Most retirement plans focus on growing your money. Fewer focus on keeping it out of the IRS's hands once you start drawing it down. I work with pre-retirees and retirees across Coshocton and Tuscarawas Counties to build withdrawal strategies that reduce your tax burden across all of retirement — not just in year one.
I'm a Retirement Planning Advisor, Not a Tax Preparer — Here's Why That Distinction Matters
I'm not a CPA, and I won't prepare your tax return. What I do is build retirement income strategies with tax efficiency built in from the start — then coordinate directly with a local CPA to make sure your investment plan and your tax plan are working together. Most people have an advisor handling their investments and a CPA handling their taxes, with no one in the room making sure the two strategies are aligned. That gap is where unnecessary taxes live.
Ohio Gives Retirees Real Tax Advantages — If You Know How to Use Them
Ohio is more retirement-friendly than most people realize, and most advisors in this area never bring it up. A few things worth knowing:
- Social Security benefits are not taxed by Ohio. At the federal level you may owe taxes on up to 85% of your benefit depending on your income — but Ohio won't touch it.
- Ohio offers a Retirement Income Credit for residents 65 and older, which can reduce your state tax bill on qualifying retirement income.
- Ohio is moving to a flat 2.75% income tax rate, which changes how some income sequencing decisions play out for residents in higher income brackets.
These aren't minor footnotes. They're planning inputs that should be shaping how and when you draw from each account. If your current advisor hasn't walked you through any of this, that's worth a conversation.
Tax Diversification: Why the Mix of Accounts You Hold Matters
Most people accumulate retirement savings in tax-deferred accounts — 401(k)s, traditional IRAs, 403(b)s. That's not a problem. But arriving at retirement with all your money in one tax bucket means every dollar you withdraw gets taxed as ordinary income in the same year you take it. Tax diversification means building a mix of taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free accounts so you have flexibility in how you draw income and control over which tax bracket you land in each year. Part of my job is helping clients understand what they actually have, what it will cost them in taxes at different withdrawal rates, and whether there are moves worth making now — before retirement — to improve that mix.
Roth Conversions: Powerful Timing, Not a Universal Answer
You've probably heard that Roth conversions are a smart retirement move. Sometimes they are. Sometimes they're not. The difference comes down to your current tax bracket, where your bracket is likely headed as required minimum distributions (RMDs) kick in, how much of your income will come from pensions or Social Security, and how many years you have before you need to draw on the account.
I won't recommend a Roth conversion because it's popular. I'll model your specific income timeline, your RMD exposure, and your bracket trajectory before making any recommendation. The right answer depends on your numbers — not a blog post or a general rule of thumb.
Withdrawal Sequencing: The Order You Draw Income Changes What You Owe
Once you're in retirement, the sequence in which you draw from your accounts has a direct effect on your annual tax bill. Drawing from a tax-deferred IRA before touching a taxable brokerage account produces a different tax outcome than doing it in reverse — and layering in Social Security timing, pension income, and RMD schedules adds additional complexity. I build withdrawal sequencing strategies that account for all of these income sources together, with the goal of keeping your taxable income as low as possible across the full span of your retirement — not just in the first year or two.
Coordinated Planning with a Local CPA
Can you prepare my personal tax return (Form 1040)?
Yes. Individual tax preparation includes Form 1040 and related schedules based on your situation.
What documents do I need to bring?
You’ll receive a clear checklist before your appointment so you know exactly what to provide or upload.
Do you e-file?
Yes. Returns are filed electronically whenever possible for faster processing and confirmation.
Can you help if I worked in multiple states?
Yes. Multi-state returns are handled with attention to each state’s filing requirements.
Who actually prepares my return?
Your return is prepared by an IRS Enrolled Agent who signs and stands behind the work.
Ready to See What a Retirement Tax Strategy Could Mean for You?
I work directly with a local CPA partner, which means your retirement income strategy and your tax strategy are built together rather than in separate conversations that never connect. If you already have a CPA you trust, I'll work with them. If you don't have one, I can make an introduction. Either way, the goal is the same: a plan where every piece is aware of every other piece.
This kind of coordination is standard practice in larger markets. In Coshocton and Newcomerstown, it's rare. I've made it a deliberate part of how I work because I've seen what happens when it doesn't exist — clients who get good investment advice and good tax advice and still end up surprised by a bill that nobody caught coming.
If you're within ten years of retirement — or already in it — the decisions you make now about account withdrawals, Roth conversions, and income sequencing will shape what you owe in taxes for the rest of your life. I'd rather have that conversation with you early than help you sort through the consequences later. Schedule a free retirement tax review and we'll take a clear look at where you stand.
