Every December we meet people who ran out of runway. This year the list changes — new charitable rules, permanent 100% bonus depreciation, and a 0.5% floor that flips the usual giving advice.
Once the ball drops, roughly 80% of tax planning becomes impossible — 2026's numbers are locked. Here are the twelve moves worth making in the next 96 days, including three that are brand new this year.
The pattern behind every December regret: the move was known in October and attempted on December 28. Pick your three biggest levers now.
Want a personal version of this list with your actual numbers? Book a year-end planning call — this is exactly what they're for.
Talk it through with a licensed US tax professional — we'll tell you honestly whether it applies to your situation.
No tax on tips and no tax on overtime are real — up to $25,000 and $12,500 of deductions — but your paycheck won't change. Here's how the money actually arrives, and the phaseouts that catch high earners.
The 1099-NEC threshold jumps from $600 to $2,000 for 2026 payments, and the 1099-K threshold is back to $20,000. What business owners should change now — and the trap freelancers need to know about.
Extended S corp and partnership returns were due September 15. If yours didn't go out, the penalty meter is already on — here's how to stop it, and how first-time abatement can wipe it entirely.
