The 0% Tax Bracket Most Retirees Walk Right Past

As always, a MASSIVE thank you to this week's sponsors! LMNT⁠: → ⁠drinklmnt.com/tyler⁠ Become an INSIDER, just order the INSIDER Bundle–four boxes for the price of three, best value they offer–and get early access to limited time flavors and cool surprise gifts along the way. ⁠Bilt⁠: → ⁠joinbilt.com/tyler⁠ to get rewarded for your biggest annual expense! ⁠Copilot Money⁠: → ⁠try.copilot.money/tyler⁠ and use code TYLER2 for two free months. ⁠Gelt⁠: → ⁠joingelt.com/tyler and see if you can get your business tax planning to the next level in 2026 and beyond! And now, on with the show notes! Most retirement withdrawal conversations focus on one number: 4%? 5%? 6%? But that misses a much bigger variable: Taxes. In this episode, Tyler revisits his $2 million retirement portfolio framework and explains why the real issue isn’t just how much you withdraw — it’s how much you keep after taxes. Because two retirees can withdraw the exact same amount and end up with very different lifestyles depending on how their accounts are structured. In this episode, Tyler covers: Why after-tax returns matter more than headline portfolio returns The hidden cost of relying too heavily on traditional IRAs and 401(k)s How Roth conversions can reduce future tax pain Why taxable brokerage accounts are one of the most underrated retirement tools How the 0% capital gains bracket can legally lower taxes in retirement Why withdrawal order matters: taxable, pre-tax, and Roth accounts each play different roles How poor tax planning can quietly reduce spending power for decades Tyler also explains why the classic withdrawal-rate debate often misses the point entirely. A 6% withdrawal with poor tax planning may feel like 4.75%. A well-structured 6% withdrawal may feel like…6%. The core idea: The goal was never to withdraw less. The goal was always to keep more. This episode isn’t about tax gimmicks or loopholes. It’s about understanding the rules well enough to make smarter decisions with the money you’ve already built. If the show’s been helpful, leaving a quick review on Apple or Spotify genuinely helps. Hope this gives you something to think about this week.