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Tax Planning

Learn the importance of tax planning and how to reduce tax liability through customized investments, estate plans, and retirement strategies, from our CFPs® and CPAs at Mercer Advisors.

Tax Planning Article

Retirement Tax Planning: Your Lowest-Tax Window May Be Open
Tax Planning Article

What To Handle Before Dec. 31 and What Can Wait

A year-end financial checklist sorted by whether you’re employed, retired, or taking required minimum distributions (RMDs). Plus the items that don’t have December deadlines.

Tax Planning Article

Roth Conversion Strategy for Low-Income Years

A Roth conversion strategy during low-income years may help you shift pretax savings to tax-free growth. Learn how to coordinate conversions with IRMAA, ACA, and Social Security.

Tax Planning Article

Before You Sell Your Home, Consider This Tax Strategy

Converting your home to a short-term rental before you sell can pair a cost segregation study with the Section 121 exclusion. Here’s how it works.

Tax Planning Guide

Retirement Tax Planning: A Year-Round Guide to Help Keep More of What You’ve Built

A comprehensive retirement tax planning guide covering Roth conversions, RMDs, IRMAA, Social Security taxation, QCDs, and tax-loss harvesting strategies for retirees.

Tax Planning Article

How Much Money Do You Need To Work With a Wealth Manager?

Firm minimums vary widely, but a better question may be whether your financial complexity warrants professional coordination.

Tax Planning Article

The New Math of Charitable Giving Tax Deductions

New 2026 charitable giving tax deduction rules changed the math. Learn how the AGI floor, the 35% cap, and DAFs reshape your year-end giving strategy.

Tax Planning Article

How To Keep Your Family Vacation Home in the Family

Passing down a family vacation home takes more than a will. Learn how trusts, LLCs, and honest conversations can keep your legacy property in the family.

Tax Planning Article

Illinois Estate Tax: What High-Net-Worth Families Need To Know

Illinois’ $4 million estate tax exemption, far below the $15 million federal threshold, can expose high-net-worth families to unexpected state tax bills without proactive planning.

Tax Planning Guide

Tax Filing Is Not the Same As Tax Planning

You may think you’re managing your taxes effectively when you file each spring, but are you sure? Learn the difference between tax preparation and proactive tax planning.

Tax Planning Article

How To Open a Trump Account for Your Child

Trump Accounts (Section 530A) let families invest up to $5,000 a year for any child under 18 — plus a $1,000 federal pilot contribution for kids born 2025 to 2028.

Tax Planning Article

Maryland Estate and Inheritance Tax

Maryland is the only state levying both an estate tax and inheritance tax. Understand thresholds, exemptions, and strategies to protect your estate.

Team having a discussion in a meeting
Tax Planning Article

Taxes and Wealth Management: Better Together With a Unified Team

Our integrated tax and wealth management teams work together year-round, delivering coordinated planning that helps reduce surprises and tax liability.

FAQs
Tax Planning FAQ

Which is better for my heirs: a Roth IRA or a traditional IRA?

See the answer
Tax Planning FAQ

What’s the difference between a Roth conversion and a regular IRA withdrawal?

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Tax Planning FAQ

How do I check my income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA) threshold before doing a Roth conversion?

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Tax Planning FAQ

Where can I find help with retirement tax planning and Roth conversions?

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Tax Planning FAQ

Is it worth realizing capital gains during a low-income retirement year?

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Tax Planning FAQ

Should I do a Roth conversion before required minimum distributions begin?

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Tax Planning FAQ

How does a Roth conversion work during the years before required minimum distributions (RMDs)?

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Tax Planning FAQ

What is the retirement tax gap window?

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Further Learning

Trustee Services On-Demand Webinar

Navigating Medicare: Your 2027 Open Enrollment Playbook

Mercer Advisors Colin Day and Chapter’s Ari Parker break down Medicare’s 2027 updates, enrollment steps, and key decisions for retirees.

Family having conversation wiht advisor.
Financial Planning Article

A Family Office for Your Family: A Wealth Tradition Within Reach

The sophisticated, time-tested family office approach used by many ultra-high-net-worth individuals to help manage their financial lives is now accessible to more families.

Listen
Family & Health Podcast

Episode 528 – Financial Considerations When a Baby is on the Way

A practical guide to the financial moves expectant parents should make before baby arrives, from liquidity and insurance to tax credits, 529s, and estate planning.

Investment Management Article

The 2026 Midterm Elections and Why Politics and Investing Still Don’t Mix

Many investors have a mistaken instinct that a shift in the balance of power on Capitol Hill will have obvious and significant impacts on one’s portfolio.

About Mercer Advisors

We exist so you don’t have to worry about money. For more than 40 years, we’ve taken the sophisticated, time-tested approach that many ultra-high net worth individuals use to help manage their financial lives and made it accessible to more families.

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