Headlines can make the future feel unsettled. Concerning world events, the cost of living and changing technology are understandable. Your financial plan gives you a place to focus on the decisions you can make today.
As we wrap up our Fall Surge Meetings, we’re finding opportunities to improve tax reporting, prepare for next year’s expenses and help families get organized. This issue highlights where a little attention now can make a difference in 2027.
What would you like to feel more prepared for in January? Start with the decisions that affect your cash flow and taxes. You don’t need to act on every item below; we can help identify what matters to you.
Get withholding closer to the mark. We’re finding that many working and retired clients have too much or too little withheld. Pensions, wages, Social Security and investment distributions need to be reviewed together. Updated pay stubs and income statements help us evaluate the total.
Review Roth conversions early. A lower-income year may create an opportunity, but additional income can affect deductions and Medicare premiums. Our office’s target is to complete planned 2026 conversions by December 1, allowing time for processing ahead of year-end.
Coordinate investment sales and giving. Before a large withdrawal, investment sale or charitable gift, let’s review the tax impact and the best funding source. Giving directly from an IRA or donating appreciated investments may fit some situations.
Check remaining payroll contributions. If you’re working, review opportunities to contribute to your 403(b), 457(b) or other workplace retirement plan. Payroll processing deadlines can arrive before December 31.
Give open enrollment a fresh look. Compare 2027 premiums, prescriptions, doctors and out-of-pocket costs. Medicare’s annual open enrollment runs October 15 - December 7. Pension system and employer coverage deadlines vary, so use your own enrollment materials. Review available life and disability benefits, too.
Your next step: Email our office now if you expect an income change, large withdrawal or charitable gift. Early conversations give us more time to evaluate your options.
A filed tax return can still deserve another look. Todd recently returned from the Tax Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he explored strategies to help clients reduce unnecessary taxes. Here at 3 Creeks Capital, our 37-point tax return review checklist is helping us uncover recurring issues in clients’ 2025 returns.
1. Missed senior deductions. Eligible taxpayers aged 65 and older may qualify for an additional deduction of up to $6,000 each, or $12,000 for a married couple when both qualify. Income phaseouts apply. A deduction reduces taxable income; it is not a dollar-for-dollar tax credit.
2. Missing income or investment information. With multiple pensions, investment accounts and retirement distributions, a missing tax form or an incorrectly reported amount can be easy to overlook. We’re checking that the return reflects the full picture.
3. Charitable IRA gifts treated as taxable income. Eligible IRA owners age 70½ or older can make qualified charitable distributions, or QCDs, directly to qualifying charities. The qualifying amount is excluded from taxable income, rather than claimed as a separate charitable deduction.
4. Roth conversions treated as early withdrawals. Conversions generally create taxable income, but the amount properly converted is not subject to the 10% early-distribution tax. Incorrect reporting can trigger an unnecessary penalty. Amounts withheld or kept outside the Roth account may be treated differently.
5. Missed donor-advised fund deductions. Eligible contributions may provide an itemized deduction, subject to limits and documentation requirements. We’re checking that contributions to the fund were reported correctly; later grants from the fund do not create another deduction.
Your next step: If you haven’t shared your complete 2025 return, upload it through your secure client portal. If we identify a potential reporting issue, we’ll work with you and your tax professional on the appropriate next step.
A pension update matters most when you understand what changes for your household. Here are three developments to keep on your radar.
STRS Ohio. The board extended the 32-year service requirement for an unreduced retirement through May 1, 2035. It also approved a 1.6% cost-of-living adjustment for eligible benefit recipients for fiscal year 2027, which began July 1, 2026. Individual eligibility and payment timing matter.
OPERS. The inflation-based cost-of-living adjustment will be 3% for 2027. Eligible recipients receive the adjustment on the anniversary of their benefit effective date, rather than all receiving it in January.
OP&F. The new Member Portal is now live. Take a few minutes to establish access and review your information. Look for your 2027 health care enrollment materials and review how coverage costs fit your retirement budget.
Your next step: If retirement is approaching, bring your latest pension estimate and health care information to your next meeting. We’ll review them alongside Social Security, taxes and your investments.
If someone needs to help you tomorrow, would they know where your documents are and who can make decisions? Getting organized now can make a difficult time easier for the people you love.
Save the date. Join our Estate Planning Webinar on Thursday, November 19, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. We’ll discuss common gaps and ways to prepare for a productive estate planning conversation. Watch for your invitation and registration details.
Our 2027 Surge Meetings will focus on an estate document summary and analysis, including how your documents, beneficiary designations and financial plan work together.
Your next step: Upload your current estate documents through the secure client portal before your Spring meeting. If you need to create or update documents, ask our office for access to Wealth.com, which is available as a complimentary service for our clients.
Access to the Wealth.com website is granted to you by Wealth, Inc. through your Cetera associated financial professional solely in his/her capacity as a subscriber, which provides you with access to certain estate planning documents. Should you choose to use Wealth.com to access estate planning documents, you will supply information directly to Wealth.com, and Wealth.com will provide you with draft estate planning documents. None of Cetera’s financial professionals, or Wealth, Inc. are acting as an attorney or providing legal advice in any fashion. All such documents generated by Wealth.com are subject to Wealth.com’s terms and conditions, which you should review. You should not rely on these documents until, at a minimum, you have reviewed and finalized them with an attorney from Wealth.com’s nationwide network of attorneys on retainer. Prior to finalizing any documents, Cetera also encourages you to seek personalized estate planning advice from as many qualified professionals as appropriate to evaluate your individual estate planning needs and to review your estate plan documents.
Please note that Cetera and their affiliates are not related to or otherwise affiliated with Wealth, Inc. by common ownership or control. Neither Cetera nor its financial professionals receive compensation from Wealth, Inc.
It’s reasonable to wonder what artificial intelligence will mean for your work or your children’s careers. You can explore useful tools at your own pace without having every answer about the future.
Try a small task, such as organizing a travel itinerary or preparing questions for an appointment. Check important answers and keep sensitive financial and personal information out of public AI tools. For financial decisions, bring questions to our team so we can consider your circumstances together.
As you think about 2027, make room for the parts of life that give you purpose. Mentoring a younger colleague, volunteering or spending more time with family can be worthwhile goals alongside a retirement date or savings target.
Your next step: Tell us one thing you want more time for in 2027. That goal belongs in your financial plan, too.
For straightforward explanations of Ohio pensions, retirement taxes and related topics, subscribe to The Ohio Pension Playbook on YouTube. Visit our website to find the channel and our latest resources.
Before your next meeting, upload updated tax returns, paystubs, benefit statements and other relevant documents. Having them in advance lets us spend more time on your decisions and questions.
Thank you for trusting us with your planning. We look forward to helping you finish the year prepared and make room for what matters to you in 2027.
Contact our team: admin@3creekscapital.com | Text or Call (614) 486-4614
Sources for tax rules and benefit updates: IRSsenior deduction • IRS IRA rules • IRS charitable gifts • Medicare • STRSOhio • OPERS • OP&F
Information is general and should be evaluated with your taxand legal professionals for your situation. Securities and advisory servicesoffered through Cetera Advisors LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.
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