As 2024 draws to a close, it’s time to take a proactive approach to your tax planning. With the right strategies, you can potentially reduce your tax liability, maximize deductions, and set yourself up for financial success in the coming year. Here are comprehensive year-end tax planning tips to consider before year-end.

Assess Your Current Tax Situation

Before implementing any tax strategies, figure out where you stand with your taxes right now. Ask your tax preparer or financial advisor to create a rough draft of your 2024 tax return. This isn’t your final return, but a preview to help you see how much you might owe in taxes. This information will provide a clear picture of your tax situation and help you make informed decisions about which tax savings strategies to explore before year-end.

Evaluate Standard Deduction vs. Itemizing

For 2024, the standard deduction is $29,200 for married couples filing jointly, $29,200 for heads of household, and $14,600 for singles and married couples filing separately. If your itemizable deductions are close to these amounts, consider accelerating some deductions into 2024 to surpass the standard deduction threshold. This strategy could allow you to itemize and potentially reduce your taxable income.

Maximize Itemized Deductions

If you decide to itemize, here are some ways to increase your deductions:

Prepay your January mortgage payment in December to claim an extra month of mortgage interest.
Pay state and local income and property taxes due in early 2025 before the end of 2024, keeping in mind the $10,000 deduction limit ($5,000 for married filing separately).
Make additional charitable contributions before year-end.

Be cautious about prepaying state and local taxes if you might be subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), as these deductions are not allowed under AMT rules.

Optimize Your Income and Deductions

Consider Income Timing

Depending on your tax bracket, you may want to accelerate or defer income. If you expect to be in a lower tax bracket next year, consider deferring income to 2025. Conversely, if you anticipate being in a higher bracket, you might want to accelerate income into 2024.

Maximize Retirement Contributions

Workplace Retirement Plans

If you haven’t already, maximize your contributions to your workplace retirement plan. For 2024, the contribution limit for 401(k)s and similar plans is $23,000, with an additional $7,500 catch-up contribution allowed for those 50 or older.

Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)

You have until Tax Day 2025 to make IRA contributions for the 2024 tax year. The contribution limit for traditional and Roth IRAs is $7,000, with an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution for those 50 or older.

Take Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)

If you’re 73 or older, ensure you take your RMDs from retirement accounts by December 31 to avoid a steep 25% penalty on the amount not withdrawn. If you turn 73 in 2024, you have until April 1, 2025, to take your first RMD.

Consider Roth Conversions

Evaluate whether converting traditional IRA assets to a Roth IRA makes sense for your situation. This can be beneficial if you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in the future or want to reduce future RMDs.

Leverage Tax-Loss Harvesting

Review your investment portfolio for tax-loss harvesting opportunities. This strategy involves selling investments at a loss to offset capital gains. You can use these losses to offset up to $3,000 of ordinary income after netting against capital gains. Remember to avoid wash sales by waiting at least 30 days before repurchasing substantially identical securities.

Charitable Giving Strategies

Bunch Charitable Contributions

Consider “bunching” multiple years of charitable contributions into a single year to exceed the standard deduction and itemize. This can be especially effective if you use a donor-advised fund.

Donate Appreciated Assets

If you’re itemizing deductions, consider donating appreciated assets held for more than one year directly to qualified charities. This allows you to deduct the fair market value without paying capital gains taxes on the appreciation.

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)

If you’re 70½ or older, you can make QCDs of up to $105,000 directly from your IRA to qualified charities. These distributions count toward your RMD but are not included in your taxable income.

Estate and Gift Tax Planning

Utilize the Annual Gift Tax Exclusion

Take advantage of the annual gift tax exclusion by gifting up to $18,000 per recipient in 2024 without using any of your lifetime gift and estate tax exemption.

Consider Larger Gifts

With the lifetime estate and gift tax exemption at $13.61 million per individual ($27.22 million for married couples) in 2024, consider making larger gifts if estate taxes are a concern. This exemption is set to decrease significantly after 2025.

Business Owner Considerations

Defer Income and Accelerate Expenses

If you’re a business owner, consider deferring income to 2025 and accelerating deductible expenses into 2024 to reduce your taxable income for the current year.

Evaluate Qualified Business Income Deduction

If you have pass-through business income, review your eligibility for the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction and consider strategies to maximize this benefit.

Home Office Deduction

If you’re self-employed and work from home, don’t forget to claim the home office deduction if you qualify.

Other Tax-Saving Opportunities

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)

If eligible, maximize contributions to your HSA. For 2024, the limits are $4,150 for individuals and $8,300 for families, with an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution for those 55 and older.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Use up the funds in your FSA before the deadline, which is typically December 31, unless your plan offers a grace period or carryover option.

Roth IRA conversion

In 2026, income tax rates will revert to their 2017 levels provided there is no change to the sunsetting provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Those changes could have a significant impact on a family’s tax liability, which could make Roth conversions less appealing in 2026 and beyond.

Before finalizing your decision, it’s crucial to ensure you have sufficient liquid assets available to cover the potential income tax liability resulting from the conversion. This tax obligation can be substantial, depending on the size of your conversion and your current tax bracket. Having readily accessible funds separate from the converted amount will help you manage this tax burden without disrupting your overall financial strategy.

Review Stock Options

If you have non-qualified stock options (NQSOs), evaluate whether to exercise them this year based on your current and projected tax situation.

Prepare for Potential Tax Law Changes

While no major tax law changes are currently scheduled for 2025, it’s important to stay informed about potential legislative developments that could affect your tax planning. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions are set to expire after 2025, which could lead to significant changes in tax rates and deductions.

Final Thoughts

Effective tax planning requires a comprehensive approach that considers your entire financial picture. While these strategies can provide valuable tax-saving opportunities, it’s crucial to consult with a qualified tax professional or financial advisor to determine the best course of action for your specific situation.

Remember, tax planning should be an ongoing process throughout the year, not just a year-end activity. By staying proactive and informed, you can make the most of available tax-saving opportunities and optimize your financial position for 2024 and beyond.

As you implement these strategies, keep detailed records of your actions and maintain open communication with your advisory team. This collaborative approach will help ensure that your tax planning aligns with your overall financial goals and sets you up for long-term success.