Tax Planning

Planning to help lower your individual taxes for 2021 and 2022 is more challenging than usual. Uncertainty surrounding pending legislation includes a possible increase of top rates on both ordinary income and capital gain (starting next year) requires diligence as we monitor Congressional action.

Whether or not tax increases become effective, the standard year-end approach of deferring income and accelerating deductions to minimize taxes will continue to produce the best results for all but the highest income taxpayers, as will the bunching of deductible expenses into this year or next to avoid restrictions and maximize deductions.

However, if proposed tax increases do pass, the highest income taxpayers may find that the opposite strategies produce better results: Pulling income into 2021 to be taxed at currently lower rates, and deferring deductible expenses until 2022, when they can be taken to offset what would be higher-taxed income.

Mierendorf & Co staff are reviewing strategies to best advise you. In the meantime, here are some actions to consider, if applicable.

Health

Health Savings Account

If you become eligible in December of 2021 to make HSA contributions, you can make a full year's worth of deductible HSA contributions for 2021.

Retirement

Contribution Limits

For 2021, the elective deferral (contribution) limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan is $19,500. For persons age 50 or older in 2021, the limit is $26,000 ($6,500 catch-up contribution). You can make 2021 IRA contributions until April 15, 2022.

Roth Conversion

If you believe a Roth IRA is better for you than a traditional IRA, consider converting traditional-IRA money invested in any beaten-down stocks (or mutual funds) into a Roth IRA in 2021 if eligible to do so. Note the conversion will increase your income for 2021, possibly reducing tax breaks subject to phaseout at higher AGI levels. This may be desirable, however, for those potentially subject to higher tax rates under pending legislation.

Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)

RMDs from an IRA or 401(k) plan (or other employer-sponsored retirement plan) have not been waived for 2021, as they were for 2020. If you were 72 or older in 2020 you must take an RMD during 2021. Those who turn 72 this year have until April 1 of 2022 to take their first RMD but may want to take it by the end of 2021 to avoid having to double up on RMDs next year.

Charitable Distributions

If you are age 70½ or older by the end of 2021, and especially if you are unable to itemize your deductions, consider making 2021 charitable donations via qualified charitable distributions from your traditional IRAs. These distributions are made directly to charities from your IRAs, and the amount of the contribution is neither included in your gross income nor deductible on Schedule A, Form 1040. However, you are still entitled to claim the entire standard deduction.

Rollovers

Take an eligible rollover distribution from a qualified retirement plan before the end of 2021 if you are facing a penalty for under-payment of estimated tax and increasing your wage withholding won’t sufficiently address the problem. Income tax will be withheld from the distribution and will be applied toward the taxes owed for 2021. You can then timely roll over the gross amount of the distribution (i.e. the net amount you received plus the amount of withheld tax) to a traditional IRA. No part of the distribution will be includible in income for 2021, but the withheld tax will be applied pro rata over the full 2021 tax year to reduce previous underpayments of estimated tax.