Tax Planning

Tax Planning: Building a Tax-Efficient Retirement Strategy

Without a thoughtful strategy, it’s possible to face a higher tax bill in retirement than necessary. Our tax planning approach is designed to reduce your tax burden today and across retirement — helping you keep more of what you’ve earned.

We work closely with you to:

  • Review and analyze your tax returns
  • Evaluate the benefits and timing of Roth conversions
  • Coordinate and time your income streams — such as Social Security, pensions, and investment withdrawals
  • Optimize asset location between tax-deferred, tax-free, and taxable accounts
  • Develop charitable giving strategies aligned with your financial goals

Our focus is not on aggressive tax avoidance — it’s on thoughtful, strategic planning that ensures you and your family aren’t burdened by unnecessary taxes.

How We Help

Effective tax planning considers not just your current income, but also how your assets, investments, and future income streams will be taxed. Here’s how we support you:

  • Investment Tax Efficiency: We help you choose the right investment vehicles — balancing pre-tax and post-tax strategies — to minimize your lifetime tax liability.
  • Income Strategy: Different types of income — interest, dividends, annuities, capital gains, Social Security, and inheritances — are taxed in different ways. We build a strategy to optimize when and how you access various income sources.
  • Tax Implications on Wealth: Our planning includes forecasting the impact of taxes on your future net worth, helping you avoid unexpected tax consequences such as benefit reductions or estate erosion.
  • Legacy and Estate Planning: Thoughtful tax planning ensures that the wealth you pass on is preserved as much as possible. We coordinate with your legal and estate planning advisors to implement strategies that protect your heirs from unnecessary tax burdens.

    McCarley & Cook provides tax planning as part of our comprehensive wealth management services. Our advice includes general strategies designed to help you achieve tax efficiency and is intended solely for informational and planning purposes. We do not prepare tax returns, nor are we Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). Clients should always consult with their tax professional or CPA to verify the applicability of our tax planning strategies based on their unique circumstances and to handle tax filings.