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Maximize Your 2025 Tax Strategy Before Year's End

As the year draws to a close, it's vital to turn our attention from holiday festivities to strategic tax planning for the 2025 filing. These end-of-year considerations are designed to enhance your tax position and ensure you are optimizing every opportunity. Here’s a rundown of tax strategies to consider:

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No Need to File a 2025 Return? Even if you're not required to file, you might benefit from income opportunities that no longer incur taxes. Consider selling appreciated stock tax-free or taking penalty-free IRA distributions if you qualify. However, filing even when not required can capture potential refundable tax credits.

Experiencing Lower Income in 2025? A lower income presents the perfect scenario to convert your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA with minimized tax implications. Additionally, if your investment holdings have depreciated significantly, a conversion this year could further leverage lower valuations for an advantageous Roth conversion.

Children College-Bound? The American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning credits can significantly reduce your tax burden. Prepaying 2026 tuition for early 2026 terms might increase credit eligibility against 2025 - a useful tactic for students entering college mid-academic year.

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Selling Your Home? Gains from your principal residence sale can be tax-exempt up to $250,000 (or $500,000 for joint filers) if you meet the criteria. Don’t forget partial exclusions might still apply if relocation or health issues triggered your move.

Managing Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flexibles? With contributions deductible and earnings tax-deferred, HSAs are a savvy tax strategy. Contributions from HSAs used for qualified medical expenses remain tax-free, a boon even if eligibility kicked in only at year-end. For flexible spending accounts, don't over-contribute beyond your needs—not all unused funds carry over.

Retirement Contributions Maximized? Seize the chance to bolster retirement savings with tax-deductible contributions that bring immediate tax relief. For those nearing retirement, catch-up contributions (up to $11,250 starting 2025 for various plans) offer enhanced savings potential.

Tax Implications for Bonuses and Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) might affect taxable income alignments. Consider deferring end-of-year bonuses or understanding RMD obligations to optimize taxable income levels.

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Leverage Losses and Gains by reviewing your portfolio for potential sales of depreciated or appreciated stocks, offset taxable gains with losses, but study the impact on your investment surtax and be mindful of wash sale regulations.

Upcoming Changes: SALT Cap and Charitable Contributions - With deduction limits rising next year and looming floors on charitable contributions, pre-payments for state taxes and planned giving could advance deductions, crafting better outcomes for those who alternate between itemizing and standard deductions.

Other Considerations: Whether managing unpaid medical bills or leveraging the gift tax exclusion, numerous facets, including disaster losses, scam impacts, and tax credits for energy-efficient enhancements, merit evaluation with December approaching.

For personalized insights into these complex issues or to explore how the latest provisions can affect your tax situation, reach out to our office to ensure you’re appropriately prepared for a successful 2025.

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