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We are closing in on the holiday season. Before you slip into the holiday mode, let’s talk about a few ways you can wrap up the year!

1. The market has had an incredible run. This is an excellent time to look at your non-retirement accounts to see if you can take advantage of tax harvesting.

If you have an investment that has gained $10,000 and another that has lost $10,000, you can sell both investments and avoid paying tax on the capital gains. This matching of gains and losses is known as tax harvesting.

The gains and losses do not have to match exactly, but your gain and loss have to both be long term or short term. If you have held an investment for more than a year, it is considered a long-term capital gain and would be taxed at capital gains rates. If you have held the investment for less than one year, it is considered a short-term gain and would be taxed at the higher ordinary income tax rates. Either way, the resulting tax savings can be significant.

2. Here’s a win-win strategy. If you don’t have losses to offset your gains, you can still get tax relief by donating to a cause about which you are passionate or your favorite charity: church, school, food bank, hospital, etc. Consider this – donating an appreciated investment directly to your charity of choice will avoid taxes.

To qualify, you must have held the investment for more than one year, and it must have appreciated in value. You avoid paying taxes, and the charity receives the full value of your donation tax-free. The money you would have donated can be used to purchase another investment to start the process over again.

3. Current tax rates are at historic lows. Consider converting money from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. You can choose how much to convert. For example, if you have room for another $10,000 of income before you hit the next marginal tax-bracket, make it count.

Before the year ends, convert $10,000 from your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. If you are under 59 1/2 years old, you will have to pay tax on the conversion with other money – say from a savings account. If you are over 59 1/2, you can have taxes withheld from the distribution.

The benefits of Roth IRAs are tremendous. Roth IRAs grow tax-free, meaning you never pay taxes on the earnings, there are no required distributions at any age, and if you do not use the money during your lifetime, your beneficiaries receive the money tax-free!*

4. If you are over 70 1/2 years old and you have an IRA, you can donate part or all of your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) to your favorite charity and pay no taxes. This distribution is called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). The distribution still satisfies your RMD. This cannot be done from a 401(k). If you have a 401(k) and want to take advantage of this next year, you need to roll out your 401(k) before the end of the year.

*Tax-free withdrawals if certain conditions are met: a five-year account aging requirement and attaining age 59½, becoming disabled, using up to $10,000 to buy a first home, or upon death. SFS and its representatives do not provide tax advice; it is important to coordinate with your tax advisor regarding your specific situation.

SFS