Hello albertkao, in general I would say make a proper pruning cut about an inch off the trunk. Since nothing needs done immediately I may as well ask a few questions. It seems a stretch to imagine why we would not want to trim that dead branch off though unless you see buds forming or opening on it. I tried to zoom in on the first picture and it looks like the branch has been dead for some time. Is that correct? When was it planted? What type of tree is it and what is the white stuff around the bottom? Any reason you can think of for why the branch is dead? Drought?

Now is not the time to prune. You can prune off the dead branches in about a month, if nothing grows. Your plant has suffered the classic light change syndrome... Meyers are quite sensitive to light changes; they respond by dropping leaves and then growing new leaves better suited to the new light. Don't worry about the shape; the plant will produce new growth lower down to balance it later.

Well....let's assume we know this to be true.... DEAD IS DEAD.....AND IS OF NO FURTHER USE! So removal is up to you....if the main trunk is serving a purpose then it might be considered as permanent....it stays. From this then, I assume the branches are 'suckers'...growing from a foreign source. Suckers are not offshoots---they are inadequate to supply bloom and are just nothing to put up with. So get out the heavy pruners and cut them out. If this destroys the shrub, then so be it. Replace it with another. About the blooming.....question: is the tree close to the lawn and do you fertilize it with a high nitrogen lawn fertilizer. It could be that you have applied too much nitrogen around the tree and it likes it....it grows leaves...and keeps growing them....but denies bloom. Its blooming a little now.....so feed it with a zero nitrogen and a higher phosphurus and potash fertilizer. When you fertilize the lawn do that area by hand so that the tree doesn't get any. Prune branches back that are dead or damaged. Protect from winter wind and give it a healthy mulch around its base.....but keep the mulch about six inches away from the base. This might help it next spring. If I'm wrong about what you have now as being suckers, then this plant might resume its healthy growth.

Yes, just above the highest sprout is where you should cut. Use a bypass cutter about 1/4" above that last node where the highest sprout is. It's easier to cut about half the dead top initially, then the final cut will be a shorter piece that won't be as likely to tumble or fall, possibly damaging the new shoots. The tree will continue from there and down the road won't be noticeable as the tree will encapsulate that area. Those 4-5 new sprouts will all most likely try to become the new leader so you'll have a multi-leader tree if left to itself. But not to panic. Once the tree gets going you can subordinate prune all but the highest sprout on the totem pole so that high one will become the main leader. Structure pruning is a multi year project so be patient. For now, cut the dead off and let the tree grow for a couple years. And don't fertilize late in the season and cut back on watering. Trees that fail to go dormant in the fall and not harden off are prime candidates for winter kill on the new growth from the previous year. That black spot on the bark could have been caused by sun scald that is common with maples when in late winter the sun warms a section of bark then temperatures drop quickly again and freeze that part of the vascular system of the tree. But all this can be exasperated by the tree not hardening off because it's trying to grow too late in the season.