Beyond Tax Preparation

Your tax return is a financial fingerprint.

Buried in dozens of pages and hundreds of numbers are valuable clues — opportunities to reduce your lifetime tax liability, optimize retirement withdrawals, and keep more of what you've earned. We find them.

Tax-Aware Planning
Why It Matters

Tax planning is not tax preparation.

Most people think their CPA handles everything. But tax preparation looks backward — it keeps you compliant with what you owe. Tax-aware planning looks forward — identifying strategies to potentially reduce what you'll owe over a lifetime. We work alongside your CPA, not in place of them.

Tax Preparation

Looking Backward

  • Files your return after the year ends
  • Reports income and deductions already taken
  • Calculates what you owe today
  • Ensures IRS compliance
  • One-year snapshot
Tax-Aware Planning

Looking Forward

  • Analyzes your return for hidden opportunities
  • Models multi-year Roth conversion strategies
  • Projects future tax bracket changes
  • Coordinates withdrawals across account types
  • Integrates with your full financial plan
What We Look For

Opportunities hiding in your return.

Using Holistiplan's award-winning tax analysis software, we scan your return and identify planning opportunities across six key areas.

Roth IRA Conversions

Identifying windows to convert pre-tax retirement assets to Roth — a strategy that may reduce your tax burden in retirement, especially during lower-income years.

Tax-Efficient Vehicles

Evaluating retirement account structures — 401(k), 403(b), SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, and defined benefit plans — to help maximize contributions within current tax law.

Charitable Giving

Analyzing donor-advised funds, qualified charitable distributions (QCDs), charitable bunching, and direct gifting strategies to align generosity with tax efficiency.

Capital Gains Management

Tax-loss harvesting, strategic gain realization, holding period optimization, and asset location across taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-exempt accounts.

Tax-Sensitive Withdrawals

Sequencing retirement income across Social Security, pensions, IRAs, Roth accounts, and taxable portfolios to help manage bracket exposure year-over-year.

CPA Coordination

We collaborate directly with your CPA or tax preparer to implement strategies — ensuring nothing falls through the cracks between planning and filing.

Required Minimum Distributions

Know your RMD timeline — so you're never caught off guard.

Required Minimum Distributions force taxable withdrawals from retirement accounts starting at a specific age. Without a proactive plan, RMDs can push you into higher tax brackets, trigger IRMAA surcharges on Medicare premiums, and increase the taxable portion of Social Security benefits.

Birth YearRMD Start AgeDeadline
1950 or earlier72Already started
1951 – 195973April 1 after turning 73
1960 or later75April 1 after turning 75

Source: SECURE 2.0 Act. Penalty for missed RMDs: 25% excise tax (reduced to 10% if corrected within 2 years). RMD rules are subject to change; consult a qualified tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Why this matters for your plan

The years between retirement and your RMD start date represent a critical planning window. During this period, proactive Roth conversions, strategic charitable distributions, and bracket management can meaningfully impact your lifetime tax picture.

We model these scenarios using Holistiplan's multi-year projections, so you can see the potential impact before making any decisions.

How It Works

Four steps. We handle the rest.

Our tax-aware planning process is built into every client relationship. Share your return, and we do the heavy lifting.

1

Upload Your Return

Securely share a PDF of your most recent tax return through our encrypted client portal.

2

We Analyze It

We use advanced tax planning software to analyze your return and generate a detailed report highlighting key planning opportunities.

3

Review Together

We walk through the findings with you — what we found, what it means, and what actions to consider.

4

Coordinate & Execute

We implement strategies within your portfolio and coordinate with your CPA on tax-specific action items.

Who Benefits

Tax-aware planning is for everyone.

Regardless of your income sources or filing status, nearly anyone who pays income taxes can benefit from a professional review. At best, we confirm you're maximizing every available opportunity — that's great peace-of-mind news. More frequently, we identify actionable strategies, both for this year and the years ahead.

We offer annual tax planning as part of our comprehensive financial planning service. While often overlooked, proactive tax-aware planning can make a meaningful difference in a complete financial plan.

See what your tax return reveals.

All we need is a copy of your most recent return. From there, we'll show you what's possible.

Powered by Holistiplan · #1 Rated Tax Planning Software

Your Data Is Protected

Security you can trust.

Your tax return contains some of your most sensitive personal information. We use institutional-grade security protocols and work exclusively with SOC 2-certified technology partners to keep it safe.

SOC 2 Certified

Our tax planning technology partner maintains SOC 2 Type II certification — the industry standard for data security, independently audited and verified.

256-Bit Encryption

All documents are encrypted at rest and in transit using 256-bit TLS — the same standard used by major financial institutions and government agencies.

Access Controls

Multi-factor authentication, role-based access, and salted credential hashing ensure that only authorized members of your advisory team can view your information.

Secure Upload

Tax returns are uploaded through our encrypted client portal — never sent via email. Documents are processed securely and stored on best-in-breed cloud infrastructure.

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AIF® Designee
Fiduciary
Independent
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Ashwood Financial Partners, LLC does not provide tax or legal advice. The information on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be considered personalized tax advice. Tax-aware planning strategies are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may not be suitable for every individual. Always consult with a qualified tax professional regarding your specific situation. Holistiplan is an independent software platform and is not affiliated with Ashwood Financial Partners, Kestra Investment Services, or Kestra Advisory Services. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Kestra IS and Kestra AS are not affiliated with Ashwood Financial Partners, LLC. CommunityVotes Richmond 2025 Platinum Winner — Award based on community voting; not indicative of future performance or an endorsement by any regulatory body. CommunityVotes is not affiliated with Ashwood Financial Partners or Kestra Investment Services.