An annual review shouldn’t just revisit performance, it should uncover new tax planning opportunities. By asking the right tax questions for annual reviews, financial advisors can identify risks, optimize strategies, and deliver more proactive value to clients.
Here are seven tax questions to build into every review:
- “Has anything changed with your income this year?”
Promotions, bonuses, business profits, or planned liquidity events can all push clients into higher brackets or create new planning windows. - “Do you expect any big changes in the next 12–24 months?”
Sales of a business, stock options, retirement dates, or large one‑time expenses shape how you time income, withdrawals, and conversions. - “Have you started or changed any businesses, side gigs, or consulting work?”
New income streams may call for different entity choices, estimated tax planning, or retirement plan options. - “Are you planning any large charitable gifts?”
This opens the door to donor‑advised funds, bunching strategies, and more thoughtful giving tied to high‑income or high‑gain years. - “Has anything changed in your family or estate plans?”
Marriages, divorces, births, and inheritances often create tax and estate planning opportunities that get missed if you don’t ask. - “Are there any surprises on last year’s tax return you’d like to avoid again?”
This question turns a painful memory into a planning moment and shows clients you want to prevent repeat issues. - “Is there anything on your tax return you’d like us to walk through together?”
You position yourself as the guide who can translate a confusing document into a clear story and action plan.
When you ask these questions consistently, your annual reviews shift from backward‑looking to future‑focused and clients begin to see you as their primary partner on taxes, not just investments.
Want to build a tax‑first annual review checklist you can use with every client? Join the 2026 Tax Summit and leave with a complete framework and scripts for your next round of meetings.
