04/25/2026
I just did my taxes and a few things hit me that I think a lot of people are missing…
The standard deduction is now around 15K single and 30K married. That means a lot of people aren’t itemizing anymore, so don’t assume your mortgage interest and property taxes are actually helping you. You only benefit if your deductions are higher than that.
VA disability is tax free. That’s not just extra money, that’s strategic income if you’re thinking long term.
If you’re Guard or Reserve and traveling over 100 miles for duty, track your expenses. A lot of people miss that.
If you’ve got a side hustle or 1099 income, you better be tracking everything. The IRS is paying a lot more attention to digital income now.
If you own a business, LLC or S Corp, you should be writing off legitimate expenses. Home office, vehicle, marketing, education. And look into QBI which can reduce your taxable income up to 20 percent if you qualify.
If you sold a home, don’t forget you may be able to exclude up to 250K single or 500K married in gains. Military can sometimes extend that timeline because of orders.
If you’re using your TSP or 401k, those contributions lower your taxable income now. Roth options give you tax free money later. Know the difference and use both strategically.
And one thing I see all the time… people wait until tax season to think about taxes.
That’s already too late.
The people who win are thinking about this all year.
Tracking, planning, adjusting.
We learned how to operate in systems our entire careers… this is just another one.
Learn it and use it.
Drop some tax tips below. Let’s help each other stop leaving money on the table.
