Retirement Tax Planning

Reduce the tax you pay over your lifetime, not just this year.

For most retirees, the IRS is the single largest expense they will face in retirement. It is larger than housing and larger than healthcare, yet it is the expense most plans do the least about. Tax planning is where we start every Legacy Blueprint, because a dollar saved in tax is a dollar that keeps working for you.

What retirement tax planning is

Tax preparation looks backward. It reports what already happened last year. Tax planning looks forward across the rest of your life and asks a different question: how do we arrange your income, withdrawals, and accounts so you pay the least total tax over time?

That includes the order you draw down accounts, how you manage required minimum distributions, when to convert to a Roth, and how to keep more of your Social Security and avoid Medicare surcharges.

Signs you are leaving money on the table

Tax planning becomes urgent when any of these are true:

You are between 55 and 73 and have most of your savings in pre-tax accounts like a 401(k) or traditional IRA.

You are approaching the age when required minimum distributions begin and have not planned for the tax hit.

III

You recently retired and your income, and tax bracket, are about to change.

You have never had anyone project your taxes beyond the current year.

You are paying surcharges on Medicare or tax on your Social Security and are not sure why.

How tax planning fits The Legacy Blueprint

Tax planning anchors the Keep pillar. It runs through every phase of the Blueprint, from the multi-year projection we build in Phase 2 to the annual tax review in Phase 4. Because we coordinate it with your income plan, investments, and estate, a change in one area never quietly creates a tax problem in another.

What we coordinate

A complete tax strategy touches nearly every part of your financial life:

Traditional and Roth IRAs, 401(k)s, and other retirement accounts.
Taxable brokerage accounts and the tax treatment of gains.
Required minimum distributions and the timing around them.
Roth conversion opportunities in lower-income years.
Social Security taxation and Medicare income thresholds.

Our approach

As a fee-based fiduciary firm, we are not paid to sell you a product that happens to carry a tax label. We build a multi-year projection of your taxes, identify the years where smart moves save the most, and coordinate every decision with the rest of your plan.

We work alongside your CPA where you have one, so your planning and your filing stay in sync. We serve individuals and couples across the Hill Country and the greater San Antonio area, along with Austin and clients nationally.

Why a fiduciary approach matters here

Tax strategy is full of decisions that benefit whoever is selling, not always the person paying. A fiduciary is required to recommend what is best for you. When the advice is about keeping more of your own money, that distinction matters more than almost anywhere else in your plan.

Wealth without tax strategy is just a bigger target.

Related services

Your plan is coordinated, so this service rarely works alone. It connects most closely with:

Retirement Income Planning

Design the paycheck before you need it.

Social Security Optimization

Plan the claiming decision in advance.

Investment Management

Plan the exit before it becomes a tax event.

Tax planning FAQ

Is the IRS really my biggest retirement expense?

For many retirees with significant pre-tax savings, yes. Decades of tax-deferred growth in a 401(k) or IRA eventually become taxable income, and without planning that can push you into higher brackets and trigger surcharges. A multi-year projection shows you the real number.

Do you replace my CPA or accountant?

No. We focus on forward-looking planning and coordinate with your CPA, who handles preparation and filing. The two roles work together. If you do not have a CPA, we can talk about whether you need one.

When is the best time to do a Roth conversion?

Often in the lower-income years after you retire but before required distributions and Social Security begin. The right answer depends on your brackets, your other income, and your goals, which is exactly what a projection is for.

Can tax planning really make a meaningful difference?

Over a multi-decade retirement, the difference between a coordinated tax strategy and reacting year by year can be substantial. We will show you your specific picture during your assessment.

What is a required minimum distribution, and why does it matter for taxes?

A required minimum distribution, or RMD, is the amount the IRS requires you to withdraw from tax-deferred accounts starting at a certain age. Those withdrawals are taxable income, and if you have not planned for them, they can push you into a higher bracket and raise your Medicare premiums. We plan for RMDs years in advance to smooth out the impact.

Do you coordinate tax planning with my investments?

Yes. Where an investment is held, taxable, tax-deferred, or Roth, changes how it is taxed, so we coordinate your tax plan with your investment strategy. This is the advantage of having one fiduciary responsible for the whole picture rather than separate advisors who never talk to each other.

Will my taxes really be higher in retirement?

For some retirees they are, especially those with large pre-tax balances, because RMDs, Social Security, and pensions can stack up. For others there is a window of lower-income years right after retirement. The only way to know your situation is to project it, which is what we do.

See your retirement tax picture

Your free assessment includes a look at where your biggest tax exposure is hiding. It takes about 15 minutes, with no cost and no obligation.

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Disclosures: Investment advisory services are offered through Kraus Capital, a registered investment adviser. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Kraus Capital and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure.

Brian Kraus is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. The CFP® marks are owned by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. and are used in accordance with CFP Board guidelines.

Charles Schwab serves as the independent custodian for client assets. Kraus Capital is not affiliated with, and does not receive compensation from, Charles Schwab for custodial services. No strategy assures success or protects against loss. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

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