Leap Wealth Management, LLC.

05/29/2026

After working with pre-retirees in Dallas for years, the most common regret I hear sounds like this:

"I wish someone had told me about this ten years ago."

They're not talking about picking the wrong investments. They're talking about the structure of their savings — specifically, having almost everything in pre-tax accounts like 401(k)s and traditional IRAs.

I understand how it happened. Every HR department and financial media outlet has spent 40 years telling people to contribute to their 401(k). Get the match. Max it out. Defer the tax. That advice isn't wrong — but it's incomplete.

When I sit down with someone who's 62 and has $1.2 million in pre-tax accounts, the math often tells an uncomfortable story. At 73, they'll be required to take out roughly $47,000 that first year — on top of Social Security, which could push up to 85% of their benefit into taxable income. On top of Medicare premiums that increase with income.

They saved diligently. They followed the rules. And now they're looking at a retirement income tax rate that rivals what they paid while working.

The good news: there's still time to change the trajectory. Not eliminate the tax — but reduce it,
spread it, and make it more predictable.

That's what this guide is about. It's written for people who have done the right things and now want to do the right things with what they've built.

Download the Roth Conversion Guide →

Required Minimum Distributions are coming whether you're ready or not. If you have $500,000 or more in a 401(k) or IRA, a Roth conversion strategy can put you in control of what you owe - before the IRS decides for you. Here are some items that are covered in our guide below:

05/29/2026

According to a Fidelity article, for the ‘25-’26 school year, the average published all-in cost at a 4-year public school for out-of-state students is $45,780, and the average private school costs $60,920.

So, because today is 529 Day (it’s 5/29, get it? 😂), it’s a good time to revisit one of the most flexible tools for tackling those numbers.

What 529 plans actually do:

📚 Tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals for qualified education expenses. State tax treatment will vary, and so will fees and expenses.

📚 Use them for college, trade school, K-12 tuition, and apprenticeships. A 529 can even repay up to $10,000 in student loans.

📚 Whether a 529 qualifies for a state tax deduction will depend on your state of residence, as state tax laws and treatment may vary from federal tax laws.

📚 Superfund up to $95,000 in a single year by using five years of gift tax exclusions at once. But remember if you make nonqualified distributions, earnings will be subject to income tax and a 10 percent federal penalty tax.

📚 Minimal impact on financial aid—parent-owned 529s are assessed at a maximum rate of 5.6 percent.

Grandparents, parents, aunts, or uncles can contribute.

And starting in 2026, the K-12 annual withdrawal limit doubles to $20,000.

The best time to start was years ago. The second-best time is now.

05/28/2026

Most parents think the last tuition check means game over for college. The data says it's halftime.

50 percent of parents with adult children still provide regular financial support, spending $1,474 a month to do so. That's more than twice what they're putting toward their own retirement.

Here's what "just helping out a little" actually looks like:

✅ 75 percent of parents aged 45+ are financially supporting at least one adult child, even though over half of those children can meet their own basic needs, according to a 2025 AARP survey.

✅ 42 percent of supporting parents report financial stress. 9 percent have retired early because of it.

✅ 47 percent say they've sacrificed their own financial position for the sake of their kids.

✅ 18 percent say the support could continue indefinitely. They don't see an end in sight.

This isn't about being less generous. It's about being intentional.

Whether your kid just graduated, graduated five years ago, or is still in school, the question is the same: Is your support happening by design or by default?

That's worth a conversation.

05/27/2026

Markets rose broadly before Memorial Day, with leadership rotating from large-cap tech to the Dow and small-cap value. The S&P 500 gained 0.88% and marked an eighth straight weekly advance. Strong earnings beat rates supported...

05/25/2026

Yes, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer. But let's not forget what this day is really about.

Today, we remember those who gave everything. The men and women who served and never came home.

Some of us knew them. Some of us are here because of them.

However you spend today, take a moment to pause. Enjoy the long weekend, but hold space for what it actually means.

To the families carrying that loss: we honor them with you.

05/21/2026

Counterintuitive tax planning idea: sometimes the smartest move is to pay more tax now.

Not more than you owe. More than you're currently on track to pay.

Here's what I mean.

When you retire but before your Required Minimum Distributions kick in, something interesting
happens: your taxable income drops — often significantly. No more salary. RMDs haven't started yet. Social Security may not have started yet. For a few years, you might be in a lower bracket than you've been in for decades.

That gap is an opportunity.

In 2026, a married couple filing jointly pays 22% on income between $100,800 and $211,400. If your income in a given year is, say, $120,000 — you have roughly $90,000 of "room" in the 22% bracket before hitting 24%.

Converting $90,000 from a traditional IRA to a Roth that year means you pay tax on it now, at 22%. In exchange, that money grows tax-free and is never subject to RMDs. When you do start taking RMDs on the remaining balance, the mandatory distributions — and the taxes on them — are smaller.

This is called bracket filling. And the years between retirement and age 73 or 75 are the only time most people have this kind of flexibility.

It takes some math to do it right. But the concept is simple: use a low-income window to pre-pay tax at a rate you choose, rather than pay tax later at a rate the IRS determines.

I wrote a guide on exactly this. Link below if you want to dig in.

Download the Roth Conversion Guide →

Required Minimum Distributions are coming whether you're ready or not. If you have $500,000 or more in a 401(k) or IRA, a Roth conversion strategy can put you in control of what you owe - before the IRS decides for you. Here are some items that are covered in our guide below:

05/21/2026

Cap and gown season is here. 🎓

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS to every graduate walking across a stage this month! 🥳 🥳

The late nights, the stress, the uncertainty about what comes next have all led to this moment.

To the parents and grandparents in the audience pretending they're not emotional: we get it. ❤️

For the new grads, a few things to consider as you start this next chapter:

➡️ Start investing as early as possible, even if it's small. Time is the one advantage you won't get back.

➡️ If your employer offers a retirement plan with a company match, take it. It's free money.

➡️ Build an emergency fund before you worry about investing. Three months of expenses is a good first goal.

➡️ Understand your student loans: what you owe, the interest rates, and when payments start.

➡️ Your first budget doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to exist.

The financial habits you build now will help form the foundation for your future.

Congrats, Class of 2026. 👏

05/18/2026

Who else has a pet that runs the household? 🙋

May is National Pet Month, and whether it's a dog 🐕, a cat 🐈, or something with scales or feathers, pets have a way of taking over.

They love us unconditionally. They give us so much joy. They are a big part of the fabric of our families.

They also can cost more than we expected, require more preparation than we anticipated, and somehow we'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.

If you have one, or three, or had one in the past, then you know. ❤️

Share a pic of your fur baby(ies)! 🐶

05/15/2026

Think you have to start claiming Social Security at 62?

That's a myth that could cost you.

Fidelity recently broke down this common misconception with the facts behind Social Security:

➡️ Claiming at 62 locks in a permanent 30 percent reduction compared to waiting until full retirement age.

➡️ Waiting from 62 to 70 can increase your monthly benefit by approximately 77 percent.

➡️ If you're divorced after 10+ years of marriage and haven't remarried, you may be entitled to 50 percent of your ex-spouse's benefit, and claiming it doesn't affect theirs at all.

➡️ Benefits are based on your highest 35 earning years, not just what you made before 65. Working past 65 can still improve your calculation.

➡️ Once you claim it, that's your benefit, adjusted only for cost-of-living increases.

The decision of when to claim is one of the most consequential decisions when preparing for retirement.

For a benefit designed to last 20, 30, or more years, the math is worth getting right. 📊

05/14/2026

Your retirement outlook probably covers income, investments, and Social Security.

But does it answer this question: if your health changes at 82, who coordinates your care, how is it paid for, and what burden does it place on the people you love? 👇

That's the conversation most families aren't having early enough.

A few numbers that put it in perspective:

✅ 70 percent of adults who reach 65 will need some form of long-term care.

✅ A semi-private nursing home room now costs a median of $114,975 per year, and that number is climbing fast.

✅ Projected out 20 years, nursing home care could approach $186,000 annually.

✅ Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) offer an alternative: move in while independent, with access to assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing on one campus as needs change.

✅ A portion of CCRC entrance fees and monthly fees may have tax considerations since they can be classified as a medical expense. Most people don't know this.

The biggest mistake we see?

Waiting.

CCRCs require applicants to be healthy enough to live independently. Many have waitlists.

"I'll just stay in my house" feels like the safest option. But it's only safe if you've stress-tested what happens when care needs escalate.

Have you started this conversation with your family or your financial professional? 👇