The financial planning landscape in 2026 has been reshaped by three legislative and regulatory streams that are still unfolding: the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) made several Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions permanent and lifted the estate tax exemption to $13.99 million per person; SECURE 2.0 implementation continues, including the Roth catch-up mandate for high earners and the new $11,250 super catch-up for ages 60-63; and CMS confirmed Medicare Part B premiums for 2026 at $202.90 – a 9.7% increase that consumed roughly one-third of the average Social Security COLA. The inherited IRA 10-year rule enters its first full enforcement year in 2026, with the IRS explicitly ending penalty waivers.
This hub indexes our continuing 2026 coverage of retirement income planning, Medicare strategy, tax planning, and the legislative changes shaping practitioner workflows. Updated continuously as new analysis is published.
Planning Benchmarks – 2026
- Medicare Part B premium: $202.90/month (IRMAA surcharge range: $594.90-$1,095.60)
- 401(k) contribution limit: $24,500 (IRS 2026); super catch-up ages 60-63: $11,250
- Estate tax exemption: $13.99M per person under OBBBA permanent rules
- SALT deduction cap: raised to $40,000 under OBBBA
- Safe withdrawal rate: Bengen updated to 4.7% under 2026 modeling (Morningstar: 3.7%)
- Inherited IRA 10-year rule: full enforcement begins 2026; IRS penalty waiver expired
Coverage Pillars
1. Medicare and Healthcare Costs in Retirement
Medicare premiums are now a structural retirement income variable that absorbs a meaningful share of Social Security cost-of-living adjustments. IRMAA surcharges for higher-income retirees create a planning problem with a two-year lookback that requires forward planning today.
Latest analyses:
- Inherited IRA 10-Year Rule: 2026 Is the First Full Enforcement Year and the IRS Is Done Waiving Penalties
- Medicare IRMAA 2026: The $202.90 Premium Surge and the Advisor Playbook for Surcharge Avoidance
- Social Security 2026 Tax Brackets and 2027 Retirement Planning
2. Retirement Income and Withdrawal Strategy
The Bengen 4% rule has been updated to 4.7% under 2026 modeling. The SECURE 3.0 / OPTIONS Act roadmap may reshape contribution and distribution rules over the next 24 months. We track the academic and regulatory inputs that drive how advisors structure decumulation.
Latest analyses:
- IRS Notice 2026-13 Rewrites the 402(f) Safe Harbor: What Advisors Hand Clients Now
- The $11,250 Super Catch-Up: What Every Advisor Owes Clients Turning 60, 61, 62, or 63 in 2026
- Bengen’s 4.7% Rule: 2026 Safe Withdrawal Rate Guide for Retirees and Advisors
- SECURE 3.0 Takes Shape: The OPTIONS Act and What’s Next for Retirement Legislation
- Roth Catch-Up Mandate Hits High Earners in 2026: SECURE 2.0 Implementation
3. Tax Planning Under OBBBA
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made several TCJA provisions permanent and lifted the estate tax exemption to $13.99 million per person. The tax planning implications – Roth conversion strategy, gifting timelines, capital gains harvesting – require advisor attention now while IRS guidance continues to be issued throughout 2026.
Latest analyses:
- SALT at $40,000 and the ACA Cliff: The Two Tax Planning Emergencies Hidden in Post-Tax Season 2026
- Roth Conversions 2026 Under OBBBA: Permanent Tax Rates Reshape the Strategy
- The $15 Million Estate Tax Exemption: 2026 Planning Under OBBBA
- HSA Eligibility Expands in 2026: How OBBB Opens HSAs to Bronze and DPC Plan Members
- Alternative Investments in 401(k)s: The DOL 2026 Rule Change
What Advisors Are Watching in Q2 2026
- CMS Medicare premium and IRMAA bracket announcements – annual and mid-year adjustments
- IRS guidance documents and Revenue Procedures – for OBBBA implementation
- DOL fiduciary rule and ERISA proposals – for plan sponsor and advisor compliance
- Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means hearings – for SECURE 3.0 / OPTIONS Act movement
- Morningstar retirement research, FPA Journal, Journal of Financial Planning
- Kitces.com research notes – practitioner-grade tax and planning analysis
Why Financial Planning Coverage Matters Now
Three forces are converging on practitioner workflows simultaneously:
1. Healthcare cost inflation is outpacing Social Security COLA. The 2026 Medicare Part B premium increase of 9.7% against a 2.8% COLA is not a one-year anomaly – it is the structural pattern that will compound over the next decade. Retirement income models built before 2024 likely understate healthcare cost trajectories.
2. OBBBA changes are still being interpreted. Multiple provisions – including the HSA eligibility expansion, the alternatives-in-401(k) framework, and the gifting/estate planning windows – require IRS guidance that is being issued throughout 2026. Advisors who wait for full clarity will miss planning windows that close at year-end.
3. The two-year IRMAA lookback creates immediate planning leverage. Decisions made about 2026 income – Roth conversions, capital gains harvesting, IRA distribution timing – directly determine 2028 Medicare premiums. This forward visibility makes IRMAA one of the most actionable planning levers available, yet it remains underutilized in practitioner workflows.
For advisors, the practical implication is that 2026 client reviews need to integrate Medicare, tax, and distribution planning as a coordinated framework – not as separate annual tasks.
Questions to Raise at Your Next Client Review
- For clients with inherited IRAs from non-spouse beneficiaries, has the 10-year distribution plan been updated now that IRS penalty waivers have ended?
- Which clients turning 60, 61, 62, or 63 in 2026 are not yet maximizing the $11,250 super catch-up contribution?
- Have you modeled 2026 income levels for clients who will face IRMAA surcharges in 2028?
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Coverage updated continuously. Last updated May 30, 2026. For corrections or coverage requests, contact ed****@******************ls.com.