How The New Rules of Retirement Saving Can Help You Build a Tax-Savvy Retirement

It’s no secret that the retirement planning landscape has changed dramatically. Just a generation ago, savers could rely on pensions, consistent market growth, and relatively stable tax environments. Today, those assumptions are outdated.

Savers now face a new set of retirement realities: longer life expectancies, the decline of employer-sponsored pensions, market uncertainty, and rising tax liabilities. These changes have introduced new risks into retirement and a new urgency for strategic planning.

For financial advisors, these shifts are not just challenges. They are opportunities to lead. By helping clients navigate the new rules, you have a unique chance to build trust, deliver real value, and grow your practice.

So where do you start? Like most effective planning strategies, it begins with education.

That’s where The New Rules of Retirement Saving comes in. This easy-to-read, client-friendly book helps pre-retirees understand how the tax code has shifted, what that means for their nest egg, and how they can take action before it's too late. It is more than a book. It is a powerful tool to spark conversations and drive smarter planning.

Here are three key insights from the book that can help you attract, educate, and engage clients:

1. Traditional Retirement Accounts Are a Tax Time Bomb

Many savers have diligently saved in tax-deferred vehicles like 401(k)s and IRAs. But few understand the true nature of these accounts. They are not just savings accounts. They are tax postponement tools. And eventually, the bill comes due.

The New Rules of Retirement Saving walks readers through the mechanics of these accounts and reveals how Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), changing tax rates, and inherited IRA rules can create a perfect storm of taxation in retirement.

Advisors can use this insight to shift the conversation. It is not just about saving more. It is about saving smarter and avoiding avoidable taxes through strategies like Roth conversions, tax diversification, and income planning.

2. Tax Policy Is Changing and Clients Must Act Before It Does

The book makes one thing clear: tax rates are not set in stone. And now, with the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, the rules have officially changed. Many of the favorable tax provisions introduced under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act have been rolled back or replaced. Higher tax brackets, new limits on deductions, and expanded surtaxes are now part of the retirement planning landscape. Check out this recent webinar from our CEO, Becky Swansburg, on the OBBB and how it is going to impact your clients. 

The New Rules of Retirement Saving helps clients understand that the old "wait and see" approach no longer applies. The changes are already in effect, and the cost of inaction is no longer theoretical. Acting now, with the new tax law in place, allows savers to reposition assets, reduce long-term tax exposure, and build a more resilient retirement strategy.

This message is a powerful motivator, especially when paired with your guidance on Roth strategies, tax-free income tools, and legacy planning.

3. Simple Education Creates Smarter Clients

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its simplicity. It uses plain language, visual models, and real-life examples to explain the complex tax traps hidden in traditional retirement strategies.

Clients walk away from the book with clarity, not confusion. They begin to see the value of taking control and the benefit of working with someone who understands the new rules.

As an advisor, this means more productive meetings, better questions, and faster decision-making. Clients are no longer reacting to headlines. They are engaging in informed conversations based on clear, strategic goals.

Bottom Line: A Tool to Elevate Every Conversation

This isn’t just a book. The New Rules of Retirement Saving is a conversation-starter that helps advisors guide clients through today’s most pressing retirement risks.

It helps clients recognize that the old rules no longer apply. More importantly, it gives them a sense of control and shows them that they do not have to figure it out alone.

If you are hosting educational events, nurturing leads, or meeting with new prospects, consider using this book to enhance your process. It turns complex tax risks into clear takeaways and puts you in the advisor’s seat, right where your clients need you to be. Request your complimentary copy here.