Tax Planning

The tax bill you didn't plan for. Let's plan for it.

Taxes don't stop in retirement — for many retirees they get more complicated. Here's how to think about the pieces that catch people off guard.

Educational only. This content is general retirement education — not personalized financial, tax, or legal advice. Every situation is different; if you'd like Ebby to look at yours, use Talk With Ebby.

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Each topic includes real-life examples of what can go wrong — and how to avoid it.

The retirement tax bracket myth

Most retirees don't drop into a lower bracket — RMDs, Social Security, and pensions stack up.

Roth conversions

Paying tax on purpose today to avoid a bigger bill later. When it makes sense, when it doesn't.

RMDs and the age-73 cliff

Required Minimum Distributions can force income you don't need — and taxes you didn't plan for.

IRMAA — the Medicare tax nobody warned you about

Cross an income line by $1 and your Medicare premiums jump for a full year. Two years later.

Withdrawal order

Which account you pull from first can change your lifetime tax bill by six figures.

Social Security taxation

Up to 85% of your benefits can be taxed — and small income changes flip the switch.

Capital gains and the 0% bracket

Long-term gains have their own brackets — including a real 0% rate that most retirees never use.

Qualified Charitable Distributions

After 70½, giving directly from your IRA can satisfy your RMD and skip the taxes entirely.

Widow's tax trap

The year after a spouse dies, the survivor files single — with almost the same income and half the brackets.

State tax on retirement income

Where you live in retirement can matter more than your withdrawal strategy.

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