What’s changing in 2026 that retirees and pre-retirees should actually care about? This episode walks through the key updates quietly reshaping retirement planning- from Social Security’s cost-of-living adjustment and rising Medicare premiums to new senior tax deductions and expanded catch-up contribution rules. You’ll hear how these changes affect monthly cash flow, tax planning decisions, and saving opportunities in the final working years.
Here’s what we discuss in this episode:
📈 Social Security COLA – What a 2.8% increase really means after Medicare
🏥 Medicare Premiums – Why higher costs reduce net raises
🧾 Senior Tax Deduction – New deductions and income phase-outs
📊 Catch-Up Contributions – Higher limits and the “super catch-up” window
🔁Roth Rules – New requirements for high earners
🗓️ Planning Timing – Why early-year decisions matter more than ever
Go inside the episode:
0:00 – Intro
1:06 – Social Security COLA
2:02 – Medicare premium increases
3:25 – Senior tax deduction
5:09 – Income phase-outs and tax planning
7:07 – Catch-up and super catch-up contribution limits
9:09 – Roth catch-up requirements
10:56 – Final takeaways
Looking Back From The Mountaintop
