Strategic Tax Planning
Make After-Tax Return Your Benchmark
At Branning Wealth Management, we believe your after-tax return is the real measure of success. Effective
tax planning strategies aren’t about short-term deductions—they’re about lowering your lifetime tax bill. By planning across multiple years instead of focusing solely on April deadlines, we help clients manage income, investments, and charitable giving with precision and foresight.
Core Strategies We Use
True tax efficiency blends timing, structure, and investment alignment. We incorporate proven, research-driven techniques to minimize unnecessary tax drag, improve after-tax returns, and align your investment strategy with your broader financial plan.
Bracket Management
We help smooth your taxable income year to year, using techniques like income deferral or strategic withdrawals to prevent unnecessary jumps into higher marginal tax brackets.
Roth Conversion Strategies
Converting traditional retirement assets to Roth accounts during lower-income years or before required minimum distributions (RMDs) can help lock in lower tax rates and create future tax-free income flexibility.
Asset Location
By placing the right investments in the right accounts—taxable, IRA, or Roth—we maximize after-tax returns. For example, income-generating assets may sit in tax-deferred accounts, while growth-oriented assets benefit from long-term capital gains treatment in taxable accounts.
Capital Gains and Loss Harvesting
We actively manage when to realize gains and harvest losses to offset income, rebalance portfolios, and minimize tax drag without disrupting your long-term investment strategy.
Charitable & Family Strategies
Giving can also be a powerful part of your tax strategy. We help clients use qualified charitable distributions (QCDs), donor-advised funds, and gifts of appreciated securities to reduce taxable income while supporting causes they care about. Family-based strategies, like gifting to children or funding education accounts, can also shift income to lower brackets and strengthen your legacy.
Distribution Management
Beyond just monitoring distribution schedules, we carefully consider the tax characteristics of your investments from the start. We take a proactive approach to tax-efficient investing by selecting mutual funds and ETFs that are structured to generate lower taxable distributions.Our goal is to help you retain more of your returns and minimize unnecessary tax drag on your portfolio.
Tax planning changes as your income sources shift. For those approaching retirement, filling lower brackets before RMDs begin can preserve flexibility later. Once retired, coordinating withdrawals across Social Security, pensions, and RMDs becomes essential for minimizing Medicare IRMAA surcharges and managing bracket exposure. Our advisors tailor each plan to your timeline and mix of accounts.
Local Nuances
From Mississippi’s state tax structure to North Carolina’s tiered income brackets, regional differences can shape your plan. No matter where you are located, we account for local nuances like property tax deductions, charitable giving incentives, and healthcare-related thresholds that impact retirees These local insights help turn complex state rules into practical, year-round tax management opportunities.