Aug 25, 2026 · 24 min
Wes Moss challenges risky shortcuts in retirement planning
08.25.26 Ask An Advisor With Wes Moss
The episode shows how tax diversification, realistic assumptions, and age-appropriate investing can protect long-term plans from avoidable risk.
- 1Expected inheritances belong outside retirement plans until the money is certain or available.
- 2High-yield option ETFs can distribute large amounts without offering sustainable returns or low risk.
- 3Roth strategies, 401(k) contributions, and diversified accounts can improve tax flexibility near retirement.
Don't miss
Wes Moss explains why an expected inheritance should not support a retirement plan when parents’ longevity, care needs, or estate decisions remain uncertain.
The brief
Wes Moss joins Clark Howard for a rapid-fire financial Q&A, weighing cash reserves against investing, explaining backdoor Roth strategies, and separating useful flexibility from unnecessary complexity.
The sharpest warning concerns expected inheritances: parents may live longer, need costly care, or change their plans, making uncertain future money a dangerous foundation for retirement.
Moss also challenges ETFs advertising 25% to 40% yields, explaining how option premiums can create large distributions that may not be sustainable and can involve return of capital.
For college savings and young grandchildren, the discussion turns to 529 glide paths, bond choices, custodial retirement accounts, Trump accounts, and limited Roth IRA rollovers.
Near-retirees with 401(k), real-estate, and cash assets get a practical conclusion: contribute beyond the employer match and build tax diversification through Roth options.
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