High Net Worth Tax Efficiency Planning

At Equilibrium Wealth Advisors (EWA), we understand that taxes are the largest lifetime expense for high-net-worth families. We have a plan to change that. Our strategies will save you time and money, boost your financial confidence, and balance your investments so you can enjoy life today and secure independence for tomorrow. With offices based in Pittsburgh, we serve clients both locally and across the U.S. Contact us at (412) 991-1385 or request an appointment now.

Tax Efficiency for High Net Worth Clients

At EWA, we believe the tax code should work for you, not against you. Smart tax planning isn’t about gimmicks or loopholes; it’s about intentionally structuring your investments, income, and giving to minimize what you pay today and in the future. All tax strategies are coordinated with our in-house CPA team and include the following:

Tax Diversification

Just as your portfolio benefits from owning different asset classes, your tax plan should include a mix of pre-tax, Roth, and taxable accounts. This creates flexibility: In retirement, you can “fill the brackets” by pulling income from the most efficient sources, keeping more of your money compounding while controlling your tax rate year by year.

Asset Location Across the Household

Growth-oriented equities belong in Roth accounts, where long-term gains are never taxed. Fixed income is better suited for pre-tax accounts, where lower returns align with future required distributions. Taxable accounts hold investments that are managed for long-term capital gains and charitable strategies.

Tax-Loss Harvesting

This practice allows us to capture losses in underperforming positions in taxable accounts, which can offset future gains from other investments indefinitely. Clients with concentrated stock positions especially benefit here, as we build customized portfolios around their holdings while reducing their long-term tax bill.

Direct Indexing

Directly purchasing individual stocks from the index gives you greater control over your portfolio, enhances tax-loss harvesting opportunities, and allows you to choose stocks that align with your personal values or financial goals.

Advanced Strategies for Business Owners

Strategies like the Augusta Rule and employing your children can mean tens of thousands in annual tax savings, but they only make sense when implemented within IRS guidelines. We coordinate these with your in-house CPA team, so the strategies are both aggressive and defensible.

Charitable Giving

Donor-advised funds allow you to “bunch” multiple years of contributions into a single year, unlocking larger deductions while still spreading your giving out over time. For many high-net-worth families, this strategy alone creates six-figure tax savings.

Tax Bracket Management in Retirement

EWA ensures you don’t pay more than necessary. By blending Roth conversions, charitable distributions, and bracket-filling withdrawals, we can smooth out lifetime taxes instead of leaving you exposed to spikes when required distributions kick in.

Smarter Tax Planning

Tax efficiency planning at EWA is not a once-a-year exercise. It’s an ongoing discipline woven into your portfolio design, business strategy, and retirement income plan. The result: less money lost to taxes, more money working for your family, and the confidence to live life by design.

Client Story: Turning Tax Burdens Into Savings

As a business owner, taxes are probably your single largest lifetime expense. If your portfolio, entity structure, and giving aren’t coordinated quarter-by-quarter, you’re quietly burning six figures. Let’s change that.

One of our clients, a successful business owner earning over $1 million annually, felt frustrated that nearly half of their income was disappearing to taxes. We first changed their status to an S-Corp, saving them tens of thousands each year. We then instituted a cash balance plan, allowing for deductible contributions that lowered taxable income while rapidly building retirement wealth. We took advantage of the Augusta Rule, renting their home to the business for company strategy meetings. This provided over $14,000 of tax-free income annually.

Two other strategies also set them up for success.

Kids on Payroll: Paying their teens for legitimate work let us shift income to the kids’ 0% bracket. We then funneled that into Roth IRAs and college savings.
Charitable Planning: Setting up a Donor-Advised Fund allowed them to donate appreciated stock, avoid capital gains, and receive a full deduction.

The Result

In the first year, the client tallied up more than $200,000 in tax savings. More importantly, they gained peace of mind knowing they weren’t leaving opportunities on the table. At last, their financial planning strategy was working as hard as they were.

Is Our Wealth Management Approach the Right Fit for You?

We serve high-net-worth individuals and families with $1 million or more in investable assets.
We have particular expertise supporting households in the $10–$100 million range who face complex financial structures, liquidity events, and multi-generational dynamics.
We do not offer standalone tax preparation or insurance services. Services are fully integrated under one advisory fee.
- Wealth Management & Investments
- Tax Strategy & Preparation
- Insurance Planning (via EWA Insurance LLC)
- Estate & Legacy Planning
- Retirement & Distribution Planning
- College & Education Planning
- Business Succession & Liquidity Planning

See our Planning Philosophy, Investment Philosophy, and Our Process for more details.

High Net Worth Tax Planning & Prep

Keep more of the wealth you create with the help of ultra-high net worth tax planning from EWA. With offices based in Pittsburgh, we serve clients both locally and across the U.S. Request an appointment now.