A comfortable retirement isn’t built on hope or hot tips; it’s built on coordination. We sit down with Social Security strategist Heather Schreiber to unpack what’s new for 2026, why a 2.8% COLA can feel smaller after Medicare premium hikes, and how IRMAA cliffs can quietly siphon thousands from your income. From the first minute, we focus on practical steps you can take right now: when to claim benefits, how earnings tests really work, and how to avoid the most common mistakes at Peak 65.
The conversation goes deeper than dates and dollar amounts. We connect Social Security to pensions, survivor benefits, and taxes, showing how the wrong survivorship choice can leave a spouse short on income and stuck in higher single tax brackets. Heather makes a powerful case for building a strategy around the higher earner, planning for longevity, and using tax diversification—Roth conversions, timing IRA withdrawals, and smart sequencing—to reduce lifetime tax drag and premium surcharges. If you’ve ever wondered whether IRMAA is “only for the rich,” the numbers here will change your mind.
Real life enters the studio when Heather shares her experience caring for her mom through dementia. It’s a candid look at sudden change, unpaid caregiving, and the logistical maze of doctors, safety modifications, and benefits. We talk Medicaid lookbacks, spin-down rules, and the rising cost of long-term care—and how to start family conversations before a crisis hits. The takeaway is simple: you can’t control every curveball, but you can build a plan that bends, not breaks.
If you’re approaching 65—or helping a parent—you’ll walk away with a checklist to protect income, lower taxes, and prepare for unknowns. Have a question for our upcoming Ask Heather series on Social Security, Medicare, or IRMAA? Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs it, and send your question to Brad@OzarksRetirement.com. Your future self will thank you.
To learn more about Brad Pistole and the Ozark Retirement Group, please visit www.ozarksretirement.com
