In Episode 7 of Retirement Tax Matters we tackle a critical, yet often emotionally challenging, aspect of HNW retirement planning: the significant tax bracket shock a surviving spouse can face. We reveal how a married couple's ~$250,000 taxable income, typically in the 24% bracket, can jump to a 35% bracket for a surviving spouse due to the shift from married filing jointly to individual rates, compounded by growing RMDs and even higher Medicare premiums.