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📌 Homeownership: The tax code has historically incentivized homeownership through mortgage interest and property tax deductions. This led the author to buy homes that stretched his finances to capture these tax benefits.

📌 401(k) Contributions: The author heavily invested in tax-deferred 401(k) accounts, resulting in substantial retirement savings, but a lack of tax diversification. This means withdrawals in retirement will be taxed at ordinary income rates, which could be higher than expected due to tax bracket creep.

📌 Step-up in Basis: To benefit from the tax forgiveness of capital gains upon death, the author held onto highly appreciated stocks and real estate, avoiding selling these assets to minimize taxable gains.

📌 Roth Conversions: Lower tax rates from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act prompted the author to convert tax-deferred accounts to Roth accounts, accepting higher current taxes to potentially reduce future taxes.

You shouldn’t let the tax tail wag the dog. However, you also shouldn’t lose sight of the importance of a proactive tax strategy; especially one that can put significant money back in your pocket.