Income Blog Posts

Income is one of the six essential pillars of the written plans we help families and individuals create, called a RetireSecure Roadmap. A customized retirement income plan includes developing a strategy for spending, health care, inflation, maximizing Social Security, and more. This pillar can help answer one of your biggest concerns: Do I have enough saved to live the lifestyle I desire in retirement?

Do Roth Conversions Still Make Sense in 2026?

March 8th, 2026

A Roth conversion can reshape your retirement tax strategy. This blog covers how it works, when it makes sense, and what to consider before making this decision. What Is a Roth Conversion? The basic […]

What is a Retirement Plan? Hint: It’s Not Your 401(k)

February 22nd, 2026

Many people assume their retirement savings tell them everything they need to know about the future. This article explores why a 401(k) is only one piece of the puzzle and […]

Retirement Road Test: $1 Million Portfolio

February 15th, 2026

A common saying is you need a million dollars for retirement, but what does that actually mean for you? In this blog, you’ll meet Tom and Sandi. They have $1 million saved for retirement […]

Confused About Retirement Taxes? You Are Not Alone

February 8th, 2026

Retirement taxes can feel overwhelming, especially when income starts coming from multiple sources. This blog walks through how different retirement accounts are taxed, why those taxes can matter more once paychecks stop, and […]

Will $1 Million Last? Stress Testing Retirement Spending 

January 25th, 2026

This blog explores how long $1 million might last in retirement under different spending scenarios, and why assumptions around lifestyle, inflation, taxes, and market volatility matter more than the headline number. A […]

What Washington Changes Could Mean for Your Retirement 

January 18th, 2026

Retirement laws continue to evolve as Washington rewrites the tax code and adjusts long-standing rules. Retirement Planners Clint Huntrods and Loren Merkle explain how recent legislation affects tax brackets, Required Minimum Distributions, inherited IRAs, […]

The Retirement Readiness Checklist: Where to Start and What to Tackle Next 

January 11th, 2026

Retirement Planner Loren Merkle, and Director of Medicare & Long-Term Care AnnaMarie Morrow walk through the Retirement Readiness Checklist, breaking retirement planning into nine practical areas to help you discover where to […]

The Seven Social Security Rules Every Retiree Should Know

December 21st, 2025

Social Security will likely be a major part of your retirement paycheck, but the rules behind your benefit, taxes, and timing can be more complicated than they look on the surface. Retirement Planners Loren Merkle and Chawn […]

Launching Our First Magazine: Meet Adventurous Angie 

November 30th, 2025

A brand-new Merkle Retirement Planning magazine is here, and its first issue puts a spotlight on Adventurous Angie—an energetic retiree proving that retirement isn’t the end of the story; it’s […]

Inside the Cave of Questions: Getting Started at 55+ 

November 16th, 2025

This Indiana Jones–inspired episode of Retiring Today with Loren Merkle turns a common worry—how to start planning for retirement at 55—into a guided trek through six milestones: lifestyle, income, taxes, investments, health care, and legacy.  We […]

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