"I Want to Pay Less Taxes": Turning That One Statement Into a Full Wealth Plan

Every year around this time, Tom hears some version of the same statement: I want to pay less in taxes. There is a guaranteed way to do that, earn less money, and since nobody wants that, Tom breaks down what people are really asking when they say they want to reduce their taxes. In this episode, Tom covers why most tax conversations happen too late to matter, why real strategies like entity structuring, Roth conversion timing, and cash balance plans take years of lead time to set up, and why the number itself is the wrong thing to optimize for. He shares his test for any tax strategy: would you still do it if the tax break disappeared? And he closes with reflection questions to bring to your own CPA. Educational only, not tax or financial advice. Resources mentioned: Perennial Pride: https://perennialpride.com/ Wealth Beyond the Numbers by Tom Suvansri: https://perennialpride.com/books/ Connect with Perennial Pride: Website: https://perennialpride.com/ Email: info@perennialpride.com Phone: (203) 918-6424 Chapters: 00:00:00 - Welcome back, and why taxes come up more as the year winds down 00:01:00 - The only guaranteed way to pay less tax, and why nobody wants it 00:04:00 - The basics most people are already doing right 00:06:00 - Planning ahead: buying the umbrella before it rains 00:09:00 - The bigger question: what is the money actually for? 00:12:00 - Cash balance plans, Roth conversion timing, and entity structuring before a sale 00:17:00 - Taxes and the foundation you're building your life on 00:20:00 - The test: would you still do this without the tax break? 00:26:00 - Reflection questions to bring to your own advisor #taxplanning #wealthstrategy #proactiveplanning #perennialpride