Ultra-High Income Tax Planning ($1M+)

Ultra-high earners face the full impact of surtaxes, phase-outs, and advanced tax planning opportunities. Comprehensive year-round planning with coordination across all income sources is essential.

Surtaxes are guaranteed. The 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax applies to virtually all of your investment income. The 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies to earned income above $200,000/$250,000. These are not phase-outs you might avoid; at $1 million-plus, they apply in full every year.

Comprehensive wealth management. Tax planning at this level extends beyond income optimization. Estate planning, gifting strategies, trust structures, and multi-year income timing all interact. A CPA working in isolation from your estate attorney and financial advisor will miss coordination opportunities.

State tax planning. If you live in a high-tax state, the $10,000 SALT deduction cap means you receive no federal benefit for state taxes above that threshold. Some high earners restructure business income through states with no income tax, though the rules around this have tightened significantly.

The pitfall: At $1 million-plus, the cost of not having proactive tax planning compounds rapidly. Missing a single strategy (charitable remainder trust, installment sale timing, Roth conversion window) can mean six figures in unnecessary taxes in a single year.