for how everything is supposed to work together. In this episode of Cover Your Assets, Logan Marcus and Don Spini break down the hidden tax traps inside retirement, why “tax deferred” does not mean tax free, and how poor coordination can quietly erode wealth over time. They discuss Roth conversions, RMD time bombs, Social Security timing, and the growing longevity problem facing retirees today. While the number one fear in retirement is running out of money, most retirement plans are still built only to age 85—even though there is nearly a 50% chance one spouse in a 65-year-old couple lives past 90. The conversation also covers why “you’re fine” is not a real answer from an advisor—and what retirees should actually be shown when it comes to income planning, risk, and long-term projections. Plus, Logan and Don answer listener questions on income plans, switching advisors, mutual funds, independent fiduciary firms, and what truly separates proactive retirement planning from generic asset management.

From Accounts to Outcomes: Structuring Income, Tax Strategy, and Estate Alignment So Retirement Actually Works

Most people enter retirement with a collection of accounts—but no real structure behind them. In this episode of Cover Your Assets, Logan Marcus and Don Spini break down what it takes to move from scattered assets to a coordinated plan that actually works. They cover the key components of a real strategy—income planning, tax efficiency, portfolio management, and estate alignment—and why each must work together, not in isolation. They also address a common breakdown: money without a defined role. When income, growth, and protection are all pulled from the same place, nothing is optimized and risk increases. From income design and tax strategy to estate planning that is properly aligned and funded, this episode connects the full picture. Because retirement does not work in pieces—it works when everything is structured to work together.

Your Money Has No Job: Why “Good Enough” Portfolios Still Fail in Retirement

Most people think they have a retirement plan. In reality, they have a collection of accounts—investments, tax-deferred savings, and disconnected decisions that were never designed to work together. In this episode of Cover Your Assets, Logan Marcus and Don Spini break down the difference between having a portfolio and having a plan—and why that gap becomes expensive over time. They explain how money without a defined purpose underperforms, why lack of coordination between investments, taxes, income, and estate planning creates hidden inefficiencies, and how those gaps can quietly cost more than any visible fee. They also address one of the most overlooked risks: the absence of a true income strategy. Selling investments when you need cash is not a plan—it is reactive, market-dependent, and exposes you to risks most investors never see. Because if everything is not working together, you do not have a plan—you have pieces.