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Table Of Contents
for book From Savvy Saver to Smart Spender: How to Pick a Tax-Wise Retirement Withdrawal Strategy
Introduction
Chapter One: Don’t Wait to Withdraw—How Implementing a Retirement Withdrawal Strategy Now Can Slash Your Tax Bill Later
Chapter Two: Six Questions, Six Reasons You Need a Withdrawal Strategy
Chapter Three: Moving From Savvy Saver to Smart Spender—Shifting Your Mindset on the Retirement Roller Coaster
Chapter Four: Let’s Get Specific—How a Couple with Retirement Accounts Totaling $1.2 Million Can Simply Save Almost $20,000 in Taxes with a Smart Withdrawal Strategy
Chapter Five: More Examples of Ways to Save—Account Values $1.5 million-$3 million, with Savings up to $170,000
Chapter Six: 70 Percent Savings Lower Account Values
Chapter Seven: Married with Savings—Saving with a Second Social Security Benefit and Different Ages
Chapter Eight: Single Scoop—Single Savvy Savers May Also Save $100,000 or More Using a Smart Withdrawal Strategy
Chapter Nine: Let’s Do it! Turn Your Chosen Strategy into a Tax-smart Withdrawal Plan Right Now—and Why You Shouldn’t Wait
Chapter Ten: Review, Revise, Retain: Using Annual Checkups to Keep Your Plan Running Well and Save Even More
Chapter Eleven: Conclusion—Better Prepared for the Ride
February 2024 Update
The Retirement Tax Saver Calculator is been updated to use 2024 tax brackets and standard deductions. It also calculates your RMD age under the SECURE 2.0 Act based on your y
Independent Reviews of the Book
5 Stars
“McDonald covers all things retirement finance-related once retirement has begun, including why a withdrawal strategy is crucial, and the variety of ways where following a good strategy can save a reader from hefty and unnecessary tax liabilities. . . .
McDonald does well in addressing where a reader is in their age bracket and, depending on their situation, what they need to start doing right this moment. The writing itself is straightforward and clean, with McDonald taking a mostly conversational tone. Most readers will appreciate this because even though we are being given homework, it is dressed up as a friend advising us over a cup of coffee. . . . Very highly recommended.”
Reviewed By Jamie Michele for Readers’ Favorite
“FROM SAVVY SPENDER TO SMART SAVER is a clearly written and comprehensive guide to tax savings for retirees or those approaching retirement. . . .
Used in tandem with the website the book offers an opportunity to investigate whether McDonald’s plans could work for an individual and if it did prove to be viable then the cost of the book would be repaid thousands of times over. . . . Daniel W. McDonald’s FROM SAVVY SPENDER TO SMART SAVER . . . could potentially save certain retirees thousands of dollars.”
Reviewed by Kent Lane for Indie Reader
“McDonald builds out a concrete explanation of why any investors should not wait until Required Minimum Distributions begin at age 72, including examples with real numbers. . . . . Readers who are in their 50s and 60s and beginning to plan for their golden years will find helpful, concrete tables and to-the-point planning advice. . . . The information within—and his Retirement Tax Saver tool—will be a godsend for savers who don’t want to lose their carefully stashed cash.”
Reviewed by Blue Ink Review
Recommended by Kirkus
[T]he group the author calls “Younger Baby Boomer Savers”—those in their late 50s and early 60s whose retirement savings are in the top quintile– . . . are in the best position to implement his strategy and benefit from the tax savings. For those readers, this work is an effective addition to their personal finance bookshelves. McDonald does a good job of explaining the tax implications of different forms of retirement savings and the legal requirements for annual withdrawals. The volume covers tax policy in fairly general terms—avoiding a morass of wonkish details but clearly laying out the elements that have a measurable effect on the total amount retirees will have available to spend. By approaching retirement finance from a new angle, the author offers insights to those who have moved beyond contributing to their 401(k)s and are now ready to maximize their benefits.
An unusual approach to retirement finance that delivers worthwhile ideas.
Our verdict: GET IT.
Reviewed by Kirkus
Retirement Tax Book and Calculator Highlighted in Notice that Author McDonald has been Inducted into Marquis Who's Who Registry
Link to the press release from Marquis Who’s Who is below. Marquis Who’s Who has been published since 1899:
- Author Daniel McDonald was recognized for 35+ year career as attorney as well as 20+ years as a volunteer leader as a University of Minnesota alumnus
- The release also notes that McDonald is an “award-winning book author with RTS Tech Publications LLC. He authored “From Savvy Saver to Smart Spender, How to Pick a Tax-Wise Retirement Withdrawal Strategy” which was published in April of 2022 and is available at amazon.com. The book, a winner of a 2022 Book Award from Readers Favorite, explains how to implement strategies regarding withdrawals from a retirement account to save money on taxes. Mr. McDonald also has a website, www.RetirementTaxSaver.com, which features a tool enabling people to customize their personal retirement withdrawal plan.”
An audio version of From Savvy Saver to Smart Spender is now available on Audible! Listen while out for a walk. All the boring charts are summarized for easier listening. Plus the narrator has a pleasant Scottish brogue. What’s not to like about that? Find the book (retitled “Retire with Confidence”) here
