Always Question Season

This Friday Q&A episode tackles a wide range of listener questions: whether someone with full pension income still needs bonds, how to fix a cluttered 403(b) invested through Corebridge, what to make of Bill Bengen’s new comments about higher withdrawal rates, how inherited IRAs are taxed over the 10-year rule, and a quick explanation of the difference between “securities” and “equities.” Along the way, Don delivers a vintage KOA radio tag, explains why simplicity beats complexity in retirement plans, and walks through why 8% withdrawal fantasies collapse under real-world math.

0:04 Friday Q&A intro and listener call-ins

1:19 Do you need bonds when pensions cover all expenses?

3:01 Why fixed income still matters (and how to gauge risk tolerance)

4:33 Listener request: Don recreates a KOA radio tagline

7:29 A messy CoreBridge 403(b): what funds to keep and how simple it can be

11:37 Target-date vs. multi-fund portfolios and a small value tilt option

12:05 Bill Bengen’s new withdrawal rate comments — does 8% make any sense?

14:07 Why high withdrawal rates implode in historical simulations

16:02 Inherited IRA: what’s actually taxed and how to plan distributions

18:35 The bracket danger of big lump-sum withdrawals

19:31 Final question: difference between a security and an equity

21:15 Why music licensing on podcasts is a nightmare