# Cannon Advisors

> Cannon Advisors is a Charlotte, NC-based SEC Registered Investment Adviser providing private wealth management, coordinated tax and accounting services, and financial planning for pre-retirees, recent retirees, high-net-worth individuals, and business owners.

## About
- Advisor: R. Bryan Cannon, CFP®, LUTCF — CEO & Chief Portfolio Strategist
- Two independently owned, coordinated teams: Cannon Advisors (private wealth management) and Cannon Tax & Accounting
- Location: 2108 South Boulevard, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28203
- Phone: (704) 820-8393
- Email: bryan@cannonadvisors.com
- Schedule a consultation: https://calendly.com/bryan_cannon/30min
- Disclosure: Cannon Advisors is an SEC Registered Investment Advisor.

## Wealth Management
- [Our Services](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/our-services): Comprehensive private wealth management services.
- [Investment Philosophy](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/investment-philosophy): The principles that guide how we invest for clients.
- [Investment Strategy](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/investment-strategy): Our active, technical approach to managing and protecting wealth, guided by the Cannon AIQ algorithm alongside our traders.
- [Intelligent Portfolios](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/intelligent-portfolios): Diversified portfolios built and optimized for long-term growth.
- [Retirement Planning](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/retirement-planning): Start or update your retirement plan with our team.
- [When Can I Retire?](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/when-can-i-retire): Find out whether you're on track to retire on your terms.
- [Wealth Management for High-Net-Worth Individuals](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/wealth-management-for-high-net-worth-individuals): Boutique wealth management for individuals and families with $1M+ in liquid net worth.
- [For Physicians](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/for-physicians): Financial planning tailored to the unique needs of physicians.
- [Tax Coordination](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/tax-coordination): Coordinated tax and investment planning that pulls in the same direction.
- [The Roth Conversion Alternative](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/roth-conversion-alternative): A retirement planning strategy that's been a home run for many retirees.
- [PATH — Legacy IRA](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/lira-legacy-ira): A strategy to help preserve and transfer an IRA to the next generation.
- [Get a Second Opinion](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/second-opinion): A no-obligation review of your current financial plan and portfolio.
- [The Cannon Difference](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/discover-why): What sets Cannon Advisors apart from other firms.
- [How We Compare](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/how-we-compare): Why investors move from other advisors to Cannon Advisors.
- [Retirement Unplanned](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/retirement-unplanned): A book by R. Bryan Cannon on planning for the retirement you envision.

## Tax & Accounting (Cannon Tax & Accounting)
- [Tax Services](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/tax-services): Tax planning and preparation from Cannon Tax & Accounting.
- [Accounting Services](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/accounting-services): Accounting and bookkeeping from Cannon Tax & Accounting.
- [Social Security](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/social-security): Resources to help you make the most of your Social Security benefits.
- [Withholding](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/withholding): Tools and guidance for getting your tax withholding right.

## Firm & Team
- [About](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/about): Our history and how our two teams work together for Charlotte families.
- [Meet Our Team](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/team): Advisor and staff bios across both teams.
- [Contact](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/contact): Office location, phone, email, and booking.

## News & Market Updates
- [Stock Market Updates](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/blog): Market commentary and analysis from the investment team.
- [Markets 'N5](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/markets-n5): Quick, five-minute market update videos.
- [In The News](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/in-the-news): Cannon Advisors in the media and press.

## Insights
> Plain-English guides on North Carolina taxes, RMDs, IRMAA, Roth conversions, estate planning, and what it means to work with a fiduciary — written to help you plan with confidence.
- [Blog & Resources](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights): Full index of guides.
- [How North Carolina Taxes Retirees: What You Need to Know Before or After You Retire](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights/nc-taxes-retirees): North Carolina uses a flat state income tax rate and does not tax Social Security benefits, but pension and retirement account withdrawals are treated differently. Here is the general structure retirees and pre-retirees in the Charlotte area should understand.
- [Understanding IRMAA: How a High-Income Year Can Raise Your Medicare Premiums](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights/understanding-irmaa): IRMAA can quietly add hundreds of dollars a month to your Medicare Part B and Part D premiums based on income from two years earlier. Here is what triggers it, how the lookback works, and what options exist to manage or appeal it.
- [Required Minimum Distributions Explained: Rules, Deadlines, and Strategies](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights/required-minimum-distributions-explained): A plain-English guide to how RMDs work, why the start age depends on your birth year, how the amount is calculated, and planning strategies to consider before and after RMDs begin.
- [Roth Conversions: When They Make Sense and When They Don't](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights/roth-conversions-when-they-make-sense): A Roth conversion can offer tax-free growth and estate planning advantages, but it isn't the right move for everyone. Here's how to think through the decision.
- [Multi-Year Roth Conversion Strategies: Filling Tax Brackets Without Overflowing Them](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights/multi-year-roth-conversion-strategies): Spreading Roth conversions across several years can help retirees and near-retirees manage their marginal tax bracket rather than triggering a spike in any single year. Here's how the strategy works and why timing and coordination with a tax professional matter.
- [Estate Planning Basics for North Carolina Families: Where to Start](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights/estate-planning-basics-nc): A plain-English guide to the core documents every North Carolina family should have in place, how different assets pass at death, and why coordinating your estate plan with your financial advisor and attorney matters.
- [North Carolina Has No Estate Tax. Here's What That Actually Means for Your Legacy Plan](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights/nc-estate-tax-repeal-legacy-plan): North Carolina repealed its state estate tax years ago, but that doesn't mean legacy planning is done. Here's what NC residents still need to think through, from federal exposure to inherited retirement accounts to out-of-state property.
- [What Does It Mean to Work with a Fiduciary Financial Advisor?](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights/what-is-a-fiduciary-financial-advisor): The word "fiduciary" gets used loosely in financial services, but it has a specific legal meaning. Here is what the fiduciary standard actually requires, how it differs from the suitability standard, and the questions to ask any advisor before you hire one.
- [Which Account Do You Draw From First? Rethinking Retirement Withdrawal Order](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights/retirement-withdrawal-order): The traditional withdrawal order (taxable, then tax-deferred, then Roth) isn't optimal for every retiree. Here's how tax bracket management and account blending can help manage lifetime taxes, RMDs, and Medicare costs.
- [Qualified Charitable Distributions: A Tax-Smart Way to Give from Your IRA](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights/qualified-charitable-distributions): A qualified charitable distribution lets eligible IRA owners send money directly to a charity and potentially satisfy an RMD without adding to taxable income. Here is how the strategy works and what to confirm before using it.
- [Social Security and Taxes: What Charlotte-Area Retirees Should Know](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights/social-security-and-taxes): Many retirees are surprised to learn that a portion of their Social Security benefits can be subject to federal income tax. Here's how the math works, why North Carolina residents get a break at the state level, and how timing decisions can change the outcome.
- [When Your Tax Preparer and Financial Advisor Don't Talk: The Hidden Cost of Disconnected Planning](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights/tax-preparer-and-advisor-coordination): Most people manage their taxes and investments through two separate professionals who never speak to each other. Here's why that gap can quietly cost you money, and what coordinated planning looks like instead.
- [What Is Tax Alpha? How Tax-Loss Harvesting and Custom Indexing Can Add Value to Your Taxable Accounts](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/insights/what-is-tax-alpha): Tax alpha is the extra after-tax return you can capture in taxable brokerage accounts through smart tax management, not stock picking. Here's how tax-loss harvesting and custom indexing work, and who they tend to benefit most.

## Structured Notes Education Center
> A free library of in-depth, plain-English guides on structured notes: how they work, how they compare to CDs and bonds, and the risks worth understanding before investing.
- [Structured Notes Education Center](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/structured-notes-education): Full index of guides.
- [What Is a Structured Bank Loan? A Plain-English Guide to Structured Notes](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/structured-notes-education/what-is-a-structured-bank-loan): A first-time investor's guide to structured notes, explained through the everyday nickname "bank loan": how the mechanic works, what makes up a note, and the risks worth understanding before you invest.
- [Conflicts of Interest: Commission-Based Sales vs. Fee-Based Fiduciary Advice on Structured Notes](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/structured-notes-education/conflicts-of-interest-structured-notes): How a structured note gets recommended to you is shaped by how the person recommending it gets paid. Here's the difference between a commission-based sales model and fee-based fiduciary advice, and why we still use structured notes despite it being more work than simply managing a portfolio of stocks and ETFs.
- [A Basket of Structured Notes in a UIT Structure: Diversifying Across Issuers with One CUSIP](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/structured-notes-education/basket-of-structured-notes-uit): Instead of buying one structured note from one bank, a basket structured as a unit investment trust (UIT) pools notes from many different issuing banks into a single CUSIP. Here's how that diversification works, using a real 3-year yield fund as an example.
- [Structured Notes vs. CDs: What's the Difference?](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/structured-notes-education/structured-notes-vs-cds): A side-by-side comparison of certificates of deposit and structured notes, including market-linked CDs, covering principal protection, return potential, liquidity, and complexity to help investors understand which tool fits which goal.
- [Structured Notes vs. Traditional Bonds](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/structured-notes-education/structured-notes-vs-bonds): A plain-English comparison of how traditional bonds and structured notes behave differently in rising-rate and falling-market environments, including a hypothetical example and key considerations for portfolio fit.
- [How Structured Note Payoffs Work: Buffers, Barriers, and Caps Explained](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/structured-notes-education/how-structured-note-payoffs-work): A glossary-style deep dive into the mechanics behind structured note payoffs, covering participation rates, caps, buffers, barriers, autocall features, and worst-of basket logic, with a hypothetical worked example.
- [Buffered Notes vs. Principal-Protected Notes: Which Fits Your Goals?](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/structured-notes-education/buffered-vs-principal-protected-notes): A plain-English comparison of buffered and principal-protected structured notes, how each defines "protection," what you give up for it, and a hypothetical side-by-side example to help you think through which structure fits your risk tolerance.
- [Understanding Issuer Credit Risk in Structured Notes](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/structured-notes-education/credit-risk-in-structured-notes): A structured note's payoff is only as reliable as the bank that issued it. Here is what issuer credit risk means, why it matters, and how investors manage it.
- [Liquidity and the Secondary Market for Structured Notes](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/structured-notes-education/structured-notes-liquidity): Structured notes are built to be held to maturity, not traded like stocks. Here's what that means for your liquidity, what happens if you need to sell early, and how to plan around it.
- [How Are Structured Notes Taxed? A General Overview](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/structured-notes-education/tax-treatment-of-structured-notes): A conceptual, plain-English look at how structured notes are typically taxed in the United States, including open transaction treatment, contingent payment debt instrument rules, and coupon income, framed as general education rather than tax advice.
- [Who Should Consider Structured Notes? Suitability, Risk Tolerance, and Portfolio Fit](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/structured-notes-education/who-should-consider-structured-notes): A candid look at the investor profiles structured notes tend to suit, and the ones they don't, covering time horizon, liquidity, complexity, and portfolio role.
- [Structured Notes Glossary: Key Terms Every Investor Should Know](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/structured-notes-education/structured-notes-glossary): A plain-English reference guide to the 21 essential terms used in structured notes, from issuer and underlying to autocall and coupon barrier, organized for quick lookup while reading an offering document.

## Optional
- [Tools](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/tools): Calculators, glossary and tax resources.
- [Useful Links](https://www.cannonadvisors.com/useful-links): Helpful financial links and resources.