Opens in a new tab

The 12 Tax Tips of Christmas 2009

December 24, 2009

In 2009, we inaugurated a new feature, The 12 Tax Tips of Christmas.

In case you missed them when they ran, from Dec. 13 through Christmas Eve, we've collected them here.

  1. Sell assets
  2. Improve your home
  3. Spend your FSA
  4. Be charitable
  5. Do a mock return
  6. Watch out for AMT issues
  7. Defer income
  8. Make house payments early
  9. Bunch your expenses
  10. Get ready to retire
  11. Buy a car
  12. Hire a pro

Some of the tips have an obvious year-end appeal and one, #11, is 2009 specific. But in most other instances, the tax advice is good any time of the year.

Share:

The More Tax Posts tab at the top of this page will take you to, well, more tax posts. You also can search below for a tax topic. 

Latest Posts
Getting ready for the year-end tax countdown

October 17, 2026

Just 2½ months left in 2026. Time to start making tax plans and moves to…

Read More
TAX-SAVVY WAYS 
TO WRAP UP 2026

It’s over! With October’s extended filing deadline behind us, it is now time to focus on year-end moves to reduce your 2026 tax bill. 

You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.

Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

Comments
Leave the first comment