Case Study: Physician Nearing Retirement – Tax Rescue Before the Clock Ran Out
📘 Case Study #3: Physician Nearing Retirement – Tax Rescue Before the Clock Ran Out
Client: Dr. James Carter (67)
Location: Raleigh, NC
Occupation: Physician (recently retired)
🧑⚕️ Profile: Dr. Carter recently retired from a high-income medical career and was focused on simplifying his finances and leaving a smart legacy.
💥 Before: High Income, No Roth, and RMDs Looming
🌤️ After: A Streamlined Plan with Major Tax Savings
🔍 The Problem: Big Accounts, No Exit Strategy
After years of successful practice, Dr. Carter had built over $3M in pre-tax retirement accounts—but no Roth savings. With retirement just a year away, he faced a flood of taxable RMDs and higher Medicare premiums in just a few years. He wanted to clean up his accounts and ensure his children wouldn’t face a heavy tax burden later.
“I was too busy working to think about taxes in retirement. Now it felt urgent—and overwhelming,” he admitted.
💡 The Strategy: Compress Taxes, Expand Legacy
- Consolidated 401(k) and SEP IRA balances into a single IRA for efficiency
- Began annual $150K Roth conversions, staying under the 24% bracket limit
- Delayed Social Security to age 70 to maximize future benefit and control taxable income
- Implemented trust and estate planning tools to protect and streamline the legacy
✅ The Results: Efficiency and Peace of Mind
- Reduced projected RMDs by over 40%
- Saved an estimated $220,000 in lifetime taxes
- Avoided future IRMAA surcharges
- Created a Roth-based legacy that’s simple, clean, and tax-efficient
🗣️ Client Review via Wealthtender
“Brett’s personalized attention and expertise with tax planning have given me peace of mind heading into retirement. I can’t thank him enough.”
💬 What Could a Tax-Smart Retirement Look Like for You?
You've seen how thoughtful planning helped others reduce taxes, avoid costly Medicare penalties, and leave a smarter legacy. Now it’s your turn. Let’s build a strategy that puts you in control — with more clarity, more confidence, and fewer surprises.
Brett Tushingham
,
