Two Tax Tips to Help You Win This Tax Season

Tip No. 1: Be organized

It’s a little late to do a great job with this tip, but it’s not too late. Ideally, have a folder or box where you place tax-related receipts and documents throughout the year. (After all, you might spend some money on a tax-deductible medical expense in May — and you don’t want to forget about it.) Once you’re sitting down to prepare your return, all the papers you need will be in one place. Even if you’re using a tax professional to prepare your tax return, it will be very helpful to be able to hand over all your necessary documentation instead of having to hunt for it.

Tip No. 2: Take advantage of IRAs and 401(k)s

It’s vital for most of us to be saving and investing for retirement, and it’s very helpful to do so using tax-advantaged accounts such as IRAs and 401(k)s.
There are two main kinds of IRAs and 401(k)s: traditional and Roth. Traditional accounts offer an up-front tax break: You contribute money on a pre-tax basis, thereby reducing your taxable income for the year of the contribution. If you contribute, say, $5,000, you deduct that from your taxable income and avoid paying taxes on it. With a 24% tax bracket, you could shrink your tax bill by $1,200.

Roth accounts offer a back-end tax break: You contribute money on an after-tax basis, so your taxable income isn’t reduced and your tax bill for the year of contribution doesn’t shrink. But, if you follow the rules, when you withdraw money from the account in retirement, it will be tax-free income.