A Conversation About What Real Tax Planning Looks Like

This week, I had the chance to join Michael Kitces on his Financial Advisor Success Podcast for a conversation that I’m especially proud of, not just because of the invitation, but because of what it represents for financial advisors who are serious about delivering real tax planning value to their clients.

Michael and I talked about what it actually looks like to make tax planning part of your process. Not theory, not code memorization, but practical, repeatable steps that create better outcomes for clients and stronger relationships with CPAs.

One of the big themes we discussed was the importance of proactive communication between advisors and CPAs. Too often, the first time professionals connect is after tax season chaos begins. By being proactive, sharing year-end summaries, providing context on distributions or conversions, and even timing conversations around the CPA’s workflow, advisors can prevent mistakes, save clients from unnecessary surprises, and build genuine professional trust.

We also talked about how involving CPAs as collaborative partners (instead of just another name on the email thread) leads to better decision-making and fewer missed opportunities. When everyone is aligned around the client’s goals, tax planning stops being a reactive task and becomes a real value driver.

Of course, we couldn’t have this conversation without acknowledging the reality of running a business: balancing workload, hiring at the right time, and managing the moving parts of client service. It was a reminder that whether you’re a CPA or an advisor, we’re all working toward the same goal: helping clients keep more of what they’ve earned and reducing friction along the way.

If you haven’t had a chance to listen yet, I’d encourage you to check out the full conversation here: Listen to the episode with Michael Kitces.

And if hearing that discussion sparks ideas about how tax planning could fit more intentionally into your process, I’d love for you to schedule an Advisor Tax Checkup with our team. It’s a short, focused conversation where we’ll look at what’s already working in your practice, identify where tax planning can add value, and give you clear next steps for making it repeatable and efficient. You can schedule your session here.

As I said in the episode, tax planning done right isn’t about more complexity; it’s about more clarity. And that’s exactly what we’re here to help you build.

Happy Tax Planning,

Steven Jarvis, CPA