2025 Tax Return Review Checklist — Creative Financial Group
Creative Financial Group · CPA & Retirement Planning
2025 Tax Return Review Checklist
Use this checklist after receiving your return — to catch errors, identify missed opportunities, and set up a smarter plan for next year.
Numbers verified for tax year 2025
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Every Taxpayer
The Universal Review
These items apply to every return, regardless of income or complexity. Start here before anything else.
Accuracy & Personal Information
Income Verification
Deductions & Credits
Next Year Setup
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CFG Tip: Compare this return to last year's side by side. If your tax bill jumped without an obvious reason — higher income, a sale, a distribution — ask your advisor why before accepting it.
2
Higher Complexity
For Incomes Above $109,000 Single / $218,000 Joint — or $500,000+ in Investable Assets
At this level, the tax picture changes structurally. IRMAA, NIIT, RMDs, and Roth strategy all become active considerations. These items are where real money is left on the table — or saved.
Why this threshold? IRMAA surcharges start at $109,000 single / $218,000 joint. The Net Investment Income Tax (3.8%) kicks in at $200,000 single / $250,000 joint. RMDs, QCDs, and Roth conversion strategy are most impactful at $500,000+ in assets. If any of these apply to you, this section is not optional.
Medicare & IRMAA
RMDs & Retirement Distributions
Roth Conversion Opportunity
QCDs & Charitable Giving
Net Investment Income & Additional Medicare Tax
Capital Gains & Investment Review
Estate, Gifts & Beneficiaries
Questions to Bring to Your CFG Meeting
→What is my projected MAGI this year — and does it push me into a higher IRMAA tier two years from now?
→How much can I convert to Roth without crossing into the next bracket or IRMAA tier?
→Am I using QCDs efficiently — or leaving a tax deduction on the table by writing checks to charity instead?
→Is my Social Security taxation percentage being managed through withdrawal sequencing?
→Are my beneficiary designations, trust documents, and estate plan current given this year's return?
Ready to Take Control of Your Retirement?
Filing handles this year. Planning ahead is how you keep more of what you have built — for the rest of your life.
This checklist is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute personalized tax, legal, or financial advice. Tax laws and figures referenced reflect 2025 parameters and are subject to change. Figures including IRMAA thresholds, NIIT thresholds, QCD limits, standard deductions, and gift exclusions have been verified against IRS and CMS sources. Please consult a qualified CPA or tax professional regarding your individual situation. Creative Financial Group is not a fee-only firm.
Kurt Supe, John Culpepper and Brian Quick offer securities through cfd Investments, Inc., Registered Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA & SIPC, 2704 South Goyer Road, Kokomo, IN 46902, 765-453-9600. Kurt Supe, Andrew Drufke and Brian Quick offer advisory services through Creative Financial Designs, Inc., Registered Investment Adviser. Creative Financial Group is a separate and unaffiliated company. The CFD Companies do not provide legal or tax advice.
[Free Book] Tax-Smart Retirement
In this book, I will teach you how to use the tax code to your advantage and significantly reduce your risk of overpaying the IRS when you retire. Whether you are a financial novice, or very experienced, this is a must-read for anyone with retirement plans.
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Our financial advisor Andrew and the staff our awesome. They always keep us up to date with the entire process, options and time-frames. There is no pressure/hard sales at all.Awesome service.
Posted on Google
Peggy
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This group is great to work with. They are very helpful and knowledgeable in their field.
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Monica Carl
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My husband and I met Brian at a 'Taxes in Retirement' seminar that he hosted. While we had a good handle on our retirement planning, Brian's input really took it to another level. He is knowledgeable and patient and will explain concepts until you clearly understand not only what he's recommending, but why. His staff are professional and responsive and they keep us updated on the status of our accounts, especially during any activity that they initiate. Brian offers appointments in person (which is something that not all Investment Advisors offer) or via zoom. He's been great to work with and we highly recommend him.
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Suzanne alexander
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Andrew is knowledgeable and detailed. Every review or update he is prepared with information and options. We couldn’t be more satisfied with our choice for financial advisors.
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J Steen
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Brian Quick is a very knowledgeable, professional and friendly financial advisor. I highly recommend him! He has been extremely professional, helping us develop a good financial plan for our retirement. Everyone on his staff has also been very friendly and helpful.
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Gerald Davenport
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Brian and his staff are great to work with! Brian is especially knowledgeable at explaining the pitfalls of the tax implications of 401Ks as well as the strategies to reduce the tax burden. He is easy to talk to and provides quick responses to any questions my wife and I have. I highly recommend CFP no only for those who have retired and are the things the hard way, but for those who have several years to go before retirement.
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Edward Novit
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My wife and I have been clients of CFG for about eight years, working with Brian Quick. We are extremely satisfied with the guidance and advice we’ve received and truly enjoy working with him. He helped us prepare for retirement while I was still working and now continues to guide us through retirement with sound advice and regular plan updates.
Brian and his staff are knowledgeable, responsive, and easy to work with. He explains financial concepts in terms we can understand and provides sound guidance on investment strategy, retirement income and Social Security planning, and which accounts to draw from at different stages of retirement. We highly recommend Brian and the entire CFG team.
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Sergio Menale
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The Professionalism is wonderful to have in the staff. We have been with this group for a number of years and have been very happy. The front office girls are amazing.
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Randy Hornstein
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We are currently consumers of our retirement savings. Switched to CFG because of their reputation for tax planning and expertise in navigating the retirement years.
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Ellen Sanders
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
We have been working with Brian Quick for the past several years and he has done a great job not just with our investments, but also with tax planning and Medicare. We love the complete approach Brian takes to our financial health.
No material compensation is paid for client testimonials. Client experiences vary, and testimonials speak to the particular client experience, and are not representative of all client experiences. Testimonials are available at search -Creative Financial Google Reviews. The client providing the testimonial does not have any material conflicts of interest as it relates to the testimonial provided.
Ready to See What’s Possible?
Whether you’re close to retirement or have already retired, we believe you deserve a plan you can trust, and a team that treats your retirement like it’s their own.
Brian has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. His focus is on tax diversification planning through utilization of tax-efficient/tax-free income strategies, comprehensive financial planning and financial security planning focused on risk management. Brian’s objective is to provide you with the highest level of service, so you can focus on what’s important to you.
Brian’s professional designations include:
ChFC®: Advanced planning for every person, every need. That’s the promise of a ChFC® (Chartered Financial Consultant®) designation from The American College of Financial Services.
As a Chartered Financial Consultant, Brian can offer advanced knowledge in a holistic way regarding:
Insurance Planning
Retirement Planning
Income Tax Strategies
Investment Planning
Estate Planning
CLU®: The premier designation for insurance professionals, CLU® (Chartered Life Underwriter®) is the insurance profession’s oldest standard of excellence. With particular emphasis placed on ethics and commitment to clients, the CLU® has earned a distinguished reputation backed by security and stewardship.
As a Chartered Life Underwriter, Brian can advise on:
Long-Term Care Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Insurance Planning for Business, Estate, Tax and Risk Management
Brian has five children and five grandchildren. He enjoys spending time with his family and watching IU, the Colts and Notre Dame football. He was born in Indianapolis and enjoys serving his fellow Hoosiers.
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Andrew Drufke believes everyone should have access to high-end financial planning. His goal is to be a valuable source of knowledge and comfort for others. He makes confidence and clarity a top priority in guiding others on their financial path. Andrew is knowledgeable on Social Security, tax planning, investments, legacy planning, Medicare, income and retirement planning.
Born and raised in Downers Grove, Illinois, Andrew graduated from Illinois State University. He is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP)® and Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® which enhances his knowledge of financial, health, and social issues that seniors face. He is also a published author of educational pieces on tax and investment planning in Kiplinger. In addition, he is the co-author of Tax-Smart Retirement book: A Guide for the Age 50-75 Crowd to Lower and Erase Taxes.
A proud resident of the Indianapolis community, Andrew is happily married and has three kids. He spends his time attending cheerleading, softball, soccer, coaching baseball along with otherkid activities. When it’s time to get away, nothing beats a secluded cabin on a lake. He is inspired by Jim Rohn who declared: “Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you can’t get more time.”
John Culpepper
Senior Partner and Co-Founder
John Culpepper has been working in the financial services industry since 1997. John has developed his mission during this time to provide independent advice for his clients that fit their individualized needs financially.
John’s interest in investments began when he was a student at Indiana State University. While studying for his bachelor’s degree in business, he was presented with the opportunity to intern with a local financial firm. It was during this internship that John’s passion for finances was sparked and the accolades for his work began. John was mentioned in Sports Illustrated and USA Today because of his productivity and his new client acquisitions as an intern with the firm. John is also a published author of educational financial pieces in Kiplinger, a national business and finance publication.
In addition to a great internship, Indiana State University provided John the opportunity to meet his beautiful wife, Michelle. They have been happily married since 1999 and together are raising three amazing children in Greenwood, Indiana. John works very hard at providing balance for himself and his family between work and home life. John is an aquarist and loves to maintain his beautiful salt water fish tanks. He also enjoys golf, and he’s currently displaying the 2016 Double Eagle Tournament League trophy in his office. He enjoys fantasy football, Colts football, traveling, fishing, watching movies and spending as much time with family and friends as possible.
John met his current business partner, Kurt Supe, while working at a financial company. They immediately forged a life-long friendship and quickly determined that they shared some basic core values, and both agreed that selling products to clients that they do not need to meet a quota was not what either of them wanted. This was the reason they partnered and opened Creative Financial Group. John works closely with every client to understand their financial holdings and plays an integral role in producing clients’ “individualized” plans with Kurt. John has developed the skills to work with every client to help them capture in writing their financial and retirement goals. John focuses on his client communication and service as he continues to ensure all clients enjoy their experience of becoming a member of his Creative Financial Group family.
Kurt Supe, CPA
Advisor and Chief Investment Officer
Kurt Supe became interested in the investment industry through the help of his grandmother, who assisted him in researching and purchasing blue chip stocks and then watching them grow over time. He has 20-plus years of experience in the financial services industry.
Kurt also serves as the firm’s Chief Investment Officer, overseeing the Best In Class Portfolios and managing $350 million in assets for clients. He is also still hands-on in planning for clients and supports the advisory team daily.
After graduating from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in finance, Kurt entered the world of finance with 5/3 Bank. He quickly discovered the benefits to his clients of becoming an independent financial advisor. In 2003, Kurt partnered with John Culpepper to form the business now known as Creative Financial Group. Kurt and John are now free from sales quotas and product placements and can serve clients in the manner that best suits their individual needs and goals.
In his quest to offer his clients the best service and breadth of knowledge, Kurt obtained a license as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He views continuing education as instrumental to being able to provide his clients with the best financial advice and informed recommendations.
Kurt is a contributor for WIBC radio and has appeared on a number of other local media affiliates, including ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC.
Kurt is an accomplished speaker and has given presentations to many groups, including:
INCPA (Indiana CPA Society)
ITPA (Indiana Tax Practitioners Association)
IACAC (Indiana Association for College Admission Counseling)
Public and private seminars and insurance sales presentations
A resident of Indianapolis, Kurt is happily married and has two children and a dog. His family enjoys going to Kentucky Wildcat football games (where Kurt is famous for sacking Peyton Manning). He also enjoys hunting, fishing and cooking.
