Tax planning: Now more important than ever

Thankfully it’s not too late to try and minimize your taxes for 2023. Here’s how tax planning can potentially help your situation:

• It can make a difference. This is especially true if you have a major event that occurs during the year. For example:

Even in uneventful years, external forces like new tax laws can be managed if planned for in advance.

o Selling a house? You can avoid taxes if primary residence requirements are met.

o Starting a business? Choosing the correct entity can lower your taxes every year!

o Getting ready to retire? Properly balancing the different revenue streams (part-time wages, Social Security benefits, IRA distributions and more) has a huge impact on your tax liability.

• Put yourself in control. Timing is important when it comes to minimizing taxes, and the timing is often in your control. For instance, bundling multiple years of charitable contributions into one year can create an opportunity to itemize deductions. Plus holding investments for longer than one year to get a lower tax rate, and making efficient retirement withdrawals are other examples of prudent tax strategies that you control.

• There are tax planning opportunities for every level of income, not just those at the top of the tax bracket. Tax deductions are available for student loan interest, IRA contributions and other situations even if you claim the standard deduction. Certain tax credits (called refundable credits) will increase your refund even if you don’t owe taxes. Missing any of these tax breaks can unnecessarily increase your taxes.

• The tax landscape is constantly changing. New tax laws are passed almost every year. New laws may mean new tax deductions you can take advantage of. It can also mean that an existing deduction you had been used to taking is no longer available. A tax planning session can help you understand what deductions are and are not available for your particular situation.

• You have help. Tax planning comes down to looking for ways to reduce taxable income, delay a tax bill, increase tax deductions, and take advantage of all available tax credits. The best place to start is to bolster your level of tax knowledge by picking up the phone and asking for assistance.

One of my primary objectives is to help you achieve your financial goals through a holistic approach that is tax-efficient in my wealth management and tax resolution practice. For more information, visit www.fredtfoxiii.com.

Fred T. Fox III is a Lawton native who owns his own business.