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Prepare for Taxes: Essential Updates and Strategies for 2025

The clock is ticking, and tax season is swiftly approaching. For many, this means gathering necessary documents for tax preparation, whether meeting your accountant face-to-face, via video, or over the phone. The ease of this task largely depends on how well you’ve documented your financial details over the year. Comprehensive preparedness allows us to focus on:

  • Maximizing all legal deductions possible,
  • Identifying the most advantageous income and deduction reporting strategies,
  • Staying informed on recent legislative changes impacting your tax bracket,
  • Exploring tax-saving strategies to lower future liabilities.
Tax preparation documents

What’s New for 2025: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) introduces several key updates:

  • No Tax on Tips: Deduct up to $25,000 for cash tips in tipping industries, phasing out at $150,000 for singles and $300,000 for joint returns.
  • No Tax on Qualified Overtime: Deduct $12,500 for overtime exceeding regular rates, phasing based on AGI levels.
  • Vehicle Loan Interest Deduction: Deduct up to $10,000 interest on loans for personal vehicles, with phased limits.
  • SALT Deduction Limit: Increased cap to $40,000, adjusting at higher income levels.

Optimizing Your Tax Strategy: Strategic decision-making enables tax optimization. Consider the following:

  • Realizing Gains on Property: Decide whether to report gains from property sales immediately or over time.
  • Depreciation Options: Choose between multi-year depreciation or single-year expense deduction strategies for business assets.

Start Early: Organization is key. Begin compiling financial records from January, using organized storage solutions to ensure an efficient tax preparation process.
Helpful tips include:

  • Sort records by category, e.g., medical expenses, charitable contributions.
  • Identify any foreign accounts or assets requiring special reporting to avoid penalties.
  • Prepare to disclose cryptocurrency transactions as per IRS requirements.
  • Secure all relevant annual income statements separately for easy access during your tax meeting.
Gathering tax documents

Accurate Information: Ensure all personal and dependent details are correct and up to date, including Social Security numbers, to maximize deductions and credits.

Key Transactions to Address: Special attention is needed for certain financial transactions:

  • Sale and Purchase Documentation: For significant assets or investments such as properties or vehicles, ensure complete documentation for transactions.
  • Charitable Contributions: Verify qualifications for claimed contributions under current IRS guidelines.

If any extraordinary financial events occurred this year, contact our office for guidance on documentation requirements to ensure accurate and thorough tax return preparation.

For further advice or to start assembling your tax data, we’re just a call away. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or require support with your tax planning efforts.

Tax planning office environment

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