Services / Tax planning
Taxes are the biggest bill most retirees can still change.
Your tax return tells you what already happened. Tax planning happens before the year ends, while there is still time to do something about it.
What we look at every year
- What you will owe. We build the number in summer so December is not a guess, and adjust your withholding so April holds no surprises.
- Your low-tax years. The years between stopping work and starting required withdrawals are often the cheapest tax years you will ever have. We work out how much to use them for.
- Moving money to accounts you never pay tax on again. Paying some tax now, at a low rate, can save a great deal later — for you and for whoever inherits. It is not always right, and we show you the numbers either way.
- Required withdrawals. Once they start, the government sets a minimum you must take each year. We plan the amounts and the timing so they do not push you into a higher bracket.
- Giving. If you give to charity, giving straight from a retirement account can cost you less than writing a check.
How it fits with your tax preparer
We do not prepare tax returns. We plan the year so that when your return is prepared, the decisions have already been made well. We are glad to work alongside whoever does your taxes now.
Most of this work has hard deadlines — December 31 for nearly all of it. That is why the fall meeting exists.
