Tax Planning

A coordinated tax strategy can help you keep more of what you earn and give away less of your retirement income to avoidable taxes. Stonebridge Financial Group helps Grand Strand families plan ahead, not just file after the fact.

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30+ YearsAdvising Grand Strand families

Local OfficeServing Conway and Horry County

Fiduciary AdviceAdvisory guidance in your interest

Coordinated PlanningIncome, Tax, and Legacy Planning together

Keep More Of What You Have Worked To Build

Most people meet with someone once a year to file a return, then hear nothing about taxes until the next spring. That approach reports the past. It does very little to change what you owe going forward. Real tax planning is the work that happens in between: positioning your income, your accounts, and your withdrawals so the tax bill is smaller by design rather than by luck.

At Stonebridge Financial Group in Myrtle Beach, tax planning is woven into the wider financial and retirement plan we build with you. The way you draw income in retirement, the order in which you tap your accounts, and the timing of decisions like Roth conversions all carry tax consequences that ripple for years. We look at those choices together, so one part of your plan is not quietly working against another.

As financial advisors, our focus is the planning strategy behind your return: the decisions that shape what you owe long before tax season arrives. While tax and legal advice come from your CPA or attorney, we work hand in hand with them, coordinating directly so everything lines up smoothly when it is time to file.

Why Tax Planning Matters In Retirement

Taxes do not stop when your paycheck does. For many retirees, the tax bill in retirement is one of the largest recurring costs they face, and much of it is shaped by decisions made years earlier. Planning ahead is what turns those decisions in your favor.

Your Retirement Withdrawals Are Taxed

Money coming out of a Traditional IRA or 401(k) is generally taxed as ordinary income, according to the IRS. The order and timing of those withdrawals can meaningfully change the total tax you pay across retirement.

Required Distributions Begin At 73

Under current IRS rules, required minimum distributions from most pre-tax retirement accounts generally start at age 73. Planning before that point can soften the tax impact rather than letting it arrive all at once.

Part Of Social Security Can Be Taxable

The Social Security Administration notes that up to 85 percent of your benefits may be taxable depending on your combined income. How you draw from other accounts can influence how much of your benefit you keep.

Brackets And Timing Work Together

A year with lower taxable income can be an opportunity, and a year with higher income can be a trap. Coordinating conversions, gains, and withdrawals with your bracket is where forward planning earns its keep.

How We Help With Tax Planning

Tax-aware planning is not a single service; it runs through the whole plan. Here is where it shows up most for the families we serve along the Grand Strand.

Retirement Income Tax Strategy

We map which accounts you draw from and in what order, so your retirement income is structured to reduce the tax you pay over the long run rather than year by year.

Learn More About Retirement Planning →

Roth Conversion Analysis

We model whether converting pre-tax dollars to a Roth account makes sense for your bracket and time horizon, weighing the tax paid now against tax-free qualified withdrawals later.

Learn More About Roth Conversion Planning →

Account Transition Coordination

A 401(k) rollover or an IRA decision carries tax consequences if it is handled the wrong way. We coordinate these moves so a job change or account transfer does not create an avoidable tax bill.

Learn More About 401k Rollovers →

Withdrawal And RMD Timing

As required minimum distributions approach, we plan around them so the timing of your withdrawals works with your tax picture instead of forcing income into the wrong years.

Learn More About IRA Planning →

Investment Tax Efficiency

Where your investments are held, taxable or tax-advantaged, affects your after-tax return. We consider tax efficiency alongside your investment strategy, not as an afterthought.

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Coordination With Your CPA

We are not tax preparers and do not give tax advice. We work alongside your CPA or tax professional so the planning decisions we make together are reflected accurately on your return.

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Why Grand Strand Families Work With Us

Choosing an advisor comes down to trust: whom you want in your corner when the decisions carry real weight. Our value comes from long experience, a plain-spoken approach, and a standard of care on the advisory side that puts your interests first.

We are an independent Myrtle Beach firm with the support of a national partner, so you get a personal relationship close to home and the resources to serve almost every financial situation.

Advisory Care In Your Best Interest

Within the advisory relationship, our recommendations are made in your best interest and built around your goals, not product sales.
Backed By Osaic Wealth, Inc.

Securities and investment advisory services are offered through Osaic Wealth, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, and a Registered Investment Advisor.
Rooted In Myrtle Beach, SC

We live and work where our clients do, at our 48th Avenue North office, and we meet with you face to face along the Grand Strand.
Tax And Retirement, Planned Together

Investments, retirement income, and tax strategy are coordinated as one plan, so no piece of your picture is left to work on its own.

Dennie R. Lewis, CLU^®, ChFC^®, CASL^®

Owner And Financial Advisor

Dennie has guided Grand Strand families through retirement and tax-aware planning for more than two decades, translating complex decisions into choices clients can understand and act on.

Dawn Lewis

Stonebridge Financial Group

Dawn helps keep the client experience personal and organized, so the families the firm works with feel supported from the first conversation through every review that follows.

Areas We Serve

Our office sits on 48th Avenue North in Myrtle Beach, and we work with families across the Grand Strand. We also serve clients across the country through secure video meetings, so you can plan with us whether you are down the street or out of state.

Myrtle Beach North Myrtle Beach Surfside Beach Conway Carolina Forest Socastee Little River Murrells Inlet

Serving clients nationwide by secure video meeting.

A Smarter Tax Plan For The Years Ahead

The correct tax picture in retirement comes from decisions made ahead of time, coordinated with the rest of your plan. If you want a clear, forward-looking approach to the taxes on your retirement income, we would welcome a conversation.

Request A Tax Planning Consultation Prefer to talk now? Call 843-839-3836

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between tax preparation and tax planning?

Tax preparation looks backward: it reports what already happened and files your return. Tax planning looks forward: it positions your income, accounts, and withdrawals ahead of time so you owe less over the years to come. Preparation is a once-a-year task, while planning is an ongoing part of your broader financial and retirement strategy.

How does tax planning fit into retirement planning?

Taxes follow you into retirement. Withdrawals from Traditional IRAs and 401(k)s are generally taxable, a portion of Social Security can be taxed, and required minimum distributions begin at age 73 under current IRS rules. Coordinating which accounts you draw from, and when, can lower the lifetime tax on your retirement income. That is why tax planning is treated as part of the retirement plan, not a separate errand.

Can a Roth conversion lower my taxes in retirement?

It can, in the right circumstances. Converting pre-tax retirement dollars to a Roth account means paying tax now so that future qualified withdrawals are tax-free and no longer subject to required minimum distributions. Whether a conversion helps depends on your current bracket, your expected future bracket, and your time horizon. We model conversions as part of a multi-year tax strategy rather than a one-time decision.

Do you prepare and file my tax return?

We are not a tax-preparation firm and do not provide tax or legal advice. We focus on tax-aware financial planning: the strategy behind the return. We coordinate with your CPA or tax preparer so the planning decisions we make together are reflected correctly when your return is filed.

When is the best time to start tax planning?

The most useful tax planning happens before year-end and well before you retire, while there is still time to act. Decisions like conversions, charitable giving strategies, and the timing of withdrawals often have deadlines tied to the calendar year. Starting the conversation early gives you the most options; we welcome a review at any stage of your planning.