Tandon Dorn CFP, CHFC, RICP, TPCP

Home
United States
Omaha, NE
Tandon Dorn CFP, CHFC, RICP, TPCP

Call Directions Website

Partner & Certified Financial Planner® at OWM Inc. - Equipping Clients with Wealth Strategies & Tax Planning for Personal & Business Success

Cetera Investors is a marketing name of Cetera Investment Services. Securities and Insurance Products are offered through Cetera Investment Services LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services are offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC. Securities and insurance products are offered through Cetera Investment Services LLC (doing insurance business in CA as CFG STC Insurance Agency LLC), member FINRA/SIPC. Neither firm is affiliated with the financial institution where investment services are offered. Advisory services are only offered by Investment Adviser Representatives. Investments are: *Not FDIC/NCUSIF insured *May lose value *Not financial institution guaranteed *Not a deposit *Not insured by any federal government agency. Confidential: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential, and are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom this email is addressed. If you are not one of the named recipient(s) or otherwise have reason to believe that you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete this message immediately from your computer. Any other use, retention, dissemination, forward, printing, or copying of this message is strictly prohibited.

10/29/2026

Heading into November is a great time to revisit the Roth conversion decision for 2026.

With most of the year behind us, we can use tax planning software to get a pretty good estimate of where taxable income will land and compare scenarios with no conversion, a partial conversion, or a larger conversion.

The decision goes beyond just managing tax brackets. A Roth conversion could phase out certain deductions or credits, increase how much of your Social Security is taxable, or trigger higher Medicare premiums in future years. You could stay in the same tax bracket and still end up with a larger tax bill than expected.

That's why we like running the numbers before making the decision. Sometimes a larger conversion makes sense. Sometimes a smaller one works better. And sometimes waiting until another year is the better move.

We put together this flowchart to help walk through whether a Roth conversion makes sense this year and, if so, how much to convert.

10/01/2026

Just getting back from The Summit 2026, a tax planning conference in Scottsdale.

Mike and I spent the week around some of the sharpest tax-focused CFPs, CPAs, and advisors in the industry. A lot of the conversations were around practical ways to make tax planning more useful for clients.

Roth conversions, retirement income, charitable giving, business-owner planning, tax-efficient investing, estate decisions — all things that can have a big impact when they are actually coordinated.

That was probably my biggest takeaway from the week. Tax planning is not just about knowing every rule or finding a catch-all strategy. It is knowing when a strategy actually fits into a real client situation.

We came back with a lot of ideas, but also a good reminder that the little planning windows matter. Before year-end. Before retirement. Before a business transition. Before an estate issue shows up.

The weather was great. The tax planning conversations were even better.

09/08/2026

Doing nothing is still a financial decision.

One of the parts of planning clients seem to appreciate most is not just the analysis. It is getting help making a decision when several options could all make sense.

Retire now or work a few more years? Sell an investment or keep deferring the tax? Pull income from the IRA or brokerage account? Gift assets now or later? Keep extra cash or put some of it to work?

Most of these decisions do not have one perfect answer. There are usually tradeoffs either way. The value is in comparing the scenarios, coordinating the investment, tax, estate, and income pieces, and then deciding on a path that makes sense with the information available.

Because a decision that sits open for months usually does not get easier. It just keeps taking up mental space.

Good planning helps turn “we need to figure that out someday” into “here is the next step.”

08/24/2026

Year-end tax planning works better before it feels like year-end.

By August, you usually have enough of the year behind you to see what is happening: income, bonuses, business revenue, capital gains, retirement withdrawals, and cash needs are starting to take shape.

But there is still time to adjust. For retirees, business owners, and families with changing income, August can be a better planning window than December.

Waiting until year-end can still help, but some planning options get harder the longer you wait. Withholding, estimated payments, Roth conversions, charitable giving, capital gains, and retirement contributions are all easier to think through before the year is almost over.

Good tax planning usually is not one big move at the end of the year. It is using the time you still have to make better decisions before the year is over.

08/03/2026

Trump Accounts vs. Custodial Accounts

In the last two posts, we compared Trump Accounts to taxable brokerage accounts and 529 accounts. Another comparison families should understand is Trump Accounts vs. custodial accounts.

At a high level, a Trump Account is more retirement-focused. It may offer tax-deferred growth, a potential $1,000 federal contribution for eligible children, and long-term compounding. The tradeoff is limited investment options and restricted access.

A custodial account is different. It can look similar to a taxable brokerage account from an investment standpoint, but the ownership is different. With a custodial account, the assets legally belong to the child. The custodian manages the account while the child is a minor, but the child eventually receives control under state law.

Here are a few areas to compare:

1. Tax treatment
Trump Account: tax-deferred growth.
Custodial account: investment income may be taxed each year, and kiddie tax rules may apply.

2. Liquidity and flexibility
Trump Account: limited access until adulthood, and future access is tied to retirement-account rules.
Custodial account: more flexible, but assets must be used for the child’s benefit.

3. Investment options
Trump Account: generally limited to broad U.S. stock index funds.
Custodial account: broader investment choice.

4. Control
Trump Account: child eventually owns the retirement account, but access is limited by IRA-style rules.
Custodial account: child legally owns the assets and eventually receives full control under state law.

5. Future use
Trump Account: strongest fit for long-term retirement savings.
Custodial account: broader child-related goals, but with less long-term parent control.

-> Planning angle for Trump Accounts: once the child becomes an adult, there may be an opportunity to convert some or all of the account to a Roth IRA during low-income years.

-> Planning angle for custodial accounts: they can be useful when the goal is truly to gift assets to the child, but families should be comfortable with the child eventually having full control.

Before we wrap up this comparison series, one more option is worth mentioning: a *ROTH IRA* for a child with earned income.

This may be one of the most powerful ways to save for a child, but it only works if the child has legitimate taxable compensation. For business owners, this can be an especially valuable planning opportunity when done correctly. The key words are legitimate work, reasonable pay, and good records.

The right choice depends on what the family is solving for: tax deferral, flexibility, investment options, control, and when the child should access the money.

07/27/2026

Trump Accounts vs. 529 Accounts

In the last post, we compared Trump Accounts to parent-owned taxable brokerage accounts. Another comparison families should understand is Trump Accounts vs. 529 accounts.

At a high level, a Trump Account is more retirement-focused. It may offer tax-deferred growth, a potential $1,000 federal contribution for eligible children, and long-term compounding. The tradeoff is that investment options are generally limited and access to the money is restricted.

A 529 account is more education-focused. It does not come with the same federal contribution, but it can be very tax-efficient when used for qualified education expenses.

Here are a few areas to compare:

1. Tax treatment
Trump Account: tax-deferred growth.
529 Account: tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals when used for qualified education expenses.

2. Liquidity and flexibility
Trump Account: generally limited access until adulthood, and future access is tied to retirement-account rules.
529 Account: flexible for qualified education expenses, but taxes and penalties may apply if used for non-qualified expenses.

3. Investment options
Trump Account: generally limited to broad U.S. stock index funds.
529 Account: investment options depend on the plan, but often include age-based portfolios and education-focused choices.

4. Parent control
Trump Account: designed for the child’s long-term retirement benefit.
529 Account: parent or account owner generally keeps control and may be able to change beneficiaries.

5. Future use
Trump Account: strongest fit for long-term retirement savings.
529 Account: strongest fit for education funding, including college and certain other qualified education expenses.

-> Planning angle for Trump Accounts: once the child becomes an adult, there may be an opportunity to convert some or all of the account to a Roth IRA during low-income years.

-> Planning angle for 529 accounts: unused 529 funds may be moved to a Roth IRA over time, subject to rules and limits. Some states, including Nebraska, may also offer a state tax benefit for contributions.

The main point is not that one account is automatically better than the other. They are designed for different purposes.

If the goal is retirement savings for the child, a Trump Account may become a useful tool, especially for eligible children who qualify for the federal contribution. If the goal is education funding, a 529 is still hard to beat from a tax-efficiency standpoint.

Next, we’ll look at custodial accounts and a few other ways families can save or invest for kids.

07/20/2026

Trump Accounts vs. Taxable Brokerage Accounts

We have been getting a lot of questions about Trump Accounts lately. One comparison worth thinking through is how they stack up against a regular taxable brokerage account for a child.

At a high level, a Trump Account is more retirement-focused. It may offer tax-deferred growth, a potential $1,000 federal contribution for eligible children, and long-term compounding. The tradeoff is that investment options are generally limited and access to the money is restricted.

A taxable brokerage account is different. In this case, we are referring to an account owned by the parent, not a custodial account owned by the child. The parent can keep ownership until they decide whether, when, and how to gift assets to the child.

It does not offer the same tax deferral, but it gives the parent more control, more investment flexibility, and more options for how the money may eventually be used.

Here are a few areas to compare:

1. Tax treatment
Trump Account: tax-deferred growth.
Taxable brokerage: taxable along the way, but potentially more tax planning flexibility.

2. Liquidity and flexibility
Trump Account: generally limited access until adulthood, and future access is tied to retirement-account rules.
Taxable brokerage: parent can access, gift, or redirect the money more freely.

3.Investment options
Trump Account: generally limited to broad U.S. stock index funds.
Taxable brokerage: broader investment choice.

4.Parent control
Trump Account: designed for the child’s long-term retirement benefit.
Taxable brokerage: parent can retain ownership and decide if or when assets should be gifted.

5. Future use
Trump Account: strongest fit for long-term retirement savings.
Taxable brokerage: can be used for education, a first car, a house down payment, starting a business, future gifting, or simply staying invested.

-> Planning angle for Trump Accounts: once the child becomes an adult, there may be an opportunity to convert some or all of the account to a Roth IRA during low-income years.

-> Planning angle for taxable brokerage: appreciated investments may be gifted in-kind, and a future low-income sale may allow for a planned basis reset at a 0% capital gains rate. The kiddie tax, student status, and support rules still need to be reviewed.

The main point is not that one account is automatically better than the other. Trump Accounts may become a useful tool, especially for eligible children who qualify for the federal contribution. But for additional savings, taxable brokerage accounts deserve to be part of the conversation because of their flexibility, investment choice, and parent control.

We’ll break down the 529 comparison next, then look at custodial accounts and a few other ways families can save for kids.

07/06/2026

“Financial Freedom” gets thrown around a lot in our industry. Usually it lands somewhere between a beach photo, a retirement countdown, and a calculator telling you how big your portfolio needs to be.

With America celebrating 250 years, it feels like a good time to revisit what that phrase actually means.

Because financial freedom is not just having a large portfolio at retirement. In some cases, a large portfolio can actually create more stress: more accounts to manage, more tax decisions, more estate questions, more uncertainty around how much can safely be spent, and more concern about making the wrong move.

The freedom we tend to see is different. It usually comes when someone has a plan they understand and feel confident in. A plan that connects:

• Their investment portfolio
• Their income strategy
• Their tax plan
• Their estate plan
• Their cash flow needs

That is when the conversation changes. Not just, “How much do we have?” But:

• Where will income come from?
• How will taxes affect it?
• What happens if one of us passes away?
• How much can we spend and still feel comfortable?
• What do we want this money to do for us and our family?

That is the version of financial freedom we have found actually matters. Not a certain portfolio number on a statement, but a plan that helps turn that portfolio into clarity, confidence, and better decisions when life changes.

06/15/2026

Where is the money actually flowing today, and where will it come from in retirement?

That is the heart of cash flow planning. It is not just tracking expenses. It is understanding how income, savings, taxes, investments, and future withdrawals all connect.

That question applies in a lot of situations:

• A young family deciding how much cash to keep.
• A business owner planning around uneven income.
• A couple preparing for retirement.
• A retiree deciding which account to withdraw from.

Once the flow of money is clear, the strategy usually becomes more focused:

• Should income come from a brokerage account, IRA, Roth, or business distribution?
• Should more cash stay liquid or be invested?
• Should gains be realized this year or later?
• Should assets be spent during life or preserved for heirs?

Good planning often starts with cash flow because cash flow connects everything else:

Taxes. Investments. Retirement income. Estate decisions.

Before choosing a strategy, it helps to understand how the money moves.

06/02/2026

Something we’ve noticed lately. A lot of people feel financially "stuck" right now and its not because things are going badly.

Most are actually doing a lot right:
• good careers
• decent savings
• low mortgage rates
• growing assets

But almost every decision feels harder than it did a few years ago:
• Move or stay?
• Keep the house or rent it out?
• Invest more or hold cash?
• Retire soon or work longer?

It feels like people are trying to make the “perfect” financial decision in an environment where every option has tradeoffs.

Most of the time, good financial planning isn’t about finding the perfect answer. It’s about creating flexibility in your initial decisions so you can pivot when life happens, tax laws change, estate rules evolve, or markets pull back.

This mindset shift alone can reduce a lot of financial stress.

Address

1121 N 102nd Court
Omaha, NE
68114

Telephone

+14023475379

Website

https://owm.ceterainvestors.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Tandon Dorn CFP, CHFC, RICP, TPCP posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.