How Unified Tax and Financial Planning Protects Wealth In Retirement with Imran Razvi, Founder, Higher Ground Financial Group

EDITORS’ NOTE: Imran “Raz” Razvi is the founder of Higher Ground Financial Group. He has been taking care of the financial needs of his clients for 30 years. Razvi specializes in understanding each client as a whole person, integrating the client’s personal needs for current and long-term financial  health into a plan of preparing for and navigating through the retirement years.

Read the Full Interview in Financial Advisor

Retirement today requires far more than simply saving and investing. Long-term financial security depends on how well your tax strategy and financial plan work together. A recent article in Financial Advisor Magazine highlighted how unified tax and financial planning can significantly improve retirement outcomes — a philosophy deeply embedded in the approach at Higher Ground Financial Group, led by Imran Razvi.

For many households, taxes represent the single largest expense in retirement. Coordinating investment decisions, withdrawal strategies, and tax planning under one cohesive framework can help retirees preserve more of their wealth and avoid costly mistakes.

Why Unified Planning Makes a Difference

Traditional financial planning often treats taxes as a separate, once-a-year conversation. But long-term success requires a broader perspective. Unified planning integrates tax strategy with investment planning, income distribution, and estate considerations so clients have a coordinated roadmap.

At Higher Ground Financial Group, Imran Razvi emphasizes that retirement plans should answer important questions simultaneously:

• How will withdrawals affect my taxes?

• What accounts should I spend from first?

• How do I protect myself from future tax increases?

• How do I structure my retirement plan for long-term efficiency?

By looking at your financial life as a whole, unified planning creates strategies that minimize taxes, increase flexibility, and improve long-term outcomes.

Imran Razvi's Key Strategies for Protecting Retirement Wealth

The article outlines Imran Razvi's key tactics that help retirees reduce tax exposure and maintain financial stability. These principles align closely with the planning process at Higher Ground Financial Group.

1. Tax Diversification and Asset Location

Having different “buckets” of money — taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free — gives retirees flexibility to manage taxable income each year. For example, Roth IRAs offer tax-free withdrawals, while traditional IRAs and 401(k)s are taxed upon distribution.

How assets are allocated across these accounts matters. Placing the right investments in the right accounts can reduce tax drag and improve long-term growth. As Imran Razvi often explains, “Where your money is matters just as much as how much you’ve saved.”

2. Smart Withdrawal Sequencing

One of the biggest retirement planning mistakes is withdrawing money in the wrong order. Without a coordinated plan, retirees often end up paying more in taxes than necessary.

A unified approach determines when to withdraw from each account to:

• Minimize taxes

• Avoid being pushed into higher tax brackets

• Make savings last longer

• Create pa predictable income

This sequence must be reevaluated regularly to reflect market conditions, tax-law changes, and personal life events.

3. Roth Conversions and Proactive Tax Planning

The article highlights Roth conversions as a powerful wealth-preservation strategy. Converting funds from tax-deferred accounts into Roth accounts can lock in today’s tax rates and reduce the impact of future required minimum distributions.

At Higher Ground Financial Group, Imran Razvi and the team analyze whether conversions make sense based on a client’s current and projected income, tax brackets, and long-term goals. The focus is not on saving taxes in a single year but on reducing taxes over a lifetime.

4. Holistic Risk and Income Planning

Retirement isn’t just about investments — it’s also about managing risk. Unified planning helps prepare clients for:

• Market volatility

• Rising tax rates

• Unexpected healthcare costs

• Shifts in income needs

• Changes in family circumstances

This big-picture approach ensures that clients have a retirement income plan that is both resilient and adaptable.

What This Means for Higher Ground Financial Group Clients

The principles in the article mirror the core planning philosophy at Higher Ground Financial Group. Under the leadership of Imran Razvi, the firm integrates tax strategy into every retirement plan, focusing on:

• Tax-efficient income distribution

• Custom strategies tailored to each client’s goals and financial situation

• Coordinated investment and tax planning

• Long-term wealth protection for both retirees and the next generation

Unified planning ensures that every financial decision supports the larger goal of lifetime tax efficiency and long-term stability.

A Smarter Path to Retirement

The message is clear: separating taxes from financial planning leads to inefficiencies and missed opportunities. A unified approach — like the one practiced at Higher Ground Financial Group — helps retirees protect their wealth, stay flexible, and enjoy a more secure future.

About Higher Ground Financial Group

Higher Ground Financial Group is a family-owned business that exists to help clients nationwide achieve their financial goals. Like family, Daniel and Imran Razvi rely on each other’s strengths, and, in turn, rely on each other’s collective talents to support you. Whatever your financial concern or challenge - when your family calls, our family and experienced associates will answer!

Learn more about how Daniel Razvi and Imran Razvi proudly serve families nationwide.