It’s tax season again, and if you find yourself owing Uncle Sam more than you’d like for either yourself or your business, there are ways that may help you lower your tax bill for 2025. Tax planning should be an essential part of your overall financial strategy. Here are 10 tax-planning strategies that can help you minimize your tax burden and maximize your wealth-building opportunities in the coming year.

1. Tax Diversification

It’s important to have a mix of taxable, Roth, and pre-tax retirement accounts to give you flexibility in retirement. This diversification allows you to adjust your withdrawals based on tax rates and your income needs, helping you manage your tax liabilities more effectively in retirement.

2. Roth Conversions

With tax rates expected to rise after 2025, now is a great time to consider converting traditional IRA funds to Roth IRAs. By paying taxes on the converted amount now, you can potentially save on taxes later, as Roth IRAs provide tax-free growth and withdrawals in retirement.

3. Capital Gains and Loss Management

Strategically managing your capital gains and losses can significantly reduce your tax liability. By offsetting gains with losses (tax-loss harvesting), we can minimize the impact of taxable capital gains, helping you keep more of your returns.

4. Review Employee Benefits

Take full advantage of your employer-sponsored benefits, including 401(k) contributions, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). By maximizing these contributions, you reduce your taxable income and prepare for both short-term and long-term financial goals.

5. Maximize Retirement Contributions

Make sure you’re contributing the maximum allowable amounts to retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs. This will not only reduce your taxable income but also set you up for a more financially secure retirement, especially if you’re able to take advantage of catch-up contributions if you’re over 50.

6. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)

If you’re eligible for an HSA, this account offers a triple tax benefit—contributions are tax-deductible, the money grows tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are also tax-free. HSAs are a great way to reduce your current tax bill while saving for future healthcare costs in retirement.

7. Advanced Distribution Planning

For those with significant retirement savings, it’s critical to develop an advanced distribution strategy. By planning the order and timing of withdrawals from different accounts, we can manage your tax brackets and minimize the impact of taxes on your retirement income.

January 2025

Financial Regrets and Wisdom of Americans Over 80

I love this article from the Wall Street Journal, about the things that retirees wish they had known about and prepared for when they were younger. Here’s a summary but if you’d like to read the entire article I’ve attached a link below.

• Prevalent Regrets: Many individuals over 80 express regret over inadequate savings for retirement, poor investment decisions, and mismanagement of debt, impacting their financial stability and comfort in later years
• Importance of Financial Education: Seniors highlight a lack of financial literacy during their younger years as a significant contributor to their regrets, emphasizing that better understanding of personal finance would have led to more informed choices.

“A good financial person is advisable and will more than earn their fee,” he said. “I should have engaged a financial planner sooner.”- Bob Grice, age 83

Key Insights: Life experiences have taught this demographic valuable lessons, including the importance of living within one’s means, diversifying investments, and preparing for unforeseen expenses.

• Advice for Younger Generations: Older adults advise younger people to prioritize early savings, seek professional financial advice, and approach debt with caution to avoid similar financial pitfalls.
• Resilience and Reflection: Despite their regrets, many seniors maintain a positive outlook on their financial journeys, valuing relationships and life experiences over material wealth, and recognizing their ability to adapt and overcome challenges.

You can read the entire article here.

October 2024

How the Wealthy Stay Wealthy

I recently came across a great article (it’s a couple years old but everything still holds true) from Business Insider about some financial steps wealthy people take to remain wealthy. In a nutshell:

They are very disciplined saving money: Most wealthy individuals are not high-income earners but disciplined savers who consistently invest in 401(k)s and brokerage accounts.

They take advantage of comprehensive financial planning: Wealthy people have a detailed financial plan that includes budgeting, insurance, estate planning, taxes, employer benefits, and investing.

They are long-term investors: They focus on long-term investments rather than trying to time the market, aiming for steady growth over time.

They plan for retirement: They actually over-plan for retirement, using a life expectancy of 96 to ensure they don’t run out of money.

They know their tax advantages: Reducing taxes is a critical part of their financial strategy, including taking advantage of tax breaks and charitable giving to lower taxable income..

You can read the entire article here.