Vera Planning

10/14/2026

A Roth Conversion Can Affect More Than Your Tax Return

One of the biggest mistakes with Roth conversions is evaluating them only through the lens of this year's taxes.

The converted amount increases taxable income in the year of the conversion.

But that income can affect other parts of your financial landscape too.

One example is Medicare.

Conversion income contributes to the modified adjusted gross income used to determine Medicare Part B and Part D income-related premiums two years later.

That's why the question shouldn't simply be:

“How much can I convert?”

It should be:

“How much makes sense within the rest of my plan?”

Taxes.

Medicare.

Cash flow.

Future required distributions.

Legacy goals.

They aren't separate decisions.

They're different parts of the same financial landscape.

Good planning connects them before making the move.

10/08/2026

Retirement Accounts Shouldn't All Have the Same Tax Treatment

We talk frequently about diversification with investments.

But there's another type of diversification that receives far less attention:

Tax diversification.

Imagine reaching retirement with money available from three different places:

Taxable.
Tax-deferred.
Tax-free.

Each bucket behaves differently from a tax perspective.

And having access to multiple buckets may give you greater flexibility when deciding where your retirement income should come from each year.

That's one reason Roth conversions can be useful in some financial plans.

The objective isn't simply to create the largest Roth account possible.

It's to create a financial structure that gives you choices.

Because someday, the question won't just be:

“How much money do I have?”

It will also be:

“Which account should I take it from?”

09/29/2026

A Down Market Can Change the Roth Conversion Conversation

Nobody enjoys watching an investment account decline.

But good planning asks a different question:

Has the change created an opportunity?

Consider Roth conversions.

If an investment temporarily declines in value, converting it at the lower value can mean recognizing less taxable income than converting the same investment at a higher value.

Then, if the investment eventually recovers inside the Roth, that future growth may occur tax-free.

That doesn't mean a market decline automatically means you should convert.

Your income, tax bracket, Medicare considerations, cash available to pay the tax and broader financial plan still matter.

But it demonstrates an important planning principle:

The same market environment can look very different when viewed through the lens of your entire financial plan.

Volatility isn't always just something to endure.

Sometimes it creates decisions worth evaluating.

09/21/2026

Retirement Can Create an Unexpected Tax Opportunity

There can be an interesting window between your last paycheck and your first required retirement distributions.

You may have stepped away from full-time work.

Social Security may not have started yet.

Required minimum distributions may still be years away.

And suddenly, your taxable income may look very different than it did during your working years.

For some households, those “income gap years” can create an opportunity to strategically convert portions of a traditional IRA to Roth while potentially using lower available tax brackets.

The goal isn't necessarily to convert everything.

It's to understand how much room you have and whether using some of that room today could create more flexibility later.

Because retirement planning isn't only about how much money you've accumulated.

It's also about understanding where that money lives and how it may eventually be taxed.

Your lowest-income years could be some of your most important planning years.

09/18/2026

You May Already Owe the Tax. The Question Is When You Want to Pay It.

A Roth conversion can sound more complicated than it really is.

At its core, you're taking money from a traditional, tax-deferred retirement account and moving it into a Roth account.

That creates a tax bill today.

But in exchange, those converted dollars can grow tax-free, and qualified withdrawals can be tax-free later.

So the planning question isn't simply:

“Do I want to pay taxes?”

A better question may be:

“When do I want to pay them?”

Today, when your income and tax bracket may give you an opportunity?

Or later, when Social Security, required minimum distributions and other income may be part of the picture?

There isn't one answer that's right for everyone.

That's why we believe a Roth conversion should be evaluated as part of the entire financial landscape, not as a standalone tax move.

Sometimes good planning isn't about avoiding a tax bill. It's about having more control over when it arrives.

09/17/2026

Before asking "What should I invest in?" ask this instead...

What am I trying to accomplish?

It's a simple question.

But it changes everything.

Buying a home.

Retiring comfortably.

Helping grandchildren with education.

Traveling more.

Leaving a legacy.

Every financial decision should support a goal, not the other way around.

At Vera Planning, we don't begin with investments.

We begin with people.

We take the time to understand your goals, your family, your priorities, and the landscape you're navigating before recommending strategies.

Because the right investment for one person may be the wrong investment for another.

The best financial plans don't start with products.

They start with purpose.

What financial goal matters most to you over the next five years?

09/16/2026

It can be easy to look at deferred compensation and focus on one question:

How much could this reduce my taxable income today?

But that’s only part of the decision.

When you elect to defer compensation, you’re also making decisions about future cash flow, timing, flexibility, and risk.

When will you need the income?

What else will be happening financially when distributions begin?

How does the election fit alongside retirement accounts, investments, equity compensation, and other sources of future income?

And importantly, how comfortable are you with the fact that nonqualified deferred compensation is generally an unsecured obligation of your employer?

A tax benefit today can still create a planning challenge tomorrow if the rest of the picture isn’t considered.

At Vera Planning, this is why we believe decisions like these shouldn’t be made in isolation.

The question isn’t simply:

“Should I defer more?”

It’s:

“How does this decision fit into everything else I’m trying to accomplish?”

The 2027 election may happen in 2026. The impact of that decision could last for years.

09/15/2026

The decision about your 2027 income is happening now.

For executives with deferred compensation plans, one of next year's most important financial decisions must often be made before this year ends.

That's because deferred compensation elections generally occur a full year in advance.

Before making an election, it's worth asking:

Does this fit my long-term tax strategy?
How will this affect my cash flow?
What flexibility am I giving up?
Am I comfortable with the risks involved?

Good planning isn't just about reducing taxes.

It's about understanding the tradeoffs before making a decision.

Deadlines create urgency. Planning creates confidence.

09/12/2026

Saturday, September 12, 2026
Some days don't end when the calendar changes.

Yesterday, our nation paused to remember the 2,977 lives lost on September 11, 2001.

Today, we remember them again.

Because for the families who lost loved ones...
For the first responders who answered the call...
For those who continue to carry the physical and emotional scars...
And for millions of Americans who remember exactly where they were that morning...

September 11 has never been just one day on the calendar.

It is part of our shared story.

We remember the courage that rose from unimaginable tragedy.

We remember the kindness strangers showed one another.

We remember the resilience that united a nation.

And we remember those whose lives were forever changed.

May we continue to honor them, not only through remembrance, but through the way we care for one another every day.

We will never forget.

09/11/2026