92.5 Fox News Radio · Southwest Florida · Special Edition
Saving The Investor
Independence Day Special — Declaring Independence From an Unplanned Tax Future
★ July 4, 2026 · America's 250th — The Semiquincentennial ★
Hosts: Alfie Tounjian, CFP & John Antonucci |
Record Thu, July 2, 2026 · Air Sat, July 4, 2026 |
Four segments · ~12 min each · 48-minute show
John — structure & CTA (blue)Alfie — Riff Cards (red)Stat Block — read verbatim (silver)Call to Action (gold)
Backstage · not read on air
Jobs — out this AMPayrolls +57,000 vs ~110k expected — a clear miss, smallest gain in four months. Unemployment fell to 4.2%, mostly because people left the labor force. BLS, 7/2 8:30a (released early for the holiday)May revisedDown to +129,000 (from +172,000).WagesJune average hourly earnings not yet pulled when this was written — confirm before quoting on air.John's optionOptional one-liner after Stat Block 1 if you want the fresh June number at tape.Yields10-year dipped ~2bp to ~4.46% after the print — still "near 4.4%", so Stat Block 1 stands as written.LockedAll tax law, brackets, and quarter-end closing levels.Fed namesOn-air Fed talk = rate decision and projections only; reference lists note the Chair transition neutrally — confirm any names with the CCO.
S&P 500
7,499.36
6/30 close · H1 ≈ +9.6%
Dow / Nasdaq
52,319 / 26,214
6/30 close · Nasdaq: best Q since 2020
Fed Funds
3.50–3.75%
held 6/17 · dots lean to a hike
10-Yr Treasury
4.44%
2-yr 4.14% · 30-yr 4.91%
Core PCE
3.4%
May · core CPI 2.9%
Headline CPI
4.2%
May · energy-driven
Money-Fund Yield
≈ 3.47%
Crane 100 7-day avg, 6/30 · near LOW end of Fed range
Est. Exemption
$15M
per person · 2026
Snapshot figures sourced under each Stat Block. Rates/levels as of quarter-end; yields move with July 1–2 trading.
Segment 1 · ~12 minSegment One · The Hidden Risk
The Biggest Threat Isn't the Market — It's Taxes You Don't Control
Tax drag: on America's 250th, declaring independence from an unplanned tax future.
John · opens the showcold open · fresh each week
"It's the Fourth of July, 2026 — America turns 250 years old today. So while the flags go up and the coffee's still hot, try this one: over a thirty-year retirement, which costs a portfolio more — the market's worst years, or the tax bill quietly stacking up the whole time? If you've never done that math... today's show is for you."
"Welcome to Saving The Investor, folks. Alfie, on a day all about independence, you want to talk about a different kind — independence from a tax future nobody planned for."
Alfie · Riff Card 1
THE BIG IDEA
Volatility gets the headlines. Taxes get the money.
The market just closed its best quarter since 2020, and everyone's glued to the ticker. Meanwhile the biggest line item of your whole retirement is the one nobody charts — decades of taxes.
Alfie · Riff Card 2
KEY CONCEPT
Your IRA has a silent co-owner.
Every pre-tax dollar you've saved is really you, plus a tax bill you haven't settled yet. The only question is which decade you pay it in — and at what rate.
Stat Block 1 · Alfie reads verbatim
"Here are the numbers as of this week. Core inflation is still warm — core PCE ran 3.4% in May, core CPI 2.9%. The Federal Reserve held its rate at 3.50% to 3.75% on June 17 — and its own June projections now lean toward one more possible rate hike this year, not a cut. The 10-year Treasury sits near 4.4%, the 2-year near 4.1%."
Producer sources · not read Core PCE — BEA, 6/25/26. Core CPI — BLS, 6/10/26. Fed decision & June SEP — Federal Reserve, 6/17/26. Treasury yields — Federal Reserve H.15, 6/30/26.
John · OPTIONAL freshness line — only if using this morning's June jobs report
"And just this morning we learned the economy added only 57,000 jobs in June — hiring is cooling while inflation stays hot, which is exactly why the Fed isn't riding to the rescue with rate cuts."
Producer source · not read June payrolls +57,000, unemployment 4.2% — BLS Employment Situation, 7/2/26 (via Trading Economics & CNBC, 7/2/26). Optional; skip if sticking with May data.
John · reacts + teed-up follow-up
"So rates are high, inflation's sticky, and the Fed's leaning hawkish. Alfie — if we can't count on rates falling to bail us out, doesn't that make the one thing we can control, the tax bill, even more important?"
Alfie · Riff Card 3
THE STEALTH TAX
The brackets move. The traps don't.
The IRS adjusts tax brackets for inflation every year — so this isn't bracket creep. The stealth tax is the thresholds frozen since the 1980s and 90s, plus bigger forced withdrawals later.
Alfie · Riff Card 4
THE 250TH TIE-IN
Declare independence from an unplanned tax future.
Two hundred fifty years ago, a generation refused taxation they had no say in. You can't vote your tax bill away — but with a plan, you can bring it down on purpose.
John · sets up the CTA
"That's exactly what we put on paper for folks. Let me tell you how to get it."
Call to Action · full spoken version · John reads near-verbatim
Lead-in (rotate): "Here's the one thing we want to put in your hands today."
"It's called the Tax Plan Playbook — the guide many of our TV viewers have been asking us for. In plain English, it's an honest look at protecting what you've built from the biggest hidden risk in retirement: taxes you don't control. On America's 250th, think of it as your own small declaration of independence from an unplanned tax future. To get it, just text the word PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077. We'll text you back a link to a short form, and the Playbook lands in your inbox. It's free, there's no pressure — and if you've built a serious portfolio, it's worth the read."
Locked: keyword PLAYBOOK · number 239-747-1077 · deliverable Tax Plan Playbook. Never read a URL on air.
Segment 2 · ~12 minSegment Two · The Timing Window
The Low-Tax Window Most Retirees Sleep Through
The early-retirement years before Social Security and RMDs — an opportunity, not a lull.
John · opens the segment
"Welcome back to our Independence Day special of Saving The Investor. Alfie, before the break you said you can't vote your tax bill away — but with a plan, you can bring it down on purpose. So where does that plan actually start?"
Alfie · Riff Card 1
THE OPPORTUNITY
There's a window most people sleep through.
The years after your paycheck stops and before Social Security and required withdrawals begin can be the lowest-tax years of your life. That gap is the opening.
Alfie · Riff Card 2
THE DEADLINE
Age 73 is a deadline, not a suggestion.
Required minimum distributions kick in at 73 and can shove you into brackets you'd carefully avoided for years. Far better to empty that tax-deferred bucket on your own terms first.
Stat Block 2 · Alfie reads verbatim
"The planning numbers for 2026: required minimum distributions now start at age 73, and rise to 75 in 2033. The standard deduction is $16,100 single, $32,200 for a married couple. Seniors 65 and older get an extra $6,000 deduction each through 2028, phasing out above $75,000 single, $150,000 joint. And the 24% bracket doesn't end until about $403,550 of taxable income for a couple."
John · reacts + follow-up that tees up the next pair
"So there's real room sitting in those low brackets. Paint me the picture, Alfie — what does that actually look like for a couple right here in Southwest Florida?"
Alfie · Riff Card 3
HYPOTHETICAL STORY
A Naples Couple // Mid-60s // Living Off Savings
For illustration only: both retired, not yet claiming Social Security, living off cash savings. Their taxable income is unusually low — so the bottom brackets are sitting empty, waiting to be used on purpose.
Alfie · Riff Card 4
THE STRATEGY
Fill the low brackets — or RMDs will.
Every dollar you move while you're in the 12% or 22% bracket is a dollar that won't come out at a higher rate at 73. The window doesn't stay open forever.
John · sets up the CTA
"If that window might be open for you, here's the guide that walks you right through it."
Call to Action · short version · John reads near-verbatim
"—text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077. We send you the link, and the Tax Plan Playbook lands in your inbox. It's free, and there's no pressure."
Locked: keyword PLAYBOOK · number 239-747-1077 · deliverable Tax Plan Playbook.
Segment 3 · ~12 minSegment Three · Precision & Coordination
Roth Conversions Done With Precision — and the Coordination Gap
Investments, income, taxes, and risk managed in isolation leave money on the table.
John · opens the segment
"You're listening to a special 250th-anniversary edition of Saving The Investor. Alfie, segment three is where precision really matters — Roth conversions, and the thing you say trips up almost everybody: coordination."
Alfie · Riff Card 1
KEY CONCEPT
Roth conversions are a choice, not a chore.
You move money from tax-deferred to tax-free, and you pay the tax now — on purpose, at a rate you choose — instead of one chosen for you decades later.
Alfie · Riff Card 2
THE GUARDRAILS
Precision beats enthusiasm every time.
Convert too much in one year and you can spike your bracket, your Medicare premium, and how much of your Social Security gets taxed. Fill the bracket — don't blow through it.
Stat Block 3 · Alfie reads verbatim
"The guardrails, in this week's numbers: the low brackets — 10% and 12% — run up to about $100,800 of taxable income for a couple in 2026. Up to 85% of your Social Security can become taxable once income passes $34,000 single, $44,000 joint — and those thresholds have been frozen since 1993. The top federal rate is still 37%. A conversion is a decision you control; a required distribution at 73 is one you don't."
Producer sources · not read Brackets & top rate — IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32. Social Security taxation thresholds (not inflation-indexed) — Congressional Research Service / IRS. RMD age — IRS / SECURE 2.0.
John · reacts + follow-up
"So the guardrails are real — your bracket, your Medicare premium, how much of your Social Security gets taxed. That's a lot of moving parts, Alfie. On a day like the Fourth, how do you get separate pieces working as one?"
Alfie · Riff Card 3
THE 250TH TIE-IN
Thirteen colonies, one union.
Your investments, your income, your taxes, and your risk are four colonies. Managed in isolation they leak money; coordinated under one plan, they can compound.
Alfie · Riff Card 4
THE COSTLY GAP
The coordination gap is where dollars quietly leak.
Your CPA files the return, your advisor picks the funds, and often nobody owns the whole board. Closing that gap is the entire game.
John · sets up the CTA
"We laid it all out in plain English. Here's how to grab it."
Call to Action · short version · John reads near-verbatim
Lead-in (rotate): "Want the whole framework in writing?"
"Text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077. We'll send a link to a short form, and we'll email you the Tax Plan Playbook. It's free — read it on your own time."
Locked: keyword PLAYBOOK · number 239-747-1077 · deliverable Tax Plan Playbook.
Segment 4 · ~12 minSegment Four · Legacy & What Happens Next
Legacy Across Generations — and the Faster Rules Heirs Now Face
250 years of opportunity handed down: how planning protects what passes to family.
John · opens the segment
"Final segment of our Independence Day special. Alfie, we've named the hidden risk, found the window, and talked precision — now let's finish where it all points: legacy. What actually happens to what you've built when you're gone, and how the rules for your heirs just changed."
Alfie · Riff Card 1
THE RULE CHANGE
The stretch IRA is gone.
For most non-spouse heirs, an inherited IRA now has to be emptied within 10 years — not stretched over their whole lifetime the way it used to be.
Alfie · Riff Card 2
THE RISK TO HEIRS
Heirs inherit the bill in their worst decade.
That 10-year clock usually runs right through your kids' peak-earning years, at their highest rates. Timing is everything — and now it's compressed.
Stat Block 4 · Alfie reads verbatim
"The legacy numbers as they stand for 2026: most non-spouse heirs must fully drain an inherited IRA within 10 years — and if you'd already started your own withdrawals, they take annual distributions in years 1 through 9 as well. The federal estate and gift exemption is $15 million per person — $30 million for a couple — with inflation indexing beginning in 2027. The gift you can give tax-free is $19,000 per person this year. And right here at home, Florida has no state income tax and no state estate or inheritance tax."
Producer sources · not read Inherited-IRA 10-year rule & years 1–9 RMDs — IRS final regulations (2024; enforced 2025). Estate/gift exemption & annual exclusion — IRS, 10/9/25 (OBBBA). Florida tax status — State of Florida.
John · reacts + follow-up
"So the door's wide open — a $15 million exemption — but the rules for heirs got faster and tighter. That's the whole case for planning it now, isn't it?"
Alfie · Riff Card 3
THE OPEN WINDOW
A $15 million door is open — not promised.
The exemption is generous today because last year's law removed the scheduled cut. But a future Congress can still change it — which makes this a window to use, not a guarantee to lean on.
Alfie · Riff Card 4
THE LEGACY PRINCIPLE
Be a good ancestor.
Two hundred fifty years of American opportunity got handed down to us. A real plan is how you hand more of it to the next generation — instead of to the IRS.
John · sets up the CTA
"That's the note we want to leave you on. Before Alfie takes us home, let me put one last thing in your hands."
Call to Action · full spoken version · John reads near-verbatim
Lead-in (rotate): "On America's 250th birthday, here's the one resource to take with you."
"The Tax Plan Playbook is the guide our TV viewers keep asking for — an honest, no-jargon look at protecting what you've built from the biggest hidden risk in retirement, and passing more of it on to the people you love. To get your copy, text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077. We'll send a link to a short form, and the Playbook arrives in your inbox. It's free, and there's no pressure — and if you've built a serious portfolio, it's a fitting read for the holiday weekend."
Locked: keyword PLAYBOOK · number 239-747-1077 · deliverable Tax Plan Playbook. Never read a URL on air.
Alfie · TV Sign-Off — verbatim, do not edit
"Thanks for spending part of your day with us. And remember—you can also catch Saving The Investor on TV, Sundays at 11:00 a.m. on Gulf Coast News, right after Meet the Press. Until next time—be blessed."
For John
John's CTA Swap Menu: 10 Alternatives
Swap any segment's CTA for one of these. All drive PLAYBOOK → 239-747-1077 for the free Tax Plan Playbook. All compliant: no scarcity, no urgency, no promised outcomes.
July 4"This Independence Day, declare a little independence from an unplanned tax future — text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077 and we'll email you the free Tax Plan Playbook."
July 4"Two hundred fifty years of American opportunity are worth a plan to protect — text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077 for our free Tax Plan Playbook."
Legacy"Independence is something you pass on — text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077 for the free Tax Plan Playbook and start protecting what your family inherits."
Warm"If you've ever wondered whether you're paying more tax in retirement than you have to, text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077 and we'll send the free Tax Plan Playbook to your inbox."
Warm"The guide our viewers keep asking us for is yours at no cost — just text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077 and we'll email you the Tax Plan Playbook."
Warm"If you've built a serious portfolio, our Tax Plan Playbook is worth a quiet read — text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077 and we'll send it over."
Direct"Text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077. We send a link, you fill out a short form, and the free Tax Plan Playbook lands in your inbox."
Direct"Want the whole framework in writing? Text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077 for the free Tax Plan Playbook."
Short"Text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077 for the free Tax Plan Playbook."
Short"Free and simple — text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077 for the free Tax Plan Playbook."
Red — What Already Happened
June 2026 · Q2 2026 · First Half 2026 — real, sourced, audience-relevant
Top 10 — June 2026
The month in review
Fed held at 3.50–3.75% on June 17 and dropped its easing bias; the dot plot now leans toward a possible hike. Federal Reserve, 6/17/26
May core PCE 3.4% (headline 4.1%) — highest core since late 2023. BEA, 6/25/26
May CPI: headline 4.2%, core 2.9% — hottest headline in more than 3 years (highest since April 2023), energy-led. BLS, 6/10/26
S&P 500 topped 7,600 for the first time (7,609.78) on June 2 — one of ~two dozen 2026 records. CNBC/TheStreet, 6/2/26
Q1 2026 GDP revised up to a final +2.1%. BEA, 6/25/26
May jobs report: +172,000 payrolls, unemployment 4.3% (May later revised to +129,000 in the July 2 report). BLS, 6/5/26 & 7/2/26
10-year Treasury ended June at ~4.44% (2-yr ~4.14%, 30-yr ~4.91%). Fed H.15, 6/30/26
Money-market fund assets held near $7.90 trillion. ICI, 6/25/26
NOAA's below-normal hurricane outlook framed a calmer risk season for Florida. NOAA, 5/21/26
Top 10 — Q2 2026
April–June
Best quarter since 2020 for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq (S&P ≈ +14.9%). CNBC, 6/30/26
Fed held rates through the quarter; June SEP raised the end-2026 median to 3.8%. Federal Reserve, 6/17/26
Inflation reaccelerated — headline CPI back to 4.2% by May on an energy shock. BLS, 6/10/26
S&P set a string of records — first above 7,500 (May 14), then 7,600 (June 2). Forbes/CNBC, 2026
Core PCE climbed to 3.4% by May. BEA, 6/25/26
A leadership transition at the Federal Reserve, with a new Chair presiding at the June meeting. Federal Reserve, 5/2026 — confirm on air
Q1 GDP finalized at +2.1%. BEA, 6/25/26
Treasury yields stayed elevated, the 10-year in a ~4.4–4.5% range. Fed H.15, 2026
NOAA issued a below-normal 2026 hurricane outlook (8–14 named storms). NOAA, 5/21/26
Money-fund assets stayed near record ~$7.9 trillion as savers held cash. ICI, 2026
Top 10 — First Half 2026
January–June
S&P 500 rose ~9.6% — its best first half since 2021 (Dow ~+8.9%, Nasdaq ~+12.8%). CNBC, 6/30/26
An energy-driven inflation flare pushed headline CPI back to 4.2% by May. BLS, 6/10/26
The Fed held at 3.50–3.75% all year so far and turned more hawkish. Federal Reserve, 2026
First full tax year of OBBBA — the scheduled sunset of the 2017 rates was removed; a future Congress can still change them. IRS / Tax Foundation, 2025–26
2026 estate & gift exemption jumped to $15M per person under OBBBA. IRS, 10/9/25
New seniors' $6,000 bonus deduction took effect (2025–2028). IRS / OBBBA
Inherited-IRA final regs enforced — annual RMDs in years 1–9 of the 10-year rule. IRS, 2025
Independence began with a plan. The founders declared it in 1776, then spent years building the structure to sustain it. Wealth works the same way.
250 years of compounding opportunity. America's real story is each generation building on what the last one left — legacy planning at national scale.
Self-governance is personal, too. You can't control Washington's tax code, but you can absolutely govern your own plan.
A declaration is a decision. Independence Day reminds us the biggest changes start as a written decision — like a written tax plan.
Liberty and responsibility travel together. The freedom to build comes with the responsibility to protect it and pass it on.
The Constitution was a coordination document. Thirteen colonies chose to coordinate instead of act alone — the same edge a coordinated financial plan gives a family.
Plant trees you'll never sit under. The founders' instinct to build for a future they wouldn't see is exactly what legacy planning formalizes.
Opportunity is the American inheritance. Protecting it for your heirs honors what was handed down to you.
Free markets, free people. Two and a half centuries of American enterprise created the very portfolios we help families protect.
Be a good ancestor. Maybe the most patriotic financial act is leaving the next generation stronger than you found it.
Compliance · confirm all wording with the CCO before broadcast
[Firm Name] — This program is for general educational purposes only and is not individualized investment, tax, or legal advice. All figures cited are drawn from the sources and dates noted and were current as of the research date; they are subject to revision and market movement. Any examples are hypothetical, for illustration only, do not represent any specific client, and are not a guarantee of future results. No strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss; past performance does not indicate future results.
Tax and estate figures reflect current federal rules for 2026. The previously scheduled 2025 sunset of the 2017 individual tax rates was removed — but these provisions are not permanent in the sense that a future Congress can still change them; this is a planning window, not a certainty. Money-market fund yields referenced are current 7-day yields near the lower end of the Federal Reserve's target range and are not guaranteed. The Tax Plan Playbook is offered free with no purchase or obligation; the offer follows the SEC Marketing Rule with no false urgency, no false scarcity, and no promised outcomes.
Confirm the on-air CTA mechanics (text PLAYBOOK to 239-747-1077), the landing/thank-you pages, and this disclaimer with [Firm Name]'s Chief Compliance Officer prior to air. Securities and/or advisory services offered through [Firm Name] / [Broker-Dealer or RIA], member [FINRA/SIPC] as applicable.
★ Saving The Investor · July 4, 2026 · America's 250th ★ · Prepared for record Thu 7/2, air Sat 7/4 · 92.5 Fox News Radio, Southwest Florida