10/13/2026
Donβt Wait Until December to Think About Taxes
Tax planning is much easier when you're looking ahead instead of looking backward.
By October, you have a pretty good picture of how your financial year is shaping up. That makes now a useful time to review your income, retirement contributions, investment gains and losses, charitable giving, and estimated tax payments.
Depending on your circumstances, there may be planning opportunities that need to happen before December 31. Waiting until tax filing season can mean you're reviewing decisions after the opportunity to make a change has already passed.
A few questions to ask now:
β’ Has my income changed significantly this year?
β’ Am I on track with my retirement contributions?
β’ Do I have investment gains or losses worth reviewing?
β’ Am I planning to make charitable gifts before year-end?
β’ Have I taken any required RMDs?
β’ Are my estimated tax payments and withholding still appropriate?
Tax planning isn't just about preparing last year's return. It's about using what you know today to make informed decisions about the rest of this year.
If you haven't had your year-end tax conversation yet, October is a good time to start.