Bill Artseronian

Financial advisor at Ritholtz Wealth Management specializing in tax management for investors.

Claims

As speaker

Mentioned in

Key positions and views

Advocates for 'tax diversification,' holding assets in pre-tax, after-tax, and tax-free accounts to ensure financial flexibility in retirement.

Recommends that Roth accounts should be invested more aggressively than other retirement funds because they are theoretically the last to be withdrawn.

Promotes the use of advanced strategies like the 'mega backdoor Roth' and strategic Roth conversions to maximize long-term, tax-free growth, especially for younger or high-income investors.

Emphasizes proactive, year-end tax planning that responds to legislative changes, such as accelerating deductions or strategically harvesting gains and losses.

Views death as a significant tax planning event, highlighting the importance of understanding the 'step-up in basis' for heirs and navigating rules for inherited IRAs.

Podcast consensus on Artseronian

Points of consensus

▶A new tax bill, referred to as 'Trump 2.0's tax bill,' increases the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000, but this increase is subject to a phase-out for incomes between $500,000 and $600,000.Apr 2026

▶Beginning in 2026, all 401k catch-up contributions for individuals over age 50 will be required to be made on a Roth (after-tax) basis.Apr 2026

▶A forthcoming tax provision will limit the value of itemized deductions for taxpayers in the 37% bracket, effectively calculating their deductions as if they were in the 35% bracket.Apr 2026

▶A new rule taking effect 'next year' will establish a floor on charitable deductions, making the first 0.5% of a taxpayer's Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) non-deductible.Apr 2026

Points of debate

▶Artseronian advocates for Roth conversions to pay taxes now for future tax-free growth, a strategy whose effectiveness is debated as it relies on uncertain future tax rates being higher.Apr 2026

▶His recommendation to invest Roth accounts more aggressively introduces higher portfolio risk into the account specifically designed for tax-free retirement withdrawals, a common point of debate regarding risk tolerance.Apr 2026

▶While his analysis concludes high-deductible health plans have an 'attractive financial break-even point' due to HSA benefits, the suitability of these plans is widely debated as they can create significant out-of-pocket costs for those with immediate or chronic health needs.Apr 2026

▶Advising clients to accelerate deductions in anticipation of new tax laws is a standard strategy, but its value is debatable given the time value of money and the risk that predicted legislative changes may not occur as expected.

Key themes

▶Proactive Tax Management in Response to Legislation

Artseronian consistently emphasizes the need for investors to actively manage their tax situation in response to a complex and evolving legislative landscape. He details specific upcoming changes to SALT caps, catch-up contributions, and itemized deductions, advising clients on strategies like accelerating deductions to mitigate future tax burdens.

This theme reframes tax planning from a passive, annual compliance task into an active, forward-looking component of portfolio management, where legislative awareness can generate tangible alpha.

▶Retirement Account OptimizationApr 2026

A core focus is maximizing the long-term, tax-free growth of retirement funds. He advocates for 'tax diversification' across pre-tax, after-tax, and tax-free accounts and promotes strategies like early-career Roth conversions, aggressive investment allocation within Roths, and the 'mega backdoor Roth' for high earners.

His approach prioritizes future tax-free status over immediate tax deductions, suggesting a long-term strategy that is most beneficial for investors who expect to be in a similar or higher tax bracket during retirement.

▶Firm-Specific and State-Level Tax StrategiesApr 2026

Artseronian provides a look into the specific tactics employed by Ritholtz Wealth Management to address unique client situations. This includes a 'gains harvesting' strategy for New Jersey clients to counteract the state's lack of tax-loss carryforwards and deferring Q4 gains to Q1 to allow a full year for loss harvesting.

This highlights how generalized financial principles must be adapted into tailored, actionable advice that accounts for nuanced variables like a client's state of residence and specific portfolio needs.

▶Wealth Transfer and Estate PlanningApr 2026

He identifies key moments in life, particularly death and inheritance, as critical tax planning events. Artseronian explains the impact of the 'step-up in basis' for heirs and the SECURE Act 2.0's 10-year rule for inherited IRAs, suggesting strategies like strategic Roth conversions by parents to provide more tax-efficient assets to their children.

This perspective extends tax planning beyond an individual's lifetime, positioning it as a multi-generational wealth preservation strategy.

Source episodes

Timeline

Since 2017

Notes that the federal deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) has been capped at $10,000, setting the baseline for recent legislative discussions.

Recent (Post-Biden Admin)

Discusses the impact of the SECURE Act 2.0, which established a 10-year rule for the depletion of most inherited IRAs, altering estate planning strategies.

Current Year / 2025

Analyzes a new tax bill (referred to as 'Trump 2.0') that increases the SALT cap to $40,000. He advises high-income clients to accelerate deductions into the 2025 tax year in anticipation of new limitations.

Next Year (Implied 2026)

Predicts the implementation of new tax rules, including a floor on charitable deductions (0.5% of AGI) and a limitation on the value of deductions for taxpayers in the 37% bracket.

2026

States with high confidence that a legislative change will take effect requiring all 401k catch-up contributions for individuals over age 50 to be made on a Roth (after-tax) basis.

Suggested prompts

How does Artseronian's advice on accelerating deductions change based on a client's specific income level and state of residence? &nearr;What are the primary risks associated with the aggressive Roth allocation strategy that Artseronian recommends for retirement accounts? &nearr;Beyond 'gains harvesting' for New Jersey, what other state-specific tax strategies does Ritholtz Wealth Management likely employ? &nearr;How does the predicted limitation on deductions for the 37% tax bracket impact the long-term value proposition of Roth conversions versus traditional pre-tax contributions? &nearr;

Key concepts

SALT Deduction 3 ep Roth Contributions & Conversions 4 ep 401k Contribution Limits 3 ep Catch-Up Contributions 3 ep Charitable Deductions 3 ep Itemized Deduction Limitations 3 ep New Jersey Tax Law 3 ep Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction 2 ep Mega Backdoor Roth 2 ep Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) 2 ep

Notable quotes

“The new limit is $40,000. That was maybe the most talked about provision of Trump 2.0's tax bill. It's an increase from $10,000 to $40,000.”

Bill Artseronian · At The Money: Tax Day Special | Masters in Business

“The other change for the highest earning folks, folks in the 37% bracket, they are going to be limited on their overall deductions, they'll be treated as 35% taxpayers.”

Bill Artseronian · At The Money: Tax Day Special | At the Money

“The big change in 2026 is that Roth catch-up contributions for folks over age 50 are now forced to be Roth contributions, again, starting 2026.”

Bill Artseronian · At The Money: Tax Day Special | At the Money

“New Jersey, for example, does not allow tax loss carry forwards.”

Bill Artseronian · At The Money: Tax Day Special | At the Money

Report last updated: Apr 21, 2026

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