Smart Money With Sam

07/17/2026

Your 401(k) has a tax bill hiding inside it.

Most people assume their tax burden shrinks once they retire. For a lot of them, that assumption ends up being expensive.

All those years of contributions to a traditional 401(k) or IRA? None of it has ever been taxed. The IRS has been waiting, and retirement is when they collect.

Withdrawals come out as ordinary income, and they pile on top of Social Security, pension payments, and any other income you're bringing in. That combination can land you in a higher bracket than you expected.

At 73, Required Minimum Distributions remove the choice entirely. The IRS sets a schedule, and you withdraw on their timeline regardless of whether you need the funds.

The people who navigate this most effectively tend to be the ones who got ahead of it, ideally in the decade leading up to retirement, while there was still time to restructure accounts and map out a smarter withdrawal strategy.

Save this video the next time someone tells you taxes get simpler once you stop working.

All content presented is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or offer to sell securities or provide investment, tax, or legal advice. All examples are hypothetical, for illustrative purposes only, and are merely arithmetic calculations. They are not representative of the performance of any type of investment, security, or strategy offered by the firm. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Hypothetical returns do not reflect actual trading and may not be indicative of the performance of any specific investment. They are based on assumptions and estimates that may not be accurate or applicable to your individual situation. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Additional information, including management fees and expenses, is provided on our Form ADV Part 2 available upon request or at the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website, www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.

Foundation Wealth Partners is a financial advisor serving Gen X and older Millennials in their 40s to mid-50s.

07/17/2026

Do you need umbrella insurance? Find out more.

Umbrella liability can be a fairly inexpensive way to help shelter current assets and future income from the unexpected.

07/16/2026

Extended care refers to services needed by those who have a chronic illness or disability.

Understanding the types of extended care services—and what those services could cost—may be critical.

07/15/2026

Find out whether you are insurable before implementing a strategy using life insurance.

Universal life insurance is permanent insurance with a flexible premium. Here's how it works.

07/14/2026

Insurance is designed to protect you from financial loss, but filing a claim may cost you more in the long run.

Learn when it may not make sense to file a claim on your home insurance.

07/13/2026

Financially ready. Still can't pull the trigger. 👀

This is one of the most common patterns I see, and it almost never comes down to the numbers.

I've watched people who were completely set at 58 keep working until 63. The plan was solid. Nothing was broken. But stepping away from work felt less like arriving somewhere new and more like falling without a net.

On the flip side, I've seen people leave the moment they could, not because they were certain, but because they made peace with the fact that certainty was never going to just show up.

What's usually underneath the hesitation comes down to two things.

First, a blurry picture of what's on the other side. If you can't clearly see what a regular Tuesday morning looks like in retirement, of course it feels unsettling.

Second, an identity that's still tied to the work. Decades of being the person who shows up and delivers doesn't quietly unwind the moment a financial milestone is reached.

Neither of those is a planning problem you can solve with a spreadsheet. But both are real, and both deserve attention before you make the leap.

Feeling ready is part confidence in the numbers and part clarity about what comes next. Follow for more on the side of retirement most advisors don't talk about. Comment 'READY' if you want me to go deeper.

All content presented is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or offer to sell securities or provide investment, tax, or legal advice. All examples are hypothetical, for illustrative purposes only, and are merely arithmetic calculations. They are not representative of the performance of any type of investment, security, or strategy offered by the firm. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Hypothetical returns do not reflect actual trading and may not be indicative of the performance of any specific investment. They are based on assumptions and estimates that may not be accurate or applicable to your individual situation. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Additional information, including management fees and expenses, is provided on our Form ADV Part 2 available upon request or at the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website, www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.

Foundation Wealth Partners serves Gen X and older Millennials in their 40s to mid-50s.

07/13/2026

Medicare doesn’t have to be a complicated topic. Here we break down the basics of Medicare, and what you need to know to qualify. Read more here:

Learn all about Medicare basics in this informative and insightful article.

07/10/2026

If you’re a business owner and don’t have a Business Owner's Policy, you could be making a huge mistake.

Learn the advantages of Business Owner's Policies with this highly educational and fun animated video.

07/09/2026

You are unique. Your goals and needs should be the basis of any financial strategy you follow.

Whole life insurance remains in force as long as you remain current with premiums. Here's how it works.

07/08/2026

Protecting you or your company from a civil claim may require an insurance coverage you have never heard of.

E&O insurance is specifically designed to protect you, or your company, from the risk of a client’s dissatisfaction.