What “Year-End Tax Planning” Really Means in 2025

According to Steve Perry, EA of Books, Taxes & More, year-end tax planning is widely misunderstood.

Most taxpayers believe it means scrambling in December to find deductions or making rushed purchases to reduce taxes. In reality, true year-end tax planning is about control—control over timing, exposure, and consequences before December 31 permanently closes certain doors.

For high-income individuals and businesses with revenues over one million dollars, year-end planning is not optional. It is the final opportunity to influence outcomes that cannot be fixed during filing season.

If your income, investments, or business activity create complexity, the next step is not guessing—it is a structured review with someone who understands how the IRS actually operates.

What Year-End Tax Planning Actually Is

Year-end tax planning is the process of intentionally evaluating:

• income already earned
• transactions already completed
• deductions and payments that can still be timed
• elections and decisions that must be made before year-end

It is not tax preparation.

Tax preparation reports what already happened.
Year-end planning determines what still can.

Once December 31 passes, many planning opportunities disappear permanently.

Why 2025 Requires Special Attention

In 2025, complexity is the norm.

High-income taxpayers and business owners are dealing with:

• multiple income streams
• investment activity
• entity-level decisions
• increased IRS correspondence
• heightened enforcement pressure

Waiting until filing season often means fewer options, higher penalties, and decisions made under stress. Year-end planning exists to prevent that.

The Practical 2025 Year-End Planning Checklist

Use this checklist to determine whether action is still required:

• Review total income and withholding accuracy
• Evaluate estimated tax payments
• Identify capital gains and loss opportunities
• Confirm retirement contribution limits and deadlines
• Time charitable contributions intentionally
• Review state and local tax payment timing
• Evaluate business expenses and asset purchases
• Address IRS notices before escalation

If even one of these applies, year-end planning can materially change the outcome.

The Cost of Skipping Year-End Planning

The most common statement heard in February is:
“I didn’t realize I couldn’t fix that anymore.”

Skipping year-end planning often results in:

• missed deductions
• unnecessary penalties
• avoidable cash-flow strain
• increased IRS scrutiny

For high-income individuals and businesses, the real cost is loss of control.

How Steve Perry, EA Approaches Year-End Planning

At Books, Taxes & More, year-end planning follows a disciplined process:

• clarify what matters now
• identify what can still be changed
• eliminate unnecessary risk
• position clients for a clean filing season

No judgment. No lectures. Just clear options and follow-through.

What Happens Next

If year-end planning is relevant to your situation, the first step is a structured review—not a rushed decision.

Call (678) 717-9818
Email [email protected]
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