David N. Waldrop, CFP

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David N. Waldrop, CFP

David Waldrop is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and owner of Bridgeview Capital Advisors, Inc. Let’s get you that plan.

As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ for over two decades, I know that retirement planning and taxes can be confusing and intimidating. With our straightforward guidance, you can have a plan designed around YOU!

08/28/2026

Tax Planning Mistakes To Avoid With NUA

Net Unrealized Appreciation or NUA is a retirement plan distribution tax strategy for those who hold highly appreciated company stock.

Withdrawing 401(k) funds in this manner can result in significant tax savings versus the more common rollover method.

However, there are some common mistakes impementing this tax strategy that can undo the savings and create additional tax headaches.

08/21/2026

Who Should Consider the NUA Tax Strategy?

The primary consideration for the Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) strategy is having a highly appreciated stock position.

Remember, your basis in the stock is taxed at ordinary income rates. If your stock position isn’t highly appreciated, it means a large portion of the stock value is basis that won’t be eligible for the more favorable capital gains rates.

It should be noted that highly appreciated is subjective. There isn’t a specific amount of appreciation that indicates an ideal scenario. Instead, it is based on each person’s unique tax and financial situation at the time.

08/14/2026

The 401(k) Tax Strategy Many Investors Overlook

Consider a 401(k) worth $250,000, consisting of $50,000 in mutual funds and $200,000 in employer stock. The stock has a $30,000 cost basis, resulting in $170,000 of Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA).

Scenario 1: Typical 401(k) Rollover

In a traditional rollover, the mutual funds and employer stock are sold and the full $250,000 is transferred to an IRA tax free.

However, when those IRA funds are eventually distributed, the entire amount is generally subject to ordinary income tax rates.

Scenario 2: Rollover Using an NUA Strategy

With an NUA strategy, the mutual funds are sold and transferred as cash to an IRA. The employer stock is transferred in kind to a taxable brokerage account.

The $30,000 cost basis is immediately taxable as ordinary income, but the $170,000 of NUA is not taxed until the stock is sold.

At that time, the NUA is generally taxed at long term capital gains rates rather than ordinary income tax rates.

For highly appreciated employer stock, this difference in tax treatment can create a meaningful planning opportunity.

08/07/2026

Cut Taxes On Your 401(k) Company Stock

Utilizing the Net Unrealized Appreciation strategy (NUA) can allow for company stock within a 401(k) to be taxed at long-term capital gains rates as opposed to ordinary income rates.

Usually, all pre-tax funds within a 401(k) are taxed at the ordinary income rate when distributed from the account.

However, with Net Unrealized Appreciation, the portion attributable to company stock can qualify for a significantly lower tax rate.

Net Unrealized Appreciation is the difference in the cost basis and value of the employer stock held in a 401(k).

The “unrealized appreciation” means the stock has not been sold. Its appreciated value has not been “realized.”

07/31/2026

The Hidden Tax Problem With Required Minimum Distributions

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are the IRS’s way of saying: you’ve deferred taxes long enough. It’s time to start pulling money out of your pre-tax accounts, whether you need it or not, and pay ordinary income tax on every dollar.

What most people don’t realize is that RMDs are designed to grow.

The calculation is based on your account balance divided by a life expectancy factor that gets smaller every year.

Even if your account stays flat, the required withdrawal increases.

If your account grows, the distributions grow even faster.

07/24/2026

Cut Taxes with Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)

If you’re charitably inclined and have an IRA, there’s a powerful tax strategy you should know about: Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs).

· QCDs allow IRA owners age 70½ or older to donate directly to charity and exclude that amount from taxable income entirely.

· A QCD can satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution without adding to your tax bill.

· The 2026 QCD limit is $111,000 per taxpayer. Married couples can each make their own.

· Timing matters: the IRS “first dollars out” rule means QCDs must be set up before other distributions are taken.

· QCDs can also reduce Medicare IRMAA surcharges and increase deductible medical expenses.

07/17/2026

There's another reason Roth conversions have become an important planning strategy, and it has nothing to do with your own retirement taxes.

It has to do with your children.

Under current rules, most non spouse beneficiaries must withdraw an inherited IRA within 10 years, paying ordinary income tax on every dollar.

If those withdrawals occur during their peak earning years, the added income can push them into much higher tax brackets.

A Roth IRA changes that outcome. While inherited Roth IRAs are also subject to the 10 year rule, qualified distributions are generally tax free.

For many families, thoughtful Roth conversions can help reduce the lifetime tax burden for both parents and the next generation.

07/10/2026

The Tax Trap Most People Never See Coming

A valuable tax planning tool we use is a tax bracket visualizer that maps projected income throughout retirement.

The pattern is often surprising. In the years before Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and full Social Security benefits, many retirees remain in lower tax brackets.

Later in retirement, taxable income often rises into the 22%, 24%, or even 32% brackets as multiple income sources and growing RMDs begin to stack.

The planning opportunity is to shift taxable income into those earlier, lower tax bracket years while you still have flexibility.

That is why we view tax planning as an ongoing process, not just something to address during tax season.

07/03/2026

Most people don’t realize Medicare premiums aren’t fixed. If your income crosses certain thresholds, through a surcharge called IRMAA, your Part B and Part D premiums increase.

And here’s the detail that matters most: it’s a cliff, not a slope. One dollar over the threshold and you’re bumped into the next tier for the entire year.

For a married couple, that can mean over $1,000 in additional premiums annually. And it’s per person. Cross the line as a couple and you’re paying that surcharge twice.

06/26/2026

Many people assume they'll pay less in taxes once they retire, but that is not always the case.

In her latest article, Ashley Hamman, CFP® explains why taxes can be higher in retirement and shares planning strategies that can help reduce your lifetime tax burden.

Be sure to visit our site for the complete article.

Address

5170 Golden Foothill Pkwy
El Dorado Hills, CA
95762

Telephone

+19162356857

Website

https://www.bridgeviewadvisors.com/

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