Category: Tax Planning and Strategies

Retiring in a High-Tax State: What New Jersey, New York, and California Actually Cost a Woman With $3 Million

New Jersey, New York, and California each tax a $3M retirement differently. The 2026 exclusions, the NJ $150,000…

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Estimated Tax Payments on RSUs, Stock Sales, and Roth Conversions: The 2026 Guide for High-Net-Worth Women

RSU vests, stock sales, and Roth conversions in one year can leave you underpaid by six figures. The…

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The Mega Backdoor Roth Almost No High Earner Uses (Even When Her Plan Allows It)

Author: Hazel Secco, CFP®, CDFA® Table of contents Here is a conversation I have had more times than…

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Widow Filing Taxes the First Year (and After): Your Status Year by Year

Widow filing taxes the first year: the final joint return, qualifying surviving spouse rules, then single brackets. The…

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Roth Conversion Window: The Years High Earners Miss

The Roth conversion window is the stretch of low-bracket years between retirement and RMDs, and it closes for…

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RSU Tax Withholding: The 22% Mistake That Costs $18,000

Your employer withholds 22% on RSU vests, but your bracket may be 35%. How to close the RSU…

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IRMAA 2026: The Medicare Surcharge That Hits Two Years Late

Author: Hazel Secco, CFP®, CDFA® Table of contents Here is a letter nobody warns you about. You turn…

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Should a Widow Sell the House? The Two-Year Tax Deadline Nobody Mentions

Should a widow sell the house? The 2-year $500,000 exclusion, the step-up in basis, and when keeping the…

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Should I Max Out My 401(k)? Why the Answer Changes in Your 50s

Author: Hazel Secco, CFP®, CDFA® 🎧 Prefer to watch or listen? This episode of Align Your Retirement covers…

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Inherited 401(k) Spouse Options: The Choice Widows Under 59½ Get Wrong

Inherited 401k spouse options: why rolling his 401(k) or IRA into your own before 59½ locks it behind…

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