Celeste Amaya, MD

20/11/2025

The Silent Wealth Killer in Retirement
That No One is Talking About (And It's Costing Retirees Thousands).

Chapter 8 from The Retirement Code.

Susan's Medicare premium jumped nearly $5,000 a year. No warning. No preparation.
Her "mistake?" Not knowing that Required Minimum Distributions from her IRA two years earlier were going to impact her Medicare premium.

IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) is the silent wealth killer in retirement. Your traditional IRA and 401(k) withdrawals don't only get taxed-they trigger Medicare surcharges that can persist for years based on income from two years prior.

The math gets brutal fast.

An extra $10,000 withdrawal? That's not a 24% tax hit.
It's 32.9% when you factor in IRMAA premiums. And most retirees never see it coming because some advisors never mapped the intersection of retirement income and healthcare costs.

Why the silence?
-IRMAA is complex and unsexy
-Most advisory firms focus on portfolio returns
-Healthcare planning isn't a priority
-The two-year lookback creates delayed consequences

So, what separates the advisors who actually protect their clients:

-Think in layers
-Use Roth conversions strategically
-Employ Qualified Charitable Distributions
-Maximize HSAs

We all know that sustainable retirement income isn't about beating the market-it's about outsmarting the tax code and healthcare system simultaneously.

Clients built wealth their whole lives. The real skill is protecting it in retirement-especially from the invisible tax increases hiding in Medicare regulations.

If your retirement plan doesn't address IRMAA, it's incomplete. If your advisor hasn't discussed the two-year lookback, they're not thinking strategically enough.

This is the gap between good advice and exceptional advice.

What's your experience with IRMAA planning? Have you seen it blindside your clients? The conversation needs to happen more often.

AlkemyWealth.com

19/11/2025

“Financial security linked to longevity? Is this even a thing?”




AlkemyWealth.com

(Chapter 11 & Bonus Chapter, The Retirement Code)

14/11/2025

Here's a question I ask everyone I meet:

"Are you leaving money on the table with every single paycheck?"

Most answer "No" with confidence. Then I ask to see their 401(k) statement.

Their confidence usually evaporates.

Jeff didn't think he was leaving money behind either. He was doing "fine"-contributing to his company's plan, getting a paycheck, paying his bills. But "fine" was costing him thousands annually.

"Jeff, your company matches 50% of contributions up to 4% of your salary. What are you currently contributing?"

"I'm putting in 2%," Jeff replied confidently.

"So you're receiving..."

"Wait. You mean I'm only getting half the match I could get?"

That moment-that realization-changed Jeff's entire retirement trajectory.

Here's what most people don't understand: employer matches aren't a bonus. They're a guaranteed 50% return on your money. Nothing else in investing delivers that.

Your employer match? It's immediate, guaranteed, and yours to keep from day one if your company uses immediate vesting.

One of the most common mistakes I see is that professionals understand their business inside and out, yet they treat their own retirement benefits like they're too complicated to bother with. They spend hours analyzing client portfolios or optimizing operations, but never ask their HR department what options are available.

Here's what I tell them: You didn't build your business or career by avoiding the details. You succeeded by mastering them. Your retirement planning deserves the same attention you give to everything else you care about.

The first step is simple. It takes less than five minutes:
-Pull your latest paycheck or benefits summary
-Calculate what percentage you're currently contributing to your 401(k)
-Look up your company's match formula (HR has this)
-Calculate how much match you're leaving uncaptured
-Adjust your contribution to capture 100% of the match That's it. One conversation with payroll. One form. One decision. That's how Jeff started reclaiming thousands in retirement wealth.
In the book, The Retirement Code, I share Jeff's full story and the framework he used to transform his retirement outcome. Because employer benefits aren't complicated when you understand them-and when you do, retirement becomes one of empowerment, not worry.
Your competitive edge isn't working harder. It's working smarter-with the resources already available to you.

Is there an uncaptured employer match in your life right now?

07/11/2025

Michael’s storm…

05/11/2025

What is really keeping Sarah up in the wee hours of the night?

[Alkemywealth.com]

04/07/2024

WISHING YOU ALL A SAFE AND HAPPY 4th🧨💥🎊🎉♥️

Please click the image to view your ecard!

04/05/2024

(RP Vrddhi Financial Group)

“If you have a loved one with special needs or know someone who has special needs, register to attend a free webinar with the link below to learn how to protect them when you are no longer around.” (Repost sponsor: AlkemyWealth.com)

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/vrddhifingroup_specialneedstrust-specialneeds-activity-7192616964639342593-fdu4?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

28/01/2024

A Thought to Gratitude: "A successful life requires courage and belief in yourself to leap into the unknown.
Nothing great ever came out of your comfort zone. Be creative not competitive. Be yourself. Do your own thing. You'll attract the right people along the way.
Raise up everyone you meet. Operate out of abundance instead of lack and you'll find that harmonious prosperity follows you, because there are plenty of fish out there for everyone."

23/01/2024

Part 3 Last Installment of Physician Healer Issue 102 now published. Check it out on Substack.com. Abundance and Freedom — When Do We Really Know We are Abundant and Free? (Sponsor: AlkemyWealth.com)