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Maximize Your Year-End Tax Strategy for 2025

As we countdown to the close of the year amidst holiday festivities, taking advantage of year-end tax planning can ensure a smoother 2025 tax filing. Here are strategic actions to consider:

Assess Your 2025 Filing Requirements: If your tax situation negates the need to file a 2025 return, contemplate tax-free income opportunities. This includes liquidating appreciated stocks tax-free or executing tax-free IRA distributions if eligible.

Even when not required to file, consider doing so to potentially secure refundable tax credits that you otherwise might miss.

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Exploit Low Income Years: With unusually low income, converting traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs at lower rates could be beneficial. Also, consider converting certain depreciated retirement stocks into a Roth for long-term gain.

Maximize Education Credits for College-Bound Kids: Check your eligibility for the American Opportunity or Lifetime Learning credits by optimally prepaying 2026 tuition if this enhances your 2025 credit availability.

Home Sale Tax Implications: Selling your primary residence might qualify you for a tax-exempt gain—$250,000 individually or $500,000 if married filing jointly—assuming ownership and occupancy criteria are met.

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Optimize Employer Health Accounts: For those with FSA accounts, aim to maximize 2025 contributions of $3,300, with a $660 carryover allowed into 2026.

Leverage HSA Contributions: Late eligibility for HSA contributions still allows you to make full deductions for 2025, applicable even from December.

Boost Retirement Plan Contributions: Ensure maximum contributions to your retirement savings by year-end for optimal tax advantages. Utilize employer matching to augment your 401(k) or eligible retirement plans.

Spousal IRA Opportunities: When one spouse retires, the non-working spouse may contribute to an IRA based on the working spouse’s earnings, a frequently overlooked option.

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Catch-Up Contributions for Ages 60-64: In 2025, eligible individuals can capitalize on increased catch-up contributions to bolster retirement savings under enhanced provisions.

Strategic Bonus and RMD Planning: Consider deferring bonuses or optimizing required minimum distributions (RMDs) to manage tax obligations efficiently.

Stock Loss and Gain Management: Harvest capital losses to offset gains or strategically sell appreciated stocks during low-income periods to leverage favorable tax brackets.

Prepaying State Taxes: The enhanced SALT deduction cap allows increased property and income tax deductions through prepayments, maximizing deductible amounts.

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Charitable Contributions and IRA Deductions: Consider prepaying planned donations and IRA-to-charity transfers for tax efficiency, ensuring to collect proper acknowledgments for records.

Managing Medical Expenses and Gift Tax Exclusions: Deduct substantial medical expenses exceeding 7.5% of AGI by prepaying eligible bills. Utilize annual gift exclusions strategically, remembering gift caps per recipient reset annually.

Under-Reported Tax Strategies: Assess potential underpayments to mitigate related penalties, ensuring year-end tax withholding suffices to cover safe harbor prepayments.

Disaster and Scam Losses Deductions: Utilize tax provisions for unreimbursed federally declared disaster or investment-related scam losses for potential tax relief.

Impact of Divorce on Tax Filings: Review how recent marital changes influence filing and deduction strategies to optimize post-divorce tax situations effectively.

Capitalize on Energy and Environmental Credits: With energy efficiency credits still available through 2025, now's the time to invest in home improvements or solar installations to benefit from current credits.

Have questions about tax strategies? Contact TaxxGuy LLC for insights from a firm known for combining advanced tax strategies with a personalized approach.

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