In Episode 7, Garrett Crawford, CFP®, and Adam Reed tackle a critical HNW retirement challenge: the tax shock a surviving spouse can face.

It's possible for a married couple's ~24% tax bracket can jump to 35% for a single survivor due to filing changes, growing RMDs & higher Medicare premiums. This creates an increased financial burden during an already difficult time.

Learn how proactive Roth conversions in your 60s or 70s could strategically lower lifetime tax burdens, protect a surviving spouse, and create a tax-efficient legacy. | Disclosure

Explore All Our Resources: https://www.retirementtaxmatters.com/links

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The #1 mistake High-Net-Worth retirees make is treating their tax return as a rearview mirror. In this crucial episode of Retirement Tax Matters, we dive deep into the costly disconnect between your tax return, investment plan, and long-term legacy goals.

Discover:

• Why overlooking unused tax bracket space each year is costing you significant wealth.

• How proactive, intra-year tax projections are the key to unlocking powerful strategies like Roth conversions.

• The critical questions to ask your financial advisor about your tax return to ensure your entire financial plan is aligned and working for you.

Don't let valuable opportunities slip away.

🔗 Get our FREE High-Net-Worth Retirement Checklist:

https://www.retirementtaxmatters.com/hnw-checklist

In Episode 5 of Retirement Tax Matters, we define the Golden Window — the critical years of temporary low income after you retire but before RMDs and Social Security begin. For high-net-worth retirees with large pre-tax IRA balances, this is an ideal time to manage what is likely your largest future tax liability. We explore how to leverage this period by executing strategic Roth conversions, transforming a future tax problem into possible lower aggregate lifetime taxes and/or a tax-free legacy for your heirs. Most importantly, we discuss how to balance this powerful strategy with your non-financial life goals by incorporating intra-year tax projections to find the remaining "room" for conversions after you've funded your other spending needs first. | Disclosures

In Episode 4 of Retirement Tax Matters we explore the permanent extension of the higher standard deduction under the new "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA). We'll cover the new 2025 standard deduction amount for married couples ($31,500) and explain how the new law, while beneficial, adds layers of complexity with income-based phase-outs for deductions like the new Enhanced Senior Deduction. Learn why this new tax landscape makes end-of-year projections more critical than ever and how the now-permanent lower tax brackets create a longer "runway" for powerful, long-term Roth conversion strategies. | Disclosures

In Episode 3 of Retirement Tax Matters, we dive into one of the most significant parts of the new "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA): the permanent extension of the lower tax brackets originally established by the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017. We’ll provide a clear refresher on how today's tax rates (12%, 22%, 24%) are historically low compared to prior years and break down a common misunderstanding of how marginal tax brackets work. Most importantly, we discuss what this newfound "runway" means for HNW retirees and how a long-term, strategic approach to Roth conversions can now be even more powerful for managing your lifetime tax bill and creating a simpler legacy for your beneficiaries. | Disclosures

The passage of the recent tax legislation, One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), has created significant confusion around how Social Security will be taxed. Many retirees are asking if their benefits will now be tax-free. In this episode, Garrett Crawford breaks down the reality of the new law, explaining that the primary change is not to Social Security taxation itself, but the introduction of a new, substantial "Senior Deduction." We'll cover who qualifies for this deduction, the specific income phase-outs that could affect HNW retirees, and the critical planning dilemma it creates when considering strategic Roth conversions. | Disclosures

In our inaugural episode, Garrett Crawford, CFP® and Adam Reed introduce the mission behind Retirement Tax Matters. Discover our focus on providing advanced tax planning strategies for high-net-worth retirees and learn what to expect from future conversations. | Disclosures