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Last-Minute Year-End Tax Strategies for 2025

As the end of the year swiftly approaches and the festive season takes over, it's crucial not to lose sight of potential tax-saving strategies that may benefit you when filing your 2025 tax returns. Consider these strategic tax planning options before the year closes:

Income Below Filing Requirement? If your 2025 income allows you to forgo filing, seize the opportunity to generate additional tax-free income. This could mean selling appreciated stocks without tax liability or making tax-free IRA distributions if applicable. Remember, not filing could mean missing valuable refundable tax credits.

Unusually Low Income? An atypically low income year presents the perfect time to convert traditional IRA funds to a Roth IRA. With lower tax rates, the conversion tax implications are reduced, especially if your retirement stocks have lost value.

College Education Costs? If eligible for American Opportunity or Lifetime Learning credits, assess your tuition payments for 2025. If below maximum limits, consider prepaying 2026 tuition for an academic period starting early in 2026 to maximize 2025 credits, benefiting particularly new college students.

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Selling Your Home? Selling your primary residence could mean significant tax-free gains up to $250,000 ($500,000 for joint filers), provided you've satisfied ownership and usage provisions. Otherwise, explore partial exclusions for sales due to job relocation or health reasons.

Employer Health Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): Consider increasing next year's FSA contributions if this year's were insufficient. The contribution cap for 2025 is $3,300, with $660 carryover allowable to 2026, usable until mid-March.

New Health Savings Account (HSA) Eligibility? Newly eligible individuals can contribute a full year's worth to an HSA even if eligibility began in December. Contributions are deductible, earnings tax-deferred, and distributions tax-free if for qualified medical expenses.

Maximizing Retirement Contributions To harness tax benefits and secure future comfort, maximize your retirement contributions by year-end. Employer-matching options in 401(k) and similar plans enhance these benefits, while deductible IRA contributions can decrease taxable income.

Spousal IRA Contributions If one spouse doesn't work, the non-working spouse can contribute based on the working spouse’s income. Often overlooked, this option remains even when the working partner's income exceeds IRA contribution limits.

Enhanced Catch-Up Contributions for Ages 60-64 From 2025, enhanced catch-up contributions for retirement plans offer $11,250 for employer-sponsored and $5,250 for SIMPLE plans, encouraging savings as retirement looms.

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Expected Year-End Bonus? Deferring a job-related bonus to 2026 might be advantageous if 2025's income is overwhelming, provided employers agree.

Required Minimum Distributions (RMD): Those new to RMDs at age 73 are required to withdraw by early 2026, but taking RMDs in sequence for 2025 avoids doubling withdrawals in 2026.

Stocks: Loss or Gain Strategy? Evaluate stocks for potential capital loss offsetting larger gains, or gain harvesting using zero capital gains rate if income is predictably low.

SALT Deduction Strategies The enhanced deduction cap to $40,000 for 2025 encourages strategic prepayment of state or property taxes within deductibility limits.

Charitable Contributions: Bolster deductions by front-loading 2026 donations into 2025, keeping in mind the new 2026 0.5% floor on deductions.

For those over 70½, up to $108,000 IRA to charity transfers reduce taxable incomes and impacts on Social Security benefit taxation without regular deduction benefits.

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Medical or Dental Expense Deductions: Always feature expenditures exceeding 7.5% of AGI, strategically paying ahead for larger deductions.

Gifting and Underpayment Shielding: Maximize annual $19,000 gift exclusions without tax penalties and adjust withholding to avoid underpayment penalties if large sums or unusual incomes manifest.

Hurricanes, fires or other disasters allow losses to be claimed in the impactful tax year, providing faster refunds.

Fraud-related losses linked to profit-seeking transactions offer unique tax relief opportunities.

Life changes like divorce necessitate careful tax planning discussions, and energy-related credits like solar installations aim to reduce tax burdens amid eco-conscious improvements.

For tailored advice on these matters, please reach out to our office.

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