Tax-Smart Wealth Management for Retirees and Executives in Del Mar, CA

Tax strategy coordinated with your investments, income, and estate decisions, not handled in isolation from them.

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It is complimentary, with no obligation. If we are not the right fit, we will tell you honestly.
Serving Families in Southern
California since 2015
Chad Waters is a CERTIFIED
FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional
Affiliated with LPL Financial, a Fortune
500 company; Member FINRA/SIPC

Check the background of this firm on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Taxes are often the single largest expense in retirement and the most overlooked. Most retirees focus on investment returns and pay less attention to what they actually keep after taxes.

Many decisions in a retirement plan have a tax consequence: withdrawals, RMDs, Social Security timing, Roth conversions, and equity compensation. Without coordination across those decisions, it is possible to do well on returns and still give back more than necessary in taxes.

Required Minimum Distributions can push taxable income higher if the timing is not considered carefully ahead of time. IRMAA can raise Medicare premiums based on income that many retirees do not anticipate counting toward that threshold. In California, retirement income and capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at the state level on top of federal obligations, which means timing decisions here can carry meaningful consequences.

Most retirees have a CPA who handles the tax return and an advisor who manages the investments. Rarely does either one see the full picture. The coordination that would connect withdrawals, Roth conversions, and Social Security timing into one tax-aware strategy is a conversation that often does not happen.

What a Proper Tax Strategy Looks Like

Tax implications of your withdrawals have been discussed and considered before you take them, not discovered after you file.

Roth conversions have been thought through with an awareness of RMD and Medicare premium considerations, rather than made without that context.

Your CPA and your advisor are working from a more connected picture, with the relevant conversations happening across your planning team.

You are keeping more of what you have built, the number that actually matters once taxes are accounted for.

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Tax Planning at Trifecta Wealth Management

Tax strategy at Trifecta Wealth Management is part of the planning conversation, not an afterthought left entirely to your CPA.

We work to incorporate withdrawal sequencing, RMD considerations, Roth conversion timing, and equity compensation questions into your broader financial plan.

Where you choose to involve your CPA and estate attorney, we are happy to facilitate coordination at your request, so that the relevant tax considerations are part of the conversation rather than addressed in isolation.

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Complimentary Second Opinion

A no-obligation conversation about your current withdrawal approach, RMD considerations, and broader tax picture.

Tax Picture Review

We discuss your income sources, account types, and potential Roth conversion and RMD timing questions worth exploring with your CPA.

Coordinated Strategy

We work to develop a withdrawal and conversion approach connected to your investment and estate planning conversations, with tax considerations incorporated throughout.

CPA Coordination

Where you choose to involve your CPA, we are happy to facilitate that coordination at your request, so that your planning and tax filing are informed by the same picture.

Ongoing Adjustment

We revisit the strategy as your income, account balances, and personal situation evolve over time.

What We Charge

Tax strategy is not billed as a separate service. It is included as part of Trifecta Wealth Management's fee-based advisory relationship, with all fees disclosed in writing before you make any decision. Tax return preparation and filing are outside our scope and remain the work of your CPA.

Why Work With Trifecta Wealth Management

Tax Strategy Built Into the Plan

Tax considerations are part of the broader planning conversation at Trifecta Wealth Management, incorporated alongside withdrawals, RMDs, Roth conversions, and Social Security rather than treated as a separate discussion.

We Coordinate With Your CPA

Tax return preparation and filing remain your CPA's work. Where you choose to involve them, we are happy to facilitate coordination at your request so that planning and tax decisions are informed by the same picture.

A Coordinated Approach Across Multiple Dimensions

Withdrawal sequencing, RMDs, Roth conversions, Social Security timing, tax-loss harvesting, asset location, charitable giving, equity compensation, and business owner tax planning are all areas we can incorporate into the conversation where relevant to your situation.

Institutional Support Behind the Relationship

Through our affiliation with LPL Financial, we have access to the resources and infrastructure to support complex, multi-dimensional tax and financial planning conversations, subject to eligibility.

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What Our Clients Say

It is to my great fortune to have met Chad Waters 7 years ago! My husband and I signed up with Chad to manage our portfolio. When Chad started his new business, Trifecta Wealth Management, we were all too happy to follow him, and Heather St. Amour, Trifecta's Branch Operations Manager. We trust them for our financial management and peace of mind, and whenever I call, the phone is answered immediately or I'm called back within minutes. It's so wonderful learning from Chad's expertise if I have a question or concern, he is so knowledgeable. I have recommended Trifecta to all of my friends and family. We are extremely satisfied clients!

Mary Jo S.
Business Owner
September 2, 2026

My wife and I have worked with Chad Waters for 10 years since he knocked on my door a year before our retirement. Usually I shoo away people selling services but there was something about Chad that made me want to hear what he had to say. In our experience Chad and Heather have always had our best interests at heart. I find that they are always available. They have our absolute trust with our money for our financial plan and retirement savings. We look forward to a continued relationship with Trifecta Wealth Management, LLC.

Jere D.
Retired
August 14, 2026

Chad Waters and Heather St. Amour of Trifecta Wealth Management are a wealth of knowledge and they are always well prepared for our quarterly meetings. They are very patient with our questions and always provide knowledgeable answers. They always provide a great long-term plan and always take into account our risk tolerance. They always stay in touch and respond to our emails or phone calls in a timely manner. If my wife or I do not understand something they explain it in simple terms.

Pat H.
Business Owner
August 13, 2026

This statement is a testimonial by a client of the financial professional as of the indicated date. The client has not been paid or received any other compensation for making these statements. As a result, the client does not receive any material incentives or benefits for providing the testimonial. These views may not be representative of the views of other clients and are not indicative of future performance or success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you prepare or file my tax return?

No. Tax return preparation and filing remain your CPA's work. Where you choose to involve your CPA in the planning conversation, we are happy to facilitate that coordination at your request.

How do you help with RMDs?

We work with you to think through the timing, amount, and potential tax impact of your Required Minimum Distributions as part of your broader income and withdrawal strategy, rather than addressing them in isolation the year they are due.

What is a Roth conversion, and when does it make sense?

A Roth conversion moves money from a tax-deferred account into a Roth account, paying tax now to potentially reduce future RMDs and tax exposure. Whether and when a conversion may make sense depends on your income, tax situation, and timeline, and is worth exploring with your CPA as part of a coordinated conversation.

Will you talk to my CPA directly?

Yes, at your request. We are happy to facilitate that conversation so that your investment and income planning decisions are informed by the same picture as your tax situation.

Do you help with tax planning for equity compensation?

Yes. We discuss RSUs, stock options, and concentrated positions with an awareness of potential tax implications, as part of your broader financial plan. We do not provide tax advice, and decisions in this area are best made in coordination with your CPA.

Are you a fiduciary?

In our fee-based advisory relationships, yes. We are required to act as a fiduciary, and as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, held to a fiduciary standard under the CFP Board's Code of Ethics.

Got questions?

Apply for a Second Opinion call with our team to get all your questions answered.

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Let's look at your tax picture and see what you might be able to keep more of.

Get a Second Opinion
It is complimentary, with no obligation. If we are not the right fit, we will tell you honestly.
Prefer to call?
+1 858-703-6033

Important: Trifecta Wealth Management does not provide tax or legal advice. We work in close coordination with your CPA and estate attorney to work to help align your investment and financial planning considerations with your overall tax strategy. This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax or legal advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor.