Easy Tax Strategies

Start here: the main guides

Charitable giving

• Donate stock instead of cash: step-by-step Checklist
  How to donate appreciated stock to charity: why it beats cash, picking lots, transfer steps, receipts, donor-advised funds, and the new 2026 rules.
• Qualified charitable distribution checklist Checklist
  A step-by-step QCD checklist for 2026: age 70½ rule, the $111,000 limit, eligible charities, direct transfer, RMD timing and how to report it on Form 1040.
• Tax-efficient giving, ranked
  Every common way to give to charity, ranked by tax efficiency under the 2026 rules: QCDs, appreciated stock, donor-advised funds, bunching, cash and the traps.

Accounts: 401(k), IRA, HSA, FSA & 529

• 529 state tax deductions: the quick win most parents can use
  How 529 state tax deductions and credits work: which states offer them, limits, states that accept any plan, recapture rules and front-loading contributions.
• 529 to Roth IRA rollovers: rules and steps
  How to roll leftover 529 money into a Roth IRA: the 15-year rule, $35,000 lifetime cap, annual IRA limit, earned income test, five-year aging and the steps.
• December Roth conversion checklist Checklist
  A year-end Roth conversion checklist: estimate 2026 income, find bracket room, handle withholding, finish by December 31 and keep records for Form 8606.
• Dependent care FSA: the quick version Checklist
  Dependent care FSA basics for 2026: the new $7,500 limit, eligible care, summer day camp, receipts, deadlines and how it fits with the child care credit.
• FSA planning: how to avoid use-it-or-lose-it
  How to avoid losing FSA money: carryover vs. grace period, sizing your election, eligible items, leaving a job, and 2026 limits of $3,400 with a $680 carryover.
• Last-minute IRA contribution: cut last year's taxes in April
  Make a prior-year IRA contribution by the April deadline: deductibility rules, designating the year, spousal IRAs and a worked example with 2026 IRS limits.
• Open and fund an HSA in 20 minutes Checklist
  How to open an HSA: check eligibility, pick a provider, choose payroll or direct contributions, invest, and meet the deadline. 2026 and 2027 limits.
• Roth vs. pre-tax: the quick rule
  A quick rule for choosing Roth or pre-tax retirement contributions: compare your tax rate now with your expected rate later, common cases, and mixing both.
• The 1% raise trick: painless pre-tax savings
  How to increase your 401(k) contribution 1% at a time: paycheck impact math, tax saved at each bracket, auto-escalation, and the 2026 IRS limits to watch.
• The HSA shoebox strategy: save receipts, reimburse later
  How the HSA shoebox strategy works: pay medical bills out of pocket, invest the HSA, and reimburse yourself tax-free years later. Rules, records, risks.
• The Saver's Credit: free money for saving that most people miss
  The 2026 Saver's Credit explained: income limits, 50/20/10% rates, who qualifies, a worked example, and how the 2027 Saver's Match will change it.

Credits & deductions

• Deductions you can take on top of the standard deduction
  Tax breaks that still work if you take the 2026 standard deduction: HSA, IRA, student loan interest, educator expenses, the new charitable deduction and more.
• EV tax credit status: what ended and what still counts
  Federal EV tax credits as of October 2026: the September 30, 2025 end date, the binding contract rule, leases, business vehicles, chargers and state rebates.
• Hiring your kids: the tax strategy that requires actual work
  How hiring your children in your business works for 2026: real work requirements, the FICA exemption, reasonable pay, a kid Roth IRA, paperwork and audit traps.
• Home energy tax credits: what ended and what is left
  Status of the 25C and 25D home energy credits as of October 2026: end dates, placed-in-service rules, claiming 2025 projects, rebates, and the records to keep.
• Tax credits people forget to claim Checklist
  Commonly missed tax credits for 2026: the Saver's Credit, dependent care, education credits, foreign tax credit, child tax credit, and what ended for energy.
• The Augusta Rule: the quick, careful version Checklist
  How the Augusta Rule (Section 280A(g)) works: renting your home to your business for 14 days or fewer, business purpose, fair rent comps, minutes and reporting.
• The educator expense deduction for teachers
  The 2026 educator expense deduction: the $350 limit, who qualifies, eligible classroom items, records to keep and the new itemized deduction for extra costs.
• The student loan interest deduction, explained
  The 2026 student loan interest deduction: up to $2,500, who qualifies, the income phaseout, why married filing separately loses it, who paid, and an example.

Checklists by situation

• 7 easy tax wins for small landlords Checklist
  Landlord tax tips for 2026: the de minimis election, a mileage log, a separate bank account, a depreciation check, repair safe harbors and two more easy wins.
• Easy tax wins for early retirees Checklist
  Early retirement tax tips for 2026: fill low brackets with Roth conversions, harvest 0% gains, manage ACA MAGI, use QCDs at 70½ and withhold from IRAs.
• Side hustle tax wins in under an hour Checklist
  Side hustle tax tips for 2026: open a Solo 401(k), claim the simplified home office, log mileage, deduct health insurance, take QBI and set aside estimated tax.
• Tax document checklist: what to gather Checklist
  Tax documents checklist for 2027 filing: income forms by type, deduction and credit records, account details, last year's return and a simple digital folder.
• Tax moves for married couples Checklist
  Married couple tax tips for 2026: the spousal IRA, coordinating workplace benefits, the joint vs separate filing check, beneficiary updates and gifting rules.
• Tax planning meeting checklist Checklist
  Get more from a tax planning meeting: when to schedule it, the documents to bring, questions on income, retirement, real estate and estate, and follow-up.
• Tax strategies by income level: $50k, $100k, $200k, $500k
  Tax strategies by income for 2026: what matters at $50k, $100k, $200k and $500k, from the EITC and 0% gains to Roth phase-outs, NIIT, QBI and the SALT cap.
• Tax strategies for W-2 employees (yes, there are some)
  Tax strategies for W-2 employees in 2026: benefits elections, account stacking, smarter giving, side businesses and real estate, with IRS limits and math.
• Your first tax return: a beginner's checklist
  First time filing taxes? A beginner checklist: documents to gather, choosing a filing status, free filing options, what happened to Direct File and refunds.

Quick wins & myths

• 11 legit ways to reduce taxable income this year Checklist
  How to reduce taxable income in 2026: 401(k), HSA, IRA, FSA, business deductions, loss harvesting and more, with current IRS limits and a worked W-2 example.
• 15-minute tax moves you can do today Checklist
  Quick tax moves that take 15 minutes: raise your 401(k) rate, open an HSA, set your cost-basis method, get an IP PIN and check your W-4. 2026 limits included.
• Asset location quick win: move bonds, not stocks
  The asset location rule: hold bonds in tax-deferred accounts and stock index funds in taxable. Common swaps, avoiding taxable sales, an example and exceptions.
• Free tax filing options compared Comparison
  Free tax filing compared: IRS Free File guided software, Fillable Forms, VITA and TCE, state options and commercial free tiers, and who qualifies for each.
• How homeowners can lower property taxes Checklist
  Practical ways to cut your property tax bill: check your assessment, appeal with comparables, claim homestead and senior exemptions, and use the deduction.
• Income you don't pay tax on (yes, it exists) Checklist
  Checklist of tax-free income: gifts, inheritances, life insurance, the home sale exclusion, qualified Roth withdrawals and muni interest, with code cites.
• Should you own muni bonds? Tax-equivalent yield in 60 seconds
  How to compare municipal and taxable bonds with tax-equivalent yield: the formula, state tax-free bonds, 2026 brackets, a worked example and when not to.
• State tax quick wins Checklist
  Nine fast ways to cut state income tax: 529 deductions, state-exempt Treasury interest, retirement exclusions, other-state credits, residency and withholding.
• Tax refund "hacks" that don't work
  Tax myths debunked: why a bigger refund is not savings, why buying stuff for write-offs loses money, and why an LLC or paying yourself rent rarely helps.
• Tax strategies that sound smart but backfire
  Bad tax strategies to avoid: syndicated conservation easements, micro-captives, fake trusts and over-depreciation, plus how to spot a promoter before you sign.
• The 15-minute withholding checkup Checklist
  A quick withholding checkup: gather a pay stub, run the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator, adjust your W-4, coordinate with a spouse and recheck after changes.
• Write-offs explained: why buying a G-Wagon doesn't make it free
  What a tax write-off really is: deduction vs credit, why savings equal your rate times the cost, the business purpose test, and the heavy SUV rules for 2026.