Defuse the Bomb exposes the hidden tax traps that turn a lifetime of disciplined saving into an unnecessary giveaway to the IRS and Medicare. Many successful pre retirees did everything right, they maxed out retirement plans, invested prudently, and delayed taxes for decades, only to be blindsided later by higher brackets, Medicare surcharges, and other stealth penalties triggered by the timing of withdrawals. Drawing on decades of experience across banking, tax preparation, financial planning, and wealth management, George McReynolds, CFP®, shows readers how the retirement tax system really works when income stacks up. You will learn how IRMAA surcharges, Social Security benefit taxation, phaseouts, the Alternative Minimum Tax, and other hidden "user fee" style taxes can quietly raise your effective rate and shrink your lifestyle in retirement. This book provides a practical framework for spotting the traps early and building a coordinated plan that integrates tax strategy, withdrawal sequencing, and investment positioning. The goal is simple: make the invisible visible, reduce lifetime taxes, and protect retirement income from predictable threats.