Tax Preparation beyond expectation

Tax-Advantaged Retirement Saving Options

Saving via a retirement plan is a popular way to efficiently reduce taxes. Contributing to a traditional IRA reduces your gross income by the contribution amount. For 2023, those under 50 can contribute up to $6,500 to an IRA. If 50 or older, they can add $1,000 more. That number rises to $7,000 in 2024, with the catch-up contribution holding steady at $1,000.



If an individual who made $75,000 a year contributed a total of $7,000 to a traditional IRA in 2024, they would have an adjusted gross income of $68,000 ($75,000-$7,000) on which they would be taxed. The $7,000 would then grow tax-deferred until withdrawn.

Professional Tax Plans & Proposals

OtherTax-Advantaged Retirement  Options

There are several other retirement plans that an individual may use to help reduce tax liability. 401(k) plans are popular with larger companies that have many employees. Participants in the plan can defer income from their paycheck directly into the company's 401(k) plan. The contribution limit is much higher in a 401(k) than in an IRA. 



In 2023, the contribution limit for a 401(k) is $22,500, increasing to $23,000 in 2024. For both years, if you are 50 and over, you can contribute an additional $7,500.1

If we take the example above, if an individual contributed $23,000 in 2024, their adjusted gross income would be $52,000 ($75,000-$23,000) on which they would be taxed. The $23,000 would grow tax-deferred until withdrawn.

Tax Preparation beyond expectation

Tax gain-loss harvesting is another form of tax planning or management relating to investments. It is helpful because it can use a portfolio's losses to offset overall capital gains. According to the IRS, short and long-term capital losses must first be used to offset capital gains of the same type.

In other words, long-term losses offset long-term gains before offsetting short-term gains. Short-term capital gains, or earnings from assets owned for less than one year, are taxed at ordinary income rates. 

In 2023, long-term capital gain limits are the following:

• 0% for single filers whose income is no more than $44,625 ($89,250 in the case of a joint return or widow(er), $59,750 in the case of an individual who is head of household, $44,625 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return)

15% tax for single filers whose income is between $44,626 and $492,300 ($553,850 in the case of a joint return or widow(er), $523,050 in the case of an individual who is the head of a household, or $276,900 in the case of a

Professional Tax Plans & Proposals

In 2024, long-term capital gain limits will be increasing to the following:

• 0% for single filers whose income is no more than $47,025 ($94,050 in the case of a joint return or widow(er), $63,000 in the case of an individual who is head of household, $47,025 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return)
• 15% tax for single filers whose income is between $47,026 and $518,900 ($583,750 in the case of a joint return or widow(er), $551,350 in the case of an individual who is the head of a household, or $291,850 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return)
• 20% tax for those whose income is higher than that listed for the 15% tax3

For example, if a single investor whose income was $100,000 had $10,000 in long-term capital gains, there would be a tax liability of $1,500. If the same investor sold underperforming investments carrying $10,000 in long-term capital losses, the losses would offset the gains, resulting in a tax liability of 0. If the same losing investment were brought back, then a minimum of 30 days would have to pass to avoid incurring a wash sale.4