Good morning, Retirement Starts Today Community! Welcome to Every Day is Saturday, the newsletter reminding us that in retirement, every day is Saturday (including Thursday mornings).

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Episode Breakdown:

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act: What Retirees Need to Know About the New Tax Rules​
(0:00) Breaking down the new $6,000 senior deduction and charitable giving changes
(39:25) Listener question: What do AIF and PPC mean, and how do they compare to CFP?

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Retirement Headline:

Inside the $6,000 Senior Deduction & Charitable Giving Changes​
​Sources: Think Advisor (John Manganaro) & Fidelity Charitable

Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBA), and it reshapes some key parts of the retirement tax landscape. Let’s strip out the noise and get to what actually matters for retirees.

1. The New $6,000 Senior Deduction

• Applies to taxpayers 65+
• Income must be under $75K (single) / $150K (married filing jointly) for full benefit
• Phases out completely at $175K (single) / $250K (married)
• Available 2025–2028, on top of the standard deduction

Reality Check:​
Despite rumors, this does not eliminate Social Security taxes. It just makes it more likely lower- and middle-income retirees will owe nothing. If your income is higher (six figures+), you may still have up to 85% of Social Security taxed—same as before.

2. Charitable Giving Rules Are Changing in 2026

Above-the-Line Deduction for Non-Itemizers

• $1,000 (single) / $2,000 (married)
• Cash gifts only to public charities (no donor-advised funds or private foundations)

Deduction Cap for High-Income Itemizers

• Deduction value capped at 35% (down from 37%)
• If 2025 is a high-income year, consider accelerating donations to lock in the higher benefit

New AGI Floor for Charitable Deductions

• You must give more than 0.5% of AGI before deductions count
• Example: $300K AGI = first $1,500 doesn’t count toward itemization

Pro Tip:​
These changes reward fewer, larger gifts and make “bunching” donations into one year more attractive for tax planning. But remember—you can’t “save money” by giving money away. Give because you want to, and then optimize the tax benefit.

3. Other OBA Highlights for Retirees

• Bigger Standard Deduction: $15,750 (single) / $31,500 (married) in 2025, indexed for inflation
• Estate & Gift Tax Exemption: $15M per person (~$30M per couple)
• SALT Deduction Cap: Raised from $10K to $40K in 2025, growing 1% per year until 2029

Why This Matters:​
2025 could be a very strategic year for charitable giving, Roth conversions, or realizing gains—especially if it’s also your retirement year and you’re getting bonuses, stock payouts, or buyouts.

Listener Question:

“My advisor has AIF and PPC after their name. How do those compare to CFP?”

Here’s the quick breakdown:

CFP® – Certified Financial Planner

• The gold standard for comprehensive planning
• 6,000+ hours of experience, rigorous 6-hour exam, fiduciary standard

AIF® – Accredited Investment Fiduciary

• Focus: Prudent, documented investment process & fiduciary best practices

PPC® – Professional Plan Consultant

• Focus: Designing and managing employer retirement plans (401k/403b) for businesses

Retirement-Specific Bonus Designations

If you want a planner with deep retirement expertise, look for:

• RMA® (Retirement Management Advisor) – Specializes in retirement income strategies
• RICP® (Retirement Income Certified Professional) – Focuses on Social Security, Medicare, annuities, and withdrawal strategies
• EA (Enrolled Agent) – IRS credential for advanced tax planning and preparation

Ben’s Litmus Test for Advisors:

Final Thoughts

The OBA tax changes are real—and in some cases, time-sensitive. Between now and the end of 2025, there’s opportunity to:

• Capture charitable deduction value before the 2026 cap
• Leverage the new SALT limit
• Position for lower-tax Roth conversions

If you’re not having a tax-focused meeting with your advisor this year, now’s the time to push for one. Future-you will thank present-you.

Resources Mentioned

• ​Click here to order my book, Retirement Starts Today: Your non-financial guide to an even better retirement
• ​Click here to read the Think Advisor article
• ​Click here to read the Fidelity Charitable article

I need your help...

I will be starting a new segment on my podcast: Retire TO something, not FROM something. The segment will be brief at the end of the show and will share a fun retirement idea, along with links to learn more. Volunteer work and part-time “fun” jobs will be a common theme.

​Click here to share your ideas!

That's it for our three hundred and ninety-third installment of "Every Day is Saturday." As always, I read (and usually reply to) every listener email. Got a question? Hit reply—you just might hear your name on the show.

Enjoy your “Saturday,”
​Benjamin Brandt

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