In this episode of Money Matters, Scott and Pat react to a listener being pitched a complex direct indexing strategy using margin, while another wrestles with whether setting up trusts for their grandchildren is worth the hassle—breaking down what actually adds value and what doesn’t.

They expand into tax strategies for larger portfolios, including when more sophisticated approaches create more cost and complexity than benefit. You’ll also hear practical guidance on estate planning, gifting, RMDs, and charitable giving through QCDs.

What You’ll Learn:

• When a direct indexing strategy using margin may do more harm than good
• How to approach tax strategies for larger portfolios without overcomplicating your plan
• When trusts make sense for gifting—and when they don’t
• Smarter ways to handle RMDs and reduce taxes with QCDs
• Why some strategies are driven more by firm incentives than investor outcomes

Join Money Matters: Get your most pressing financial questions answered by Allworth's co-founders Scott Hanson and Pat McClain. Call 833-99-WORTH. Or ask a question by clicking here. You can also be on the air by emailing Scott and Pat at questions@moneymatters.com.

Download and rate our podcast here.

In this episode of Money Matters, Scott and Pat take calls from high-income listeners facing real financial crossroads—from deciding whether to return to work to navigating major portfolio and tax decisions. Along the way, they break down when a Roth conversion strategy makes sense, how taxes impact big financial decisions, and why timing and sequencing can have a long-term effect on wealth.

The conversation also covers portfolio risk, income needs, and how to approach leaving money to the next generation without overcomplicating the process. Scott and Pat explain how a well-thought-out Roth conversion strategy fits into a broader financial plan that balances flexibility, taxes, and long-term goals.

Join Money Matters: Get your most pressing financial questions answered by Allworth's co-founders Scott Hanson and Pat McClain. Call 833-99-WORTH. Or ask a question by clicking here. You can also be on the air by emailing Scott and Pat at questions@moneymatters.com.

Download and rate our podcast here.

In this episode of Money Matters, Scott and Pat break down real-world tax strategies for high net worth investors dealing with multi-million dollar IRAs, brokerage accounts, and rising future tax liabilities. They walk through detailed listener cases—including a couple with over $18 million in assets trying to minimize RMD taxes, IRMAA surcharges, and legacy tax burdens—while sharing actionable tax strategies for high net worth investors.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• How to handle upcoming RMDs on multi-million dollar retirement accounts
• Why Roth conversions may have limited impact at higher income levels
• How gifting appreciated assets can reduce your taxable estate
• When to use a donor-advised fund instead of giving cash
• Why you should stop reinvesting dividends in taxable accounts
• How tax-loss harvesting technology can improve portfolio efficiency
• The importance of asset location (and how mistakes can cost you)
• How to better prepare large portfolios for generational wealth transfer
• Why AI can assist—but not replace—real financial advice

If you’re serious about optimizing your wealth, understanding the right tax strategies for high net worth investors can help you reduce taxes, protect your assets, and build a more efficient long-term plan.

Join Money Matters: Get your most pressing financial questions answered by Allworth's co-founders Scott Hanson and Pat McClain. Call 833-99-WORTH. Or ask a question by clicking here. You can also be on the air by emailing Scott and Pat at questions@moneymatters.com.

Download and rate our podcast here.

In this episode of Money Matters, Scott and Pat break down smart Roth conversion strategies for retirees who want to reduce lifetime taxes, manage future RMDs, and avoid costly bracket mistakes. A caller with $4+ million asks how much to convert each year — and whether moving IRA withdrawals into a brokerage account makes sense as part of a long-term Roth conversion plan.

They also discuss direct indexing, including how it works, whether low-cost providers are safe, and when direct indexing makes sense compared to backdoor Roth contributions.

Plus, a real client case study highlights asset location, ETF overconcentration, muni bond mistakes, and how coordinated Roth conversion and tax planning can potentially add six figures over time.

What You’ll Learn:

-How to structure a Roth conversion tax-efficiently

-When direct indexing makes sense — and when it doesn’t

-Why asset location matters more than most investors realize

-How to reduce future RMD and IRMAA surprises

-The hidden risks inside “diversified” ETF portfolios

Join Money Matters: Get your most pressing financial questions answered by Allworth's co-founders Scott Hanson and Pat McClain. Call 833-99-WORTH. Or ask a question by clicking here. You can also be on the air by emailing Scott and Pat at questions@moneymatters.com.

Download and rate our podcast here.

In this episode of Money Matters, Scott and Pat unpack why tax diversification is one of the most overlooked strategies in retirement planning. From a 70-year-old investor with $3.6 million mostly in traditional IRAs to a 55-year-old looking to retire early and start Roth conversions, they explore how tax diversification can help reduce lifetime taxes and create flexibility in retirement income.

You’ll hear discussions about:

-When Roth conversions make sense — and which tax bracket to target

-How much cash and bond exposure you really need before retiring

-The realities of the 4% rule

-401(k) vs. brokerage — and where bonds and equities should actually live

-How diversification protects your lifestyle, not just your portfolio

Join Money Matters: Get your most pressing financial questions answered by Allworth's co-founders Scott Hanson and Pat McClain. Call 833-99-WORTH. Or ask a question by clicking here. You can also be on the air by emailing Scott and Pat at questions@moneymatters.com.

Download and rate our podcast here.

In this episode of Money Matters, Scott and Pat walk through smart decisions around Roth vs. pre-tax savings, pension lump sums, and when it actually makes sense to use your HSA. They help a high-earning family think through life insurance gaps and special needs planning, guide a soon-to-be retiree through a $1 million pension decision, and revisit a multi-million-dollar couple debating whether to spend or preserve a large HSA. From tax diversification to retirement income strategy to how certain accounts are treated at death, this episode shows the difference between surface-level investing and true financial planning for $2M+ portfolios.

Join Money Matters: Get your most pressing financial questions answered by Allworth's co-founders Scott Hanson and Pat McClain. Call 833-99-WORTH. Or ask a question by clicking here. You can also be on the air by emailing Scott and Pat at questions@moneymatters.com.

Download and rate our podcast here.

Taxes can quietly shape some of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make — from choosing how to take a pension to deciding how to leave money to your heirs. On this week’s Money Matters, Scott and Pat take calls from listeners working through those exact issues. One caller is weighing a pension lump sum against monthly payments, and the tax consequences of that decision become central to the conversation. The guys also discuss how asset location affects tax efficiency, why different accounts are taxed differently, and how thoughtful planning can help reduce unnecessary taxes over time. They even explore ways to structure inheritances that protect beneficiaries while keeping taxes in mind.

Join Money Matters: Get your most pressing financial questions answered by Allworth's co-founders Scott Hanson and Pat McClain. Call 833-99-WORTH. Or ask a question by clicking here. You can also be on the air by emailing Scott and Pat at questions@moneymatters.com.

Download and rate our podcast here.

In this episode of Money Matters, Scott and Pat take calls from high-net-worth listeners who uncover the same wealthy tax mistake, despite very different financial situations. From retirees with most of their money in IRAs to investors weighing Roth conversions and income strategies, the conversations show how easy it is to pay more in taxes than expected. They explain how this wealthy tax mistake often comes from tax-deferred concentration, why paying taxes from retirement accounts can shrink cash flow, and how poor timing can quietly turn into a long-term wealthy tax mistake. If you’ve built significant assets and want to protect your income and flexibility, this episode offers clear, practical insight.

Join Money Matters: Get your most pressing financial questions answered by Allworth's co-founders Scott Hanson and Pat McClain. Call 833-99-WORTH. Or ask a question by clicking here. You can also be on the air by emailing Scott and Pat at questions@moneymatters.com.

Download and rate our podcast here.