The Trump administration has unleashed a barrage of executive orders, policy initiatives and federal workforce layoffs.

One thread that explains at least some of the administration's actions is its goal of finding enough fiscal room to make 2017 tax legislation permanent, as well as additional tax cuts promised on the campaign trail. The jockeying and the April 15 tax deadline are timely reminders that smart retirement planning involves taking advantage of the differing tax treatments on accumulated savings. Tax diversification pays.

For one thing, even a brief glance at U.S. tax history shows that brackets, deductions, credits, exemptions, surcharges and other tax rules will change in coming years, let alone in 20 and 30 years. Meanwhile, with the federal government's debt at $36 trillion and annual budget deficits running well above $1 trillion, financial prudence suggests savers should hedge against the risk of higher taxes.

As economists Michael Keen and Joel Slemrod put it in their delightful and insightful history of taxation, "Rebellion, Rascals, and Revenue," "a government's ability to borrow ultimately rests on its ability to tax. Debt, that is, is really just a promise of deferred taxation."

For another, when workers are saving for retirement several decades in the future, projections about income and expenses are meaningless. What you can do is take action now to keep your future tax options open. (The closer you are to retirement, the more accurate your forecasts.)

Tax diversification means spreading your savings across three types of accounts, all taxed differently: Taxable, tax-deferred and tax-free. The main advantage of deliberately designing a tax-diversified portfolio comes with increased flexibility when it comes time to draw down on savings in retirement.

"Tax diversification is a vital component of a comprehensive financial plan," noted a post from McLean Asset Management, the investment advisory service. "By thoughtfully spreading your investments across different account structures, you gain control over your tax liability and enhance your financial flexibility in retirement."

For example, in years when income in retirement looks to be higher, focusing withdrawals on tax-free funds might prevent you from landing in a higher tax bracket. (Think Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k)s.) In years when income is lower, you might choose to rely more on tax-deferred accounts, such as traditional IRAs and 401(k)s.

Spreading your savings and retirement investments into three different tax buckets for savings will help you be tax-smart with withdrawals from retirement plans.

Chris Farrell is senior economics contributor for "Marketplace" and a commentator for Minnesota Public Radio.