Knowing tax strategies isn’t the same as delivering them

Most advisors I talk to already know a lot about taxes. They’ve heard the strategies. They’ve attended the webinars. They understand the concepts.

Where things break down is delivery.

Not in the knowledge, but in the moment it has to be applied. When a client’s return is messy. When the conversation goes off-script. When the answer isn’t obvious, but something feels important.

How do you explain a tax opportunity without overwhelming the client?
How do you spot planning opportunities quickly in a return?
How do you make tax planning feel like a natural part of your process instead of an add-on?
How do you get your team involved so you can provide value on taxes at scale?

That gap between knowing and delivering is where confidence is built or lost. And it’s often the difference between a client trusting your guidance or walking away unsure.

The goal isn’t to turn advisors into tax preparers. It’s to help you think like a tax planner even when you’re not the one filing the return. To recognize opportunities, ask better questions, and know when to dig deeper.

Advisors want support in the moments that matter: reviewing a return, preparing for a client meeting, or figuring out whether a tax idea is worth pursuing at all. They want tax planning to feel integrated into their process, not like something they’re bolting on at the last minute. That’s what led many of them to join Retirement Tax Services Essentials.

If strengthening the way you deliver tax planning is something you’re focused on this year, you can click here to learn more about Essentials.

Happy Tax Planning,

Steven Jarvis, CPA