Getting a big tax refund feels good. But what if that short-term win is quietly costing you far more over your lifetime?
In this episode of The Divorce the IRS Podcast, we explore why common tax advice — even from well-meaning professionals — may not be aligned with your long-term financial best interest.
Most tax preparers are trained to focus on one goal each year: helping you get the largest legal refund or the lowest current tax bill. What often gets overlooked is how those decisions impact your lifetime tax burden. Tax preparation is not the same as tax planning — and the difference can mean tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars over time.
We break down how short-term tax deductions can function more like a loan from the IRS than true savings. By deferring taxes today, many people are creating future tax liabilities on both their original contributions and decades of growth. The result can be what we call a “tax time bomb” — a growing obligation that shows up later in life when flexibility matters most.
You’ll learn:
We also discuss how some financial products and strategies can unintentionally increase long-term tax exposure when used without a comprehensive plan.
The goal isn’t to criticize tax professionals — they serve an important role. But your tax return is a snapshot of one year, while your financial life spans decades. The strategy that feels good today may not be the one that protects you tomorrow.
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