#148 - Traditional Vs. Roth IRAs: What Pilots Need to Know

Tait Duryea and Ryan Gibson break down one of the most important retirement decisions pilots face: Traditional vs. Roth IRAs. They explain how taxes impact withdrawals, why required minimum distributions matter, and how poor planning could leave your kids with a massive tax bill. The conversation also explores advanced strategies like Roth conversions, self-directed IRAs, and “Roth chunking” during low-income years. If you want to build wealth through real estate while protecting your retirement from unnecessary taxes, this episode offers practical frameworks to help pilots think long-term about their portfolio, income streams, and legacy planning.

Show notes:

(0:00) Intro

(3:01) Traditional vs Roth fundamentals

(7:30) Required minimum distributions explained

(11:13) Nest egg vs golden goose investing

(14:55) Using self-directed IRAs for real estate

(21:37) Inherited IRA tax pitfalls

(26:08) Roth chunking for new airline hires

(30:58) Strategic Roth conversions during low-income years

(35:11) Passive income to fund retirement

(38:35) Advanced Roth conversion appraisal strategy

(45:38) Outro

Related Episode:

• #110 - The IRA Club Advantage: The Self-Directed IRA Strategy for Pilots with Ramez Fakhoury: https://passiveincomepilots.com/episode/110-the-ira-club-advantage-the-self-directed-ira-strategy-for-pilots-with-ramez-fakhoury

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*Legal Disclaimer*

The content of this podcast is provided solely for educational and informational purposes. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts, Tait Duryea and Ryan Gibson, and do not reflect those of any organization they are associated with, including Turbine Capital or Spartan Investment Group. The opinions of our guests are their own and should not be construed as financial advice. This podcast does not offer tax, legal, or investment advice. Listeners are advised to consult with their own legal or financial counsel and to conduct their own due diligence before making any financial decisions.