The Great Retirement Debate with Ed Slott & Jeffrey Levine

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine explore the risks and rewards of using retirement savings to buy a house — and when it might make sense to do so.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine take a closer look at Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) — explaining how it works, when it can be a smart move, and when to steer clear.

Why do millions bypass financial advisors? In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine discuss the pros and cons of going solo versus getting professional help.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine sit down to discuss IRAs, taxable brokerage accounts, and whether or not you should invest in them differently.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine weigh the pros and cons of tapping your Roth IRA early.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine warn retirees of unexpected Medicare fees that can arise, known as Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) charges.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine tackle the big question that everyone wants the answer to. Will tax rates ever really increase?

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slot and Jeff Levine discuss whether or not you should convert if your tax rate is 37%.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine contemplate the first major changes they would make if they hypothetically ran the IRS.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine discuss the August 7, 2025 executive order, Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(K) Investors, and whether or not it’s a good thing for consumers.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine discuss the best retirement planning strategies for high earners.

In the first episode of Season 4 of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine dive into the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and debate whether this massive legislation simplifies retirement planning — or makes it even more complex.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine debate whether its better to be a girlfriend, boyfriend or spouse when it comes to inheriting retirement assets.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine address spending in retirement, and whether or not you should be adjusting that spending to keep on track with your retirement goals.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine discuss whether or not you should use a Health Savings Account (HSA) in retirement.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine discuss whether or not you should aim for a zero percent tax rate in retirement.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine debate whether or not the 529 to Roth IRA rollover is worthwhile.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine discuss whether or not it is a wise choice to change financial advisors upon retirement.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine discuss whether or not you should invest differently between your traditional IRA and Roth accounts.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine discuss whether or not it’s worthwhile to fix missed required minimum distributions and what the next best options are.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine talk about how long you should plan to live, and how you should handle your retirement accordingly.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed Slott and Jeff Levine discuss what they believe to be the single biggest mistake retirees make.

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeff discuss whether or not you should invest your IRA fund into your own business. On The Great Retirement Debate, financial heavyweights Ed Slott, of Ed Slott and Company, and Jeffrey Levine, of Buckingham Strategic Wealth, go head to head discussing critical topics in the retirement landscape. Though they may not always see eye to eye, their end goal is to provide the good, bad and necessary information to make an informed decision. Each episode is a knockout of information leaving you, the consumer, the real winner. Tune in for new episodes every other Thursday! Ed Slott, CPA Ed Slott and Company irahelp.com ---------------------------------------- Jeffrey Levine, CFP®, CPA, PFS, CWS, AIF, RICP, ChFC®, BFA™ Buckingham Strategic Wealth buckinghamstrategicwealth.com Action Rock by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/motivational-background-music/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeff discuss whether or not you should leave your IRA to charity at your death. On The Great Retirement Debate, financial heavyweights Ed Slott, of Ed Slott and Company, and Jeffrey Levine, of Buckingham Strategic Wealth, go head to head discussing critical topics in the retirement landscape. Though they may not always see eye to eye, their end goal is to provide the good, bad and necessary information to make an informed decision. Each episode is a knockout of information leaving you, the consumer, the real winner. Tune in for new episodes every other Thursday! Ed Slott, CPA Ed Slott and Company irahelp.com ---------------------------------------- Jeffrey Levine, CFP®, CPA, PFS, CWS, AIF, RICP, ChFC®, BFA™ Buckingham Strategic Wealth buckinghamstrategicwealth.com Action Rock by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/motivational-background-music/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeff discuss if it is a good idea to utilize Roth IRA accounts to save for college education. On The Great Retirement Debate, financial heavyweights Ed Slott, of Ed Slott and Company, and Jeffrey Levine, of Buckingham Strategic Wealth, go head to head discussing critical topics in the retirement landscape. Though they may not always see eye to eye, their end goal is to provide the good, bad and necessary information to make an informed decision. Each episode is a knockout of information leaving you, the consumer, the real winner. Tune in for new episodes every other Thursday! Ed Slott, CPA Ed Slott and Company irahelp.com ---------------------------------------- Jeffrey Levine, CFP®, CPA, PFS, CWS, AIF, RICP, ChFC®, BFA™ Buckingham Strategic Wealth buckinghamstrategicwealth.com Action Rock by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/motivational-background-music/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeff discuss the next steps with company plans in the case of a layoff. On the Great Retirement Debate, financial heavyweights Ed Slott, of Ed Slott and Company, and Jeffrey Levine, of Buckingham Strategic Wealth, go head to head discussing critical topics in the retirement landscape. Their end goal is to provide the good, bad and necessary information to make informed decisions. Each episode is a knockout of information leaving you, the consumer, the real winner. Tune in for new episodes every other Thursday! Ed Slott, CPA Ed Slott and Company irahelp.com ---------------------------------------- Jeffrey Levine, CFP®, CPA, PFS, CWS, AIF, RICP, ChFC®, BFA™ Buckingham Strategic Wealth buckinghamstrategicwealth.com Action Rock by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/motivational-background-music/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeff discuss investments to avoid in your retirement accounts. On The Great Retirement Debate, financial heavyweights Ed Slott, of Ed Slott and Company, and Jeffrey Levine, of Buckingham Strategic Wealth, go head to head discussing critical topics in the retirement landscape. Though they may not always see eye to eye, their end goal is to provide the good, bad and necessary information to make an informed decision. Each episode is a knockout of information leaving you, the consumer, the real winner. Tune in for new episodes every other Thursday! Ed Slott, CPA Ed Slott and Company irahelp.com ---------------------------------------- Jeffrey Levine, CFP®, CPA, PFS, CWS, AIF, RICP, ChFC®, BFA™ Buckingham Strategic Wealth buckinghamstrategicwealth.com Action Rock by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/motivational-background-music/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeff discuss what you should be doing before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act comes to an end. On The Great Retirement Debate, financial heavyweights Ed Slott, of Ed Slott and Company, and Jeffrey Levine, of Buckingham Strategic Wealth, go head to head discussing critical topics in the retirement landscape. Though they may not always see eye to eye, their end goal is to provide the good, bad and necessary information to make an informed decision. Each episode is a knockout of information leaving you, the consumer, the real winner. Tune in for new episodes every other Thursday! Ed Slott, CPA Ed Slott and Company irahelp.com ---------------------------------------- Jeffrey Levine, CFP®, CPA, PFS, CWS, AIF, RICP, ChFC®, BFA™ Buckingham Strategic Wealth buckinghamstrategicwealth.com Action Rock by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/motivational-background-music/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeff discuss whether or not you should trust the government Roth. On The Great Retirement Debate, financial heavyweights Ed Slott, of Ed Slott and Company, and Jeffrey Levine, of Buckingham Strategic Wealth, go head to head discussing critical topics in the retirement landscape. Though they may not always see eye to eye, their end goal is to provide the good, bad and necessary information to make an informed decision. Each episode is a knockout of information leaving you, the consumer, the real winner. Tune in for new episodes every other Thursday! Ed Slott, CPA Ed Slott and Company irahelp.com ---------------------------------------- Jeffrey Levine, CFP®, CPA, PFS, CWS, AIF, RICP, ChFC®, BFA™ Buckingham Strategic Wealth buckinghamstrategicwealth.com Action Rock by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/motivational-background-music/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeff discuss if you should treat your children equally when it comes to what you will be passing down. On The Great Retirement Debate, financial heavyweights Ed Slott, of Ed Slott and Company, and Jeffrey Levine, of Buckingham Strategic Wealth, go head to head discussing critical topics in the retirement landscape. Though they may not always see eye to eye, their end goal is to provide the good, bad and necessary information to make an informed decision. Each episode is a knockout of information leaving you, the consumer, the real winner. Tune in for new episodes every other Thursday! Ed Slott, CPA Ed Slott and Company irahelp.com ---------------------------------------- Jeffrey Levine, CFP®, CPA, PFS, CWS, AIF, RICP, ChFC®, BFA™ Buckingham Strategic Wealth buckinghamstrategicwealth.com Action Rock by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/motivational-background-music/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeff discuss if you should use the “Still Working” exception. On The Great Retirement Debate, financial heavyweights Ed Slott, of Ed Slott and Company, and Jeffrey Levine, of Buckingham Strategic Wealth, go head to head discussing critical topics in the retirement landscape. Though they may not always see eye to eye, their end goal is to provide the good, bad and necessary information to make an informed decision. Each episode is a knockout of information leaving you, the consumer, the real winner. Tune in for new episodes every other Thursday! Ed Slott, CPA Ed Slott and Company irahelp.com ---------------------------------------- Jeffrey Levine, CFP®, CPA, PFS, CWS, AIF, RICP, ChFC®, BFA™ Buckingham Strategic Wealth buckinghamstrategicwealth.com

In the final episode of season 1 on The Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeff discuss the topics covered over the last 18 episodes and what to expect from The Great Retirement Debate going forward.

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey continue the discussion on whether you should convert or not convert your IRA to a Roth IRA.

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey discuss whether you should convert or not convert your IRA to a Roth IRA.

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey weigh the pros and cons of gifting versus inheriting.

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey debate whether or not it’s a good strategy to downsize your home in retirement.

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey debate which is the better option, the Roth IRA, or the Roth 401k.

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey debate SECURE Act 2.0 once again for part 2 of whether it’s big deal, or not a big deal for you, the consumer. This time around, the focus is on the Roth related provisions. Jeff's Blog Article Mentioned: https://www.kitces.com/blog/using-a-family-dynasty-529-plan-for-multigenerational-college-planning/ New York Times Article Mentioned: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/13/your-money/student-loans/student-debt-529-savings.html

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey debate SECURE Act 2.0 and whether it’s big deal, or not a big deal for you, the consumer, in regards to the provisions affecting required minimum distributions (RMDs), qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) and the new 10% RMD penalty.

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey explain whether or not you should borrow from your 401k if you need liquidity.

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey go into detail on Tax Diversification and whether or not that should be something you strive for in retirement.

In this Great Retirement Debate, the topic of discussion is 72(t) payments, yes or no?

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey debate the pros and cons of owning cryptocurrency in your retirement account.

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey discuss saving for higher education, and whether a Roth IRA or a 529 plan is the best option for that. *Please Note: The recently passed SECURE 2.0 allows rollovers from 529 plans to Roth IRAs. This provision is not effective until 2024. It is NOT effective for 2023, but it is generating so much talk that it is worth mentioning.

In this Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey discuss whether or not you should pay off debt before retiring.

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey discuss whether a Roth IRA or Life Insurance is the best option in order to provide a legacy.

In this episode of The Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey discuss whether you should buy long-term care insurance or self fund.

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey debate whether or not you should take the pension lump sum or an annuity income stream.

In this episode of the Great Retirement Debate, Ed and Jeffrey debate naming a trust as a beneficiary.

Episode 1: In this episode Ed and Jeffrey debate whether or not taking Social Security at age 62 is a good idea.