What we’re optimizing for
Fewer expensive surprises.
There is a difference between filing your taxes and managing them. One is a record of decisions already made. The other is the decisions.
01
You see the bill coming years out.
Multi-year projections, so this year's decision is made with the next ten in view: Roth conversion windows, IRMAA thresholds, the year your income drops.
Instead of: Learning in April what last year cost you.
02
The one-time events are planned, not absorbed.
A business sale, an inheritance, a large exercise of options. The decisions that matter most happen before the transaction closes.
Instead of: Reacting after the money has already moved.
03
Your advisor and your CPA see the same picture.
We coordinate directly with the person filing your return, so the strategy and the filing are built on the same set of facts.
Instead of: Being the one who relays messages between them.
What’s included
The work, in detail.
01
Annual tax return review
We analyze your full tax return every year and build what we find directly into your financial plan, so no opportunity gets missed.
02
Multi-year tax projections
We model your tax situation across multiple years so we can make decisions today that reduce your lifetime tax burden, not just this year's bill.
03
Roth conversion modeling
We identify the right amount to convert each year, at the right time, to minimize what you pay the IRS over your lifetime.
04
Capital gains strategy
We coordinate gains and losses across your portfolio to manage your tax liability, harvest losses intentionally, and time realizations strategically.
05
IRMAA threshold management
We track your income against Medicare surcharge thresholds and plan around them, so a single year of higher income doesn't trigger years of higher premiums.
06
Social Security taxation
Up to 85% of Social Security can be taxable. We plan your income so you keep as much of it as possible.
07
Net investment income tax
The 3.8% NIIT applies to investment income above certain thresholds. We plan around it as part of your broader income strategy.
08
Charitable giving strategy
Donor-advised funds, qualified charitable distributions, and bunching strategies that reduce your tax bill while supporting causes you care about.
09
Withdrawal sequencing
We coordinate which accounts you draw from and when, integrating tax planning and income planning so every dollar goes further.
10
Business owner strategies
QBI deduction planning, entity structure review, and retirement account strategies for business owners with more complex tax situations.
11
Year-round proactive planning
The best tax decisions happen before the year closes. We plan throughout the year, not just in April when it is too late to act.
Services vary by client situation and engagement. Not all services listed are available to every client. Additional services are available beyond those listed here.
Learn the terms
Concepts that come up in tax planning.
Roth conversion
A Roth conversion moves money from a pre-tax retirement account, such as a traditional IRA or 401(k), into a Roth IRA…
IRMAA
IRMAA — the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount — is a surcharge added to Medicare Part B and Part D premiums fo…
Net investment income tax (NIIT)
The net investment income tax is an additional 3.8% tax on investment income — such as interest, dividends, capital g…
Qualified charitable distribution (QCD)
A qualified charitable distribution is a direct transfer from an IRA to a qualified charity, available to account own…
Common questions
Tax Planning, answered.
Do you prepare my tax return?
We focus on multi-year tax strategy and coordinate directly with your CPA, who prepares the return. For families without a CPA, we can connect you with trusted professionals in our network.
How can tax planning actually save me money?
Decisions like Roth conversions in lower-income years, asset location, and managing income around Medicare (IRMAA) and the net investment income tax compound into real money over a retirement.
What is a Roth conversion?
Moving money from a pre-tax account into a Roth IRA, paying income tax now so the money grows and is withdrawn tax-free later. Timed into lower-income years, it can reduce your lifetime tax bill.
I already have a CPA. Why do I need this too?
Your CPA files the return, which is a record of decisions you have already made. Tax planning is making those decisions before December, with your portfolio and your plan in view. The two jobs are different, and we coordinate directly with your CPA rather than around them.
When during the year does tax planning happen?
Year-round. We review your return annually, project multiple years forward, and act when the opportunity is live: a low-income year for conversions, a gain that should be harvested, an income threshold worth staying under. April is too late to do most of it.
Is tax planning billed separately?
No. One fee covers all four disciplines: financial planning, investment management, tax planning, and estate planning coordination. They are not billed as separate projects, because they do not work as separate projects.
What if my tax situation is fairly simple?
Then we will tell you so, and the planning will be light. Complexity tends to arrive with retirement, a business sale, equity compensation, or an inheritance, and it is usually easier to have the strategy in place before that year than during it.