Tax filing reports what already happened. Tax planning is what puts you back in control.If you just finished paying your 2025 taxes and you're wondering how the bill got that big, this week's Money On Tap is for you.Ben Brayshaw and Dan Michelon walk through the year-round tax strategies most investors — and most financial advisors — are quietly missing. From bracket management and income engineering to real estate depreciation, solo 401(k) contributions, charitable trusts, and the often-overlooked Augusta Rule, this is a working playbook for keeping more of what you earn.What you'll learn:

• Why tax planning beats tax filing every year — and what most advisors skip
• How to engineer your income to stay in a lower bracket without changing your lifestyle
• The difference between one-off Roth conversions and a real 10-year Roth strategy
• Real estate deductions, cost segregation, and the Augusta Rule explained
• Solo 401(k) vs SEP IRA — and why business owners routinely leave $30K+ on the table
• Charitable remainder trusts: the tax strategy almost nobody talks about
• Why today's 37% top federal bracket is historically low — and what that means for your retirement plan

Plus Money In The News:

• Google's $10M commitment to train American manufacturing workers on AI
• The cost to raise a child in the US now tops $300,000
• South Hadley, MA rejects a 50% property tax hike by a 2-to-1 vote

Read the companion blog: brayshawfinancial.com/blog
Schedule a free consultation: app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsulta
Full Money On Tap episode library: brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tapContact Us
Phone: 855-226-8551
Email: [email protected]
Office: 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110
Web: brayshawfinancial.com

• Do I really need $1.16 million to retire? Not necessarily. That figure assumes $84,000 in annual spending funded by Social Security plus a 4% portfolio withdrawal. Guaranteed income changes the math: a couple with a pension or annuity covering their core expenses can retire securely on far less, because their withdrawal rate drops and market downturns stop threatening their paycheck. The right question isn't "what's my number?" — it's "where will my income come from?"
  
  

If you missed just the 10 best days in the market over the last 25 years, you would have cut your returns nearly in half. Miss the best 30 days, and you might as well have left the money in a money market. Miss the best 50 days, and you are actually losing money. That is the cost of a market myth. In this week's Money On Tap, Ben Brayshaw and Dan Michelon break down the most common — and most expensive — market myths that quietly erode investor wealth: "Sell in May and go away," "now is the wrong time to invest," "cash is safer than stocks," "investing is just legalized gambling," "more holdings means better diversification," "gold is a safe haven," "bonds are risk free," and more. With hard numbers, clear analogies, and three decades of planning experience between them, Ben and Dan sort fact from folklore — and lay out a disciplined, statistics-backed approach to growing and protecting your money. You will learn:

• Why missing the market's best 10 days can cut your long-term returns in half
• Why lump-sum investing beats dollar-cost averaging 67-75% of the time
• How a $100,000 in cash since 1992 compares to the same $100,000 in the S&P 500
• Why 2,900 holdings may actually be less diversified than 500
• The truth about gold, bonds, and "safe" investments
• How a $50-per-month investor can still build real wealth

Plus "Money In The News":

• NAHB home builder sentiment drops to a 7-month low amid material, labor, and oil pressures
• Trump Accounts sign up 5 million kids — with community sponsorship changing the game
• March CPI surges 0.9% as the Iran conflict reshapes the inflation outlook

Resources & Links

• Website: https://www.brayshawfinancial.com/
• Money On Tap podcast hub: https://www.brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tap
• Full Money On Tap episode library: https://www.brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tap-podcast-content
• Read the companion blog: https://www.brayshawfinancial.com/blog
• Our planning process: https://www.brayshawfinancial.com/our-process
• Schedule a free consultation: https://www.brayshawfinancial.com/contact

Related Episodes:

• Retirement distribution strategy: how to keep more of your income → https://www.brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tap
• The difference between accumulation and distribution → https://www.brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tap
• Tax-smart investing and why most investors overpay → https://www.brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tap
• How to vet a financial advisor (the questions that matter) → https://www.brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tap

Contact Us

• Phone: 855-226-8551
• Email: [email protected]
• Office: 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110
• Web: brayshawfinancial.com

• Do I really need $1.16 million to retire? Not necessarily. That figure assumes $84,000 in annual spending funded by Social Security plus a 4% portfolio withdrawal. Guaranteed income changes the math: a couple with a pension or annuity covering their core expenses can retire securely on far less, because their withdrawal rate drops and market downturns stop threatening their paycheck. The right question isn't "what's my number?" — it's "where will my income come from?"
  
  

Are today’s tax rates the lowest you’ll ever see in your lifetime?
In this episode of Money on Tap, we introduce the concept of “Generation Roth”—a powerful shift in retirement planning focused on building tax-free income in a world where taxes are likely to rise.
For decades, traditional retirement planning has relied on tax-deferred strategies like 401(k)s and IRAs. But with growing national debt, changing tax policy, and increasing retirement complexity, that approach may no longer be enough.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why today’s tax environment may be historically low  
• How rising national debt could impact future tax rates  
• The truth about being in a “lower tax bracket” in retirement  
• What a Roth IRA is and why it matters now more than ever  
• How Roth strategies create tax-free income  
• Options for high-income earners who can’t contribute directly to a Roth  
• The role of Roth conversions and advanced planning strategies  
• The concept of “tax diversification” in retirement planning  
• How to think about retirement as an income system—not just a savings goal  
This episode is designed for anyone who wants to take greater control over their financial future and build a more tax-efficient retirement strategy.
Because retirement isn’t just about how much you have—it’s about how much you keep.
🎧 Listen now and learn how to position yourself for a more secure and flexible retirement.
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📅 Schedule a Retirement Strategy Session:
https://app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsulta  
📞 Call: 855-226-8551  
📧 Email: [email protected]  
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Money on Tap is your personal finance headquarters, bringing together insurance, brokerage, and fee-based planning to help you make smarter financial decisions.
Subscribe for weekly insights on retirement planning, investing, and financial independence.

• Do I really need $1.16 million to retire? Not necessarily. That figure assumes $84,000 in annual spending funded by Social Security plus a 4% portfolio withdrawal. Guaranteed income changes the math: a couple with a pension or annuity covering their core expenses can retire securely on far less, because their withdrawal rate drops and market downturns stop threatening their paycheck. The right question isn't "what's my number?" — it's "where will my income come from?"
  
  

Are you unknowingly losing thousands of dollars in retirement taxes?
In this episode of Money on Tap, we break down the science of retirement income and how to create “income alpha”—keeping more of what you’ve already earned.
Many retirees focus on growing their portfolio, but the real opportunity lies in tax efficiency, withdrawal strategy, and income planning.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How retirement income is taxed (and why most people overpay)
• The hidden impact of RMDs and Social Security taxation
• What “income alpha” means and how to create it
• Roth IRA strategies and tax-free income planning
• The truth about the widow’s tax trap and how to prepare
• How charitable strategies can reduce your tax burden
• Why tax planning can increase retirement income by 20–30%
Retirement is not about how much you have—it’s about how efficiently you use it.
📞 Schedule a Retirement Strategy Session:
https://app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsulta
📧 Contact us: [email protected]  
📞 Call: 855-226-8551  
Subscribe for more insights on retirement planning, investing, and financial independence.

• Do I really need $1.16 million to retire? Not necessarily. That figure assumes $84,000 in annual spending funded by Social Security plus a 4% portfolio withdrawal. Guaranteed income changes the math: a couple with a pension or annuity covering their core expenses can retire securely on far less, because their withdrawal rate drops and market downturns stop threatening their paycheck. The right question isn't "what's my number?" — it's "where will my income come from?"