07/23/2026
One of the biggest takeaways from this year's tax season...
Now that another tax season is behind us, one observation continues to stand out.
Many retirees pay more tax than necessary—not because they did anything wrong, but because no one helped coordinate the timing of their retirement income.
Social Security doesn't exist in a vacuum.
Neither do IRA withdrawals.
Or Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).
Or investment income.
The order and timing of when you draw from each of these sources can significantly impact:
✔️ How much of your Social Security becomes taxable.
✔️ Your overall federal tax bill.
✔️ Your Medicare IRMAA premiums.
✔️ How long your retirement savings may last.
Most people assume retirement planning is simply deciding when to claim Social Security.
In reality, that's only one piece of a much larger puzzle.
Some of the most valuable planning happens before retirement—while there is still time to make intentional decisions rather than react to them after the fact.
If retirement is on your horizon over the next few years, now is an excellent time to start discussing how your retirement income, taxes, and Social Security strategy all work together.
The goal isn't simply to retire.
The goal is to retire with a plan.
— Patrick W. Rollmann, EA
Rollmann Tax & Accounting Services