Cover Your Assets KC Podcast

Mailbag: Out Of the Market Too Long & Taxes in Retirement

Two listener questions spark a conversation about the emotional and practical sides of retirement planning. David talks about strategies for easing back into the market after sitting on the sidelines and how retirees can think about taxes when withdrawing from IRAs, brokerage accounts, and Roth accounts. These are the kinds of questions many investors face as they transition into retirement, and without the right guidance, the wrong answers may negatively affect your plan.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
😱Market Re-Entry: Fear of missing gains vs. fear of crashes
📉 Market History: Declines happen but recoveries follow*
📆 Dollar-Cost Averaging: Gradual investing can help reduce** timing risk
🧠 Risk Tolerance: Your emotional response matters in downturns
🧾 Retirement Taxes: Withdrawal strategy could affect tax outcomes
*Past market performance may not be used to predict or project future results
**Diversification does not ensure a profit or guarantee against market loss
 
For additional resources or to contact David, visit us online at http://creativeoneadvisorsgroup.com or call 913-317-1414.

Broker or Fiduciary – Does It Really Matter?

When you hire someone to help with your money, you probably assume they’re legally required to act in your best interest. But here’s the catch: not all financial professionals are held to the same standard. In this episode, David breaks down the often-confusing distinction between brokers and fiduciaries, and why it matters for your retirement confidence.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
⚖️ The legal difference between brokers and fiduciaries
🥩 Why the butcher vs. dietitian analogy matters for your money
🕵️ How to research your advisor on BrokerCheck & SEC sites
🛡️ Why fiduciary duty offers stronger retirement protection
📜 The questions every retiree should ask before hiring an advisor
Resources for this episode:
BrokerCheck
https://brokercheck.finra.org/
Investment Adviser Public Disclosure
https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/
 
For additional resources or to contact David, visit us online at http://creativeoneadvisorsgroup.com or call 913-317-1414.

Mailbag: Investing Extra Income and Handling an Inherited IRA

In this mailbag episode, David answers two practical listener questions about managing unexpected financial opportunities. One listener recently paid off their mortgage and now has an extra $3,000 per month to invest, while another is navigating the tax implications of inheriting an IRA. David walks through several potential options for putting extra cash to work- ranging from CDs and brokerage accounts to fixed annuities- while also clarifying the complex withdrawal rules tied to inherited retirement accounts.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
🏠 Ideas of what to do with extra monthly cash after paying off your mortgage📈 Investment options beyond retirement accounts, including brokerage accounts and ETFs🏦 The pros and cons of CDs, money markets, and fixed annuities🧾 How inherited IRAs are taxed and the potential impact of the 10-year withdrawal rule⚖️ Why timing withdrawals carefully could help reduce your overall tax bill
 
For additional resources or to contact David, visit us online at http://creativeoneadvisorsgroup.com or call 913-317-1414.

Retirement Gray Areas That Matter a Lot

Financial media loves simple answers: always do this or never do that. But real financial planning doesn’t work that way. Most of the biggest decisions people face in retirement live in the gray. David pulls back the curtain on the sensational advice dominating YouTube and financial media. Instead of chasing rigid rules, he explains why thoughtful coordination across multiple planning areas could potentially produce better outcomes.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
⏱️ Roth Timing Window: Converting before RMDs increase income
📊 Tax Bracket Planning: Filling lower brackets strategically
🧩 Annuity Purpose: Guarantees vs market exposure
🔍 Annuity Fine Print: Caps, riders, surrender terms
🏠 Mortgage Tradeoffs: Interest rate vs emotional security
 
Investment advisory services are provided in accordance with a fiduciary duty of care and loyalty that includes putting your interests first and disclosing conflicts. Insurance services have a best interest standard which requires recommendations to be in your best interest. Advisors may receive commission for the sale of insurance and annuity products
 
For additional resources or to contact David, visit us online at http://creativeoneadvisorsgroup.com or call 913-317-1414.

Inherited a House — Are the Taxes Really That Bad?

Inheriting a home often comes with a lot of anxiety, especially around taxes. Many heirs assume selling means a massive tax bill, but that concern is often misplaced. In this episode, David breaks down what really happens when you inherit a house, why taxes are usually less painful than expected, and what non-tax issues can complicate the decision. If you’re facing an inherited property, or expect to someday, this conversation brings clarity where many people feel overwhelmed.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
🏠 Inherited Home Anxiety: Why taxes are often overestimated
📊 Stepped-Up Basis: How value resets at inheritance
⏳ Sale Timing Matters: When waiting changes the outcome
⚠️ Beyond the Numbers: Additional issues you need to know 
👨‍👩‍👧 Family Dynamics: Navigating shared decisions
For additional resources or to contact David, visit us online at http://creativeoneadvisorsgroup.com or call 913-317-1414.

How Much Life Insurance Is Enough at Each Stage of Life?

The amount of life insurance you need changes significantly as your life and responsibilities evolve. David shares practical considerations for thinking through coverage needs at different stages of life, from early adulthood through retirement years. Rather than focusing on one-size-fits-all answers, David offers general tips to help listeners think more clearly about how life insurance might fit into a broader financial picture.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
🛡️ Coverage Basics: General considerations for determining an appropriate amount of life insurance
🧩 Life Factors: How income, family responsibilities, and financial obligations may influence coverage needs
📈 Peak Responsibility Years: Common planning considerations during working and family-raising years
⏳ Later-Life Coverage: How life insurance needs often shift in the late 50s and early 60s
👪 Legacy Planning: Using life insurance thoughtfully when considering heirs and long-term goals
 
For additional resources or to contact David, visit us online at http://creativeoneadvisorsgroup.com or call 913-317-1414.

5 Steps To Take If You’re Behind On Your Retirement Savings

Feeling behind on retirement savings can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t mean you’re out of options. In this episode, David walks through five practical steps to help you regain clarity and momentum, whether you’re early in your career or approaching retirement. From tracking spending habits to maximizing workplace retirement plans, this episode focuses on actions you can actually control.
 
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
🧮 How to determine if you’re truly “behind”
📊 Getting a clear snapshot of your net worth
💳 Identifying spending patterns that are holding you back
🔁 Maximizing your workplace retirement savings
📝 Why having a written retirement plan can change everything
 
For additional resources or to contact David, visit us online at http://creativeoneadvisorsgroup.com or call 913-317-1414.

5 Major Events From 2025 That Impacted Retirement Plans

Today, David is breaking down some of the year’s biggest headlines and what they may mean for your plan moving forward. 2026’s headlines might look different, but the same drama will likely exist. So, what can you do? Aim to control your plan, your savings habits, and your long-term strategy. That’s what can help turn a chaotic year into a confident retirement path.
 
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
🌍 Tariffs: market volatility and uncertainty spikes
📈 Inflation: persistent pressure on household budgets
🏦 High-Yield Savings: interest rates and cash decisions
🧾 Tax Changes: implications of the Big Beautiful Bill
🛟 Emergency Funds: lessons from the government shutdown
🔮 Looking Ahead: planning with perspective into 2026
 
For additional resources or to contact David, visit us online at http://creativeoneadvisorsgroup.com or call 913-317-1414.

Better Retirement Questions (Part 2): Five Smarter Ways to Think About Your Future

Most people ask good retirement questions, but not always the right ones. In Part 2 of this series, David Dickens shares five more “better questions” pulled straight from real client meetings, revealing how small shifts could lead to better retirement decisions.
From Social Security timing to mortgage payoff strategies and more, we’ll explain how reframing the way you ask the question might change the quality of the answer.
This episode is straightforward and addresses many of the nuances retirees might miss when they think in terms of black-and-white choices.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
🧓 Social Security Isn’t 62 vs. 70
🏠 Mortgage Payoff Decisions Need Context
📉 You Can’t Avoid Risk — But You Might Be Able to ‘Right-Size’ It
🔒 Does Cash Help Provide Safety?
📅 Meeting Frequency Isn’t the Point
 
For additional resources or to contact David, visit us online at http://creativeoneadvisorsgroup.com or call 913-317-1414.

Why Better Questions Helps Build Better Retirements

Sometimes the smartest move in retirement planning isn’t knowing all the answers. It’s about learning to ask better questions.
In this episode of Cover Your Assets KC, David walks through five common financial questions people ask, and then explains how to reframe them to get better results. From “How much money do I need to retire?” to “Where can I pay the lowest fees?”, we’ll explain how slight shifts in perspective can help lead to stronger, more personalized decisions.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
🩺 Long-Term Care Choices: Self-insure, insure, or blend options — it’s not just a yes/no decision.
📈 Chasing Returns: Why diversification matters when it comes to long-term performance.
⚖️ Fees vs. Value: Why “cheapest” isn’t the same as “best” when hiring a financial advisor.
🕰️ Tax Timing: Don’t just lower taxes this year — plan to reduce them for life.
🧠 Smart Strategies: Roth conversions, HSAs, and charitable distributions for lifelong tax efficiency.
 
For additional resources or to contact David, visit us online at http://creativeoneadvisorsgroup.com or call 913-317-1414.