Maximizing Strategic Year-End Tax Planning — As the year ends, taxpayers have an important chance to review their finances and make moves that can lower their 2025 tax bill. With the state and local tax (SALT) deduction limit increasing from $10,000 to $40,000, more people may benefit from prepaying state taxes before year-end—especially those who itemize deductions.
If your income has increased in 2025, confirm your estimated payments and withholdings match your expected liability. Adjusting year-end withholdings can help avoid penalties since these are treated as paid evenly throughout the year. It’s also a good time to maximize retirement contributions—401(k) and 403(b) limits are $23,500, plus catch-up options for those 50 and older. Taxpayers not covered by employer plans should review IRA or Roth IRA opportunities.
With the higher SALT limit, charitable gifts are more likely to provide a tax benefit. Consider a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from an IRA to give directly to charity while lowering taxable income. Those turning 73 in 2025 must take required minimum distributions to avoid penalties, and families can make tax-free gifts up to $19,000 per person ($38,000 per couple) before year-end.
Year-end planning isn’t just about closing out this year—it’s about setting up for success in the next. Reviewing your goals and acting strategically now can help maximize savings and position you for a strong start in 2026.
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Maximizing Strategic Year-End Tax Planning — As the year ends, taxpayers have an important chance to review their finances and make moves that can lower their 2025 tax bill. With the state and local tax (SALT) deduction limit increasing from $10,000 to $40,000, more people may benefit from prepaying state taxes before year-end—especially those who itemize deductions.
If your income has increased in 2025, confirm your estimated payments and withholdings match your expected liability. Adjusting year-end withholdings can help avoid penalties since these are treated as paid evenly throughout the year. It’s also a good time to maximize retirement contributions—401(k) and 403(b) limits are $23,500, plus catch-up options for those 50 and older. Taxpayers not covered by employer plans should review IRA or Roth IRA opportunities.
With the higher SALT limit, charitable gifts are more likely to provide a tax benefit. Consider a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from an IRA to give directly to charity while lowering taxable income. Those turning 73 in 2025 must take required minimum distributions to avoid penalties, and families can make tax-free gifts up to $19,000 per person ($38,000 per couple) before year-end.
Year-end planning isn’t just about closing out this year—it’s about setting up for success in the next. Reviewing your goals and acting strategically now can help maximize savings and position you for a strong start in 2026.
Every organization encounters risks, but not all risks are negative. Avoiding risk entirely can limit growth and prevent an organization from reaching its full potential. Instead, organizations must learn to navigate and manage risk effectively. Risks generally fall into four main categories: 1. Strategic risks 2. Operational risks 3. Compliance risks 4. Financial risks. Strategic risks involve high-level threats that could impact the organization's long-term objectives. Examples include shifts in customer behavior, the lack of a succession plan, or inadequate board oversight. Operational risks relate to internal and external factors that affect day-to-day functions. These include personnel challenges such as high turnover or the loss of a key team member as well as external threats like natural disasters. Compliance risks deal with regulatory and law-based threats, such as labor laws, data protection, OHSA rules, and ethical compliance risks. Finally, financial risks cover any risk that deals with money, such as market risks, liquidity risks, investment risks, and fraud risks. Organizations that actively engage in risk management and take the time to understand potential risks are better prepared to handle challenges if and when they arise. A structured risk management process uncovers hidden threats and assesses their potential impact on the organization. The first step in the risk management process is to identify the risk. Once identified, the risk is assessed based on its likelihood of occurring and the potential impact if it does. After this assessment, risks are prioritized accordingly. For example, a risk that is unlikely to occur and has minimal impact would be a low priority for an organization. In contrast, a risk that is encountered daily and could significantly impact the company would be placed at the top of the priority list. Once priorities are established, the organization can then allocate resources effectively. At Hantzmon Wiebel, we offer online diagnostics for both businesses and nonprofits, allowing you to get a preliminary assessment right from your computer. We then guide you through the enterprise risk assessment process. By proactively identifying and managing risks, organizations can safeguard their operations and position themselves for long-term success. With Hantzmon Wiebel’s expertise and resources, you can take a strategic approach to risk management, ensuring your organization remains resilient and prepared for the future.
It Depends
Maximizing Strategic Year-End Tax Planning — As the year ends, taxpayers have an important chance to review their finances and make moves that can lower their 2025 tax bill. With the state and local tax (SALT) deduction limit increasing from $10,000 to $40,000, more people may benefit from prepaying state taxes before year-end—especially those who itemize deductions.
If your income has increased in 2025, confirm your estimated payments and withholdings match your expected liability. Adjusting year-end withholdings can help avoid penalties since these are treated as paid evenly throughout the year. It’s also a good time to maximize retirement contributions—401(k) and 403(b) limits are $23,500, plus catch-up options for those 50 and older. Taxpayers not covered by employer plans should review IRA or Roth IRA opportunities.
With the higher SALT limit, charitable gifts are more likely to provide a tax benefit. Consider a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from an IRA to give directly to charity while lowering taxable income. Those turning 73 in 2025 must take required minimum distributions to avoid penalties, and families can make tax-free gifts up to $19,000 per person ($38,000 per couple) before year-end.
Year-end planning isn’t just about closing out this year—it’s about setting up for success in the next. Reviewing your goals and acting strategically now can help maximize savings and position you for a strong start in 2026.
