REGION -This year, as the April 17 deadline for personal income tax filing draws closer, you should give some thought to minimizing your tax bill through your retirement planning.

Its a complex topic that would require more than a few words to explain, but nationally-known tax expert Jordan Amin, a certified public accountant (CPA) and chair of the American Institute of CPAs Financial Literacy Commission, has a tip for three different groups of people: those who are 50+, still working and trying to save for retirement; those who have saved for years but now have to figure out the best way to crack open the various eggs in their nest; and those who are wealthy enough to leave a legacy.

For those who are still working, if your employer offers a tax-deferred savings plan like a 401(k) or 403(b) and they offer to match any part of your contributions to it, theres just no excuse for not contributing to it. Beyond that, Amin wanted to remind us that people who are 50 or over are allowed to contribute even more money to their 401(k) and 403(b) plans. In 2012, that catch-up contribution limit is still $5,500.

His next lesson applies to people who are still working and saving, as well as to those who are now ready to tap their retirement funds. If you put all of your retirement money into your employers plan thereby sheltering that income and the earnings on it from taxes until you withdraw it you may actually end up paying more in taxes and management fees than you would if you spread that money around a little more.

Lets say you make $80,000 a year, putting you in the 25 percent tax bracket. When you withdraw money from your tax-deferred accounts, like your 401(k), its treated as ordinary income, so youll pay 25 percent tax on it. But if youve put money into a taxable account at a brokerage firm, as long as you hold assets for at least a year, youll only pay the 15 percent capital gains tax as you sell assets in that account.

Meanwhile, while youre focusing on drawing down your taxable brokerage accounts, the money in your 401(k), 403(b) or IRA is still growing tax-free. Later, once you hit age 70, you wont have any choice you will be required to start drawing down those accounts and paying taxes on the withdrawals.

If you can get by on the income from your taxable brokerage account until youre 70 and delay claiming Social Security until youre 70 you will stand a much, much better chance of having enough money to last the rest of your life. Hear more helpful hints from experts during AARPs free webinar, Social Security and Taxes on March 8. For more information, visit: https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=401017&sessionid=1&key=EDD6E5D653DA2DABC44D32FFA37F96B0&sourcepage=register

That brings us to Amins final lesson, directed at those who are older, very wealthy and may have the luxury of leaving money to heirs. Think about whether you may want to pay taxes now to convert a traditional IRA (in which you invested pre-tax dollars) into a Roth IRA. Roths have no required minimum distributions, and neither you nor your heirs will pay taxes when you withdraw money from a Roth.

For people who are planning to use that money some day, it may not make sense to convert in a down market. With a conservative investment portfolio, it may take too long to recoup the money paid in taxes to do the conversion.