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At Beaird Harris, we believe tax season is more than just a compliance exercise — it’s an opportunity to look closely at your financial picture, uncover opportunities for planning, and take meaningful steps toward your long-term goals.

Here are three key ways you can leverage what you learned this tax season — with help from your Beaird Harris team — to move your financial future forward:

1. Review Your Workplace Benefits – and How They Impact Your Taxes

The investments you make through your workplace — like retirement plans, equity compensation, and health savings accounts (HSAs) — can significantly affect your tax situation.

For example:

• Pre-tax contributions to a traditional 401(k) lower your taxable income now but are taxed upon withdrawal.
• Roth 401(k) or Roth IRA contributions are taxed today but grow tax-free for retirement withdrawals under qualifying conditions.
• Equity-based compensation, such as stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), or employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs), carries unique tax consequences you’ll want to navigate carefully.
• Charitable giving benefits, like Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), may create additional planning opportunities if structured thoughtfully.

Your HR department is an important resource for providing information about benefit offerings, enrollment processes, and plan documentation. However, truly maximizing these benefits — and ensuring they are aligned with your broader tax and financial strategy — often requires a deeper, more personalized approach.

Beaird Harris can help you:

• Understand the tax implications of your benefit elections and optimize contribution strategies,
• Coordinate your workplace benefits with your overall financial plan and investment strategy,
• Identify opportunities for tax-efficient giving, equity compensation planning, and long-term savings optimization.

If additional plan documents or election details are needed, Beaird Harris will guide you in working with your HR department to obtain the right information — ensuring no opportunities are missed.

2. Set and Align Personal Financial Goals

Every tax season offers a snapshot of your financial progress — and a reminder that the most impactful moves often happen between tax filings.

While HR departments often provide valuable financial wellness resources, personalized, strategic planning tailored to your situation typically requires specialized guidance.

Beaird Harris can help you:

• Set short-, mid-, and long-term financial goals,
• Align retirement contributions to maximize employer matching opportunities,
• Reassess your asset allocation across workplace benefits and outside investments.
• Prepare for major life milestones like buying a home, funding education, or planning for retirement.

Our goal is to help ensure every part of your financial life — including your workplace benefits — is intentionally working toward your personal vision for the future.

3. Lean on Professional Support

Workplace benefits and evolving tax laws can create complexity — but you don’t have to navigate it alone.

Your HR department can assist with:

• General information about plan options,
• Enrollment instructions,
• Administrative support for benefits selection.

Beaird Harris can assist you with:

• Comprehensive tax planning and financial coordination,
• Proactive strategies to help optimize your benefits, minimize tax exposure, and strengthen your long-term financial position.

At Beaird Harris, your Tax Team and Wealth Management Team work hand-in-hand — giving you access to a fully integrated approach that combines technical tax expertise with strategic financial planning.

Together, we help coordinate your benefit elections with your broader financial picture — quarterbacking the process so you can stay focused on what matters most.

In Closing

Understanding how your workplace benefits, taxes, and financial plan work together can create powerful momentum toward achieving your long-term goals.

At Beaird Harris, we’re committed to helping you move beyond reacting at tax time — providing proactive strategies throughout the year to turn today’s lessons into tomorrow’s successes. If you already work with us, reach out to your Beaird Harris CPA or Wealth Manager to get started.

Not working with Beaird Harris yet? Schedule an Introductory Call today to learn how our integrated approach can help you plan smarter and move forward with greater confidence.