Why taxes create the biggest client “wow” moments
One of the things I’m reminded of every tax season is how many opportunities get missed simply because no one takes the time to really review the tax return.
For a lot of advisors, tax season means waiting for the return to be filed and then moving on. But the tax return is one of the best planning documents your clients have.
If you slow down and review it intentionally, you can uncover opportunities that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Things like:
- Income patterns that could be smoothed out in future years
- Missed planning opportunities from the previous year
- Opportunities for Roth conversions or better withholding strategies
- Areas where better coordination between the advisor and CPA could save real money
The challenge is that most advisors don’t have a consistent process for reviewing returns.
When advisors use a repeatable process, something interesting happens.
They start spotting planning opportunities more consistently.
They start having better conversations with clients.
And clients start seeing the advisor as someone who’s proactively helping them avoid overpaying the IRS.
And when clients see that kind of value, they talk about it. Which is why advisors who lean into tax planning tend to stand out pretty quickly.
Especially this time of year.
Happy tax planning,
Steven Jarvis, CPA
P.S. If you want to see how top advisors turn tax planning into a real competitive advantage, join me for a free webinar: The Financial Advisor’s Silver Bullet: Taxes
📅 March 18, 2026
⏰ 9 AM PST