Year-end tax planning guides
Plain-English, sourced guides to the moves that still matter before December 31, 2026, and the ones that can wait until April.
Year-End Tax Planning Checklist for 2026
A practical checklist of year-end tax moves for 2026: retirement contributions, capital gains and losses, charitable gifts, HSAs and FSAs, required distributions and what can wait until April.
Capital Gains Tax Rates for 2026
How capital gains are taxed in 2026: the 0%, 15% and 20% long-term rates and their thresholds, short-term gains, the 3.8% net investment income tax, losses and how to plan the timing of a sale.
Tax-Loss Harvesting: How It Works and When It Is Worth It
A plain-English guide to tax-loss harvesting: how losses offset gains and income, the wash-sale rule, replacement funds, carryforwards, costs and mistakes to avoid before the year ends.
Standard vs Itemized Deduction for 2026
The 2026 standard deduction by filing status, what you can itemize, the SALT cap, medical and charity thresholds, and how to decide which deduction saves more tax.
The SALT Deduction Cap in 2026
How the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap works in 2026: the $40,400 limit, the phase-down above $505,000 of income, what counts, income versus sales tax, pass-through entity taxes and year-end planning.
Charitable Giving Tax Rules for 2026
What changed for charitable deductions in 2026: the 0.5%-of-AGI floor for itemizers, the new deduction for non-itemizers, donor-advised funds, appreciated stock, qualified charitable distributions and record-keeping.
Roth Conversions in 2026: A Practical Guide
How a Roth conversion works, how it is taxed, the pro-rata rule, the five-year rules, how conversions affect ACA subsidies and Medicare premiums, and how to decide how much to convert before December 31.
Retirement Contributions Before Year-End: 2026 Limits and Deadlines
The 2026 contribution limits for 401(k), IRA, SEP and solo 401(k) plans, catch-up and Roth catch-up rules, IRA deduction phase-outs and which deadlines are December 31 and which are April 2027.
Required Minimum Distributions: A 2026 Guide
When RMDs begin (73 or 75), how to calculate one with the Uniform Lifetime Table, which accounts are included, penalties, the first-year deadline, QCDs and a year-end checklist.
HSA and FSA Year-End Deadlines for 2026
How to use health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts before the year ends: 2026 and 2027 HSA limits, FSA carryover and grace periods, eligible expenses, the last-month rule and common traps.