Your Retirement Elevated Podcast with Scott Dougan

The 2026 Guide to Trump Accounts

The new Trump Accounts are officially here—and with the rules now finalized, parents and grandparents have much more clarity about how these accounts actually work. While the promise of a $1,000 government contribution has captured plenty of attention, the real planning opportunities lie in understanding the fine print, tax treatment, contribution limits, and long-term strategies these accounts create.
Today, Tyler Moison, CFP® sits in for Scott to break down the basics of these Trump Accounts and explain why this may be worth understanding alongside other savings options.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
💰 Government Seed Money – Who qualifies for the $1,000 contribution
📈 Building Wealth Early – The power of long-term compounding
🏦 Tax Planning – Understanding how Trump Accounts are taxed
🏠 Withdrawal Flexibility – College expenses, first homes, and retirement
🎯 Advanced Strategies – Why a Roth conversion could be a game changer
 
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📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
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Your Account Balance Is Not the Number That Matters Most

For decades, retirement planning has focused on one question: How much have you saved? But once retirement begins, a different question takes center stage. In this episode, Scott explains why two retirees with identical account balances can have dramatically different retirement outcomes and why understanding your income needs may be far more important than the size of your nest egg.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
🔄 New Mindset: From saving to spending
📊 Withdrawal Rates: Measuring portfolio pressure
🎯 Start Purposefully: Give every dollar a job
📈 Make It Last: Flexibility through retirement
🧾 Tax Coordination: Smarter withdrawal strategies
 
💼 Want expert help in planning for your financial future?
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📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
 
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
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📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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Why Retirement Feels So Unsettling Even When You Have Enough

Retirement is supposed to feel exciting. No more alarms, deadlines, meetings, or work schedules. Yet many people find themselves feeling increasingly anxious as retirement approaches, even when the numbers say they're ready. Scott explores the emotional side of retirement and why confidence often comes from more than just having enough money. If retirement feels closer than ever, but excitement is being replaced by anxiety, tune in to learn how you can find confidence after the paycheck stops.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
🧠 Retirement Anxiety: Understanding the emotional transition
❓ Unanswered Questions: Why uncertainty creates stress
🛣️ What-If Planning: Preparing for life's curveballs
🎯 Purpose & Clarity: Knowing what you're retiring to
📋 Confidence Building: Creating a roadmap for retirement
 
💼 Want expert help in planning for your financial future?
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📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
 
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
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📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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Nobody Teaches You How to Turn Savings Into a Paycheck

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For most of your working life, the retirement message was simple: save consistently, invest for growth, and let time do the heavy lifting. But retirement changes the game. Scott explains why accumulating wealth and spending it are two completely different challenges. He explores the emotional shift from receiving a paycheck to creating one, and how to turn those savings into a paycheck you can trust.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
💵 Retirement Paychecks: Turning savings into dependable income
🧩 Income System: Why accounts alone aren't enough
⚖️ Withdrawal Strategy: Which accounts to use and when
📉 Sequence Risk: Protecting income during market downturns
🧾 Tax Coordination: Creating income without unnecessary taxes
 
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
 
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
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📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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Why Proactive Tax Planning Matters Before Retirement

For decades, retirement planning revolves around one primary goal of saving enough money. But as retirement approaches, a different question becomes increasingly important: how much of that money will you actually get to keep?
Many retirees discover too late that taxes can significantly impact their retirement income, Social Security benefits, Medicare premiums, and even the legacy they leave behind. In this episode, Scott explains why proactive tax planning deserves a seat at the retirement planning table.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
💰 Tax Planning Matters: Saving is only half the battle
🪟 Planning Windows: Retirement creates unique opportunities
🔄 Roth Conversions: Powerful tool when used correctly
📉 RMD Risks: Waiting can reduce flexibility
🎯 Think Long-Term: Tax decisions create chain reactions
 
💼 Want expert help in planning for your financial future?
Apply for a consultation here 👉 https://calendly.com/erg-kc/introductory-phone-call-with-erg
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
 
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
🔔 http://youtube.com/@erg-kc?sub_confirmation=1
 
📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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54 Million Workers Had No Retirement Plan. That Just Changed

There’s some big retirement news out of Washington worth understanding. President Trump recently signed an executive order aimed at expanding access to retirement savings for the tens of millions of Americans whose employers don't offer a plan. Today, Scott breaks down what was signed, what it means in practice, and what questions it raises for your own retirement picture. The retirement coverage gap has been a known problem for a long time. This is one of the more concrete attempts to address it and give workers a real on-ramp to retirement savings.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
💻 New Website: Comparing retirement plan options
🧾 Saver’s Match: Government contribution opportunities
📉 Retirement Gap: Millions lacked workplace plans
🧠 Financial Habits: Consistency matters most
🛡️ Personal Responsibility: Building long-term independence
 
💼 Want expert help in planning for your financial future?
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📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
 
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
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📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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Nobody Teaches You How to Turn Your 401(k) Into a Paycheck

You spent decades learning how to save for retirement, but almost nobody teaches you how to actually spend from it. Today, Scott explains why retirement income planning is completely different from simply building a large 401(k), and how to turn retirement savings into a reliable paycheck. He reminds us that the distribution phase of retirement can be just as important as the accumulation phase.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
💸 Retirement Income Isn’t Automatic
🔄 Saving vs Spending Mentality
🧩 Coordination Matters Most
📉 Withdrawal Mistakes Add Up
🛡️ A “War Chest” Creates Stability
 
💼 Want expert help in planning for your financial future?
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📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
 
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
🔔 http://youtube.com/@erg-kc?sub_confirmation=1
 
📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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Time Rich vs Money Rich: The Scorecard That Actually Matters

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Scott challenges the idea that financial numbers are the true measure of success and introduces a richer way to think about retirement life. He explores how time, fulfillment, and intentional living often matter more than portfolio size. Let’s shift from chasing “more” to designing a life that aligns with your values and becomes time-rich, not just money-rich.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
💸 Money Isn’t Winning: Financial success alone doesn’t guarantee fulfillment
🧩 SIPPS Framework Matters: Social, intellectual, physical, purposeful, and spiritual health all matter
🔄 Reframe Your Scorecard: Retirement should optimize life—not just net worth
📅 Time Requires Intention: Freedom means little without purpose and direction
🎯 Living Well Matters: The real goal is becoming rich in time, relationships, and meaning
 
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
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📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
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Why People With “Enough” Money Still Struggle in Retirement

You can have plenty of money on paper and still feel unsettled in retirement. After decades of saving and doing everything right, many people expect confidence to come automatically. Instead, they hesitate to spend, second-guess their decisions, and worry about the future. Today, Scott explains why retirement isn’t just a math problem- and why feeling secure takes more than simply having “enough.”
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
💸 Why Enough Is Never “Enough”: Confidence doesn’t come from a number alone
🔄 Saver to Spender: Shifting habits is harder than expected
💵 Income Drives Confidence: Reliable income changes how you feel
📉 Market Feels Personal: Volatility hits differently without a paycheck
🔓 Unlock Permission to Enjoy: A plan gives you confidence to actually spend
 
💼 Want expert help in planning for your financial future?
Apply for a consultation here 👉 https://calendly.com/erg-kc/introductory-phone-call-with-erg
 
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
 
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
 
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
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The Mistakes That Quietly Cost Retirees: The Tax Side of Retirement

This is Part 2 of our Hidden Risks series, and we’re shifting focus to one of the biggest long-term threats to your retirement: taxes. Some risks don’t hit all at once, they slowly wear down your plan over time. Scott breaks down how tax decisions shape your income, flexibility, and long-term outcomes. If Part 1 was about protecting your plan, this one is about keeping more of what you’ve built.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
💸 Tax Drag: Small inefficiencies add up over time
🪣 Tax Buckets: Where your money sits matters
📉 RMD Pressure: Forced withdrawals can raise taxes
🏥 IRMAA Risk: Income can increase Medicare costs
👥 Survivor Impact: Taxes can rise after a spouse passes
 
Watch Part 1: The Hidden Risks That Could Derail Your Retirement: What Most People Forget to Protect - https://youtu.be/BY0UpdmV5cg 
 
💼 Want expert help in planning for your financial future?
Apply for a consultation here 👉 https://calendly.com/erg-kc/introductory-phone-call-with-erg
 
📞 Call us: 913-393-4724
 
🌐 Visit our podcast website:  https://listentoscott.com/
 
📚🛠️ Check out Scott's book, Exceptional Retirement, and Retirement Toolkit
Download here 👉 https://keap.page/bu413/exceptional-retirement-youtube.html
 
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more retirement insights!
🔔 http://youtube.com/@erg-kc?sub_confirmation=1
 
📰 Read our latest articles on Kiplinger:
https://www.kiplinger.com/author/scott-m-dougan-rfc-investment-adviser
 
📌 Follow us for expert retirement planning tips!
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