Tax Planning: What It Is, How It Works, Examples

What Is Tax Planning?

Tax planning is the analysis of a financial situation or plan to ensure that all elements work together to allow you to pay the lowest taxes possible. A plan that minimizes how much you pay in taxes is referred to as tax efficient. Tax planning should be an essential part of an individual investor's financial plan. Reduction of tax liability and maximizing the ability to contribute to retirement plans are crucial for success.

Understanding Tax Planning

Tax planning covers several considerations. Considerations include timing of income, size, and timing of purchases, and planning for other expenditures. Also, the selection of investments and types of retirement plans must complement the tax filing status and deductions to create the best possible outcome.

Retirement Saving Strategies

Saving via a retirement plan is a popular way to efficiently reduce taxes. Contributing money to a traditional IRA can minimize gross income by the amount contributed. For 2023, if meeting all qualifications, a filer under age 50 can contribute a maximum of $6,500 to their IRA with an additional catch-up contribution of $1,000 if age 50 or older. That number rises to $7,000 in 2024, with the catch-up contribution holding steady at $1,000.

If an individual who made $75,000 a year contributed a total of $7,000 to a traditional IRA in 2024, they would have an adjusted gross income of $68,000 ($75,000-$7,000) on which they would be taxed. The $7,000 would then grow tax-deferred until withdrawn.

There are several other retirement plans that an individual may use to help reduce tax liability. 401(k) plans are popular with larger companies that have many employees. Participants in the plan can defer income from their paycheck directly into the company’s 401(k) plan. The greatest difference is that the contribution limit dollar amount is much higher than that of an IRA. 

In 2023, the contribution limit for a 401(k) is $22,500, increasing to $23,000 in 2024. For both years, if you are 50 and over, you can contribute an additional $7,500.

If we take the example above, if an individual contributed $23,000 in 2024, their adjusted gross income would be $52,000 ($75,000-$23,000) on which they would be taxed. The $23,000 would grow tax-deferred until withdrawn.

Tax Planning vs. Tax Gain-Loss Harvesting

Tax gain-loss harvesting is another form of tax planning or management relating to investments. It is helpful because it can use a portfolio's losses to offset overall capital gains. According to the IRS, short and long-term capital losses must first be used to offset capital gains of the same type.

In other words, long-term losses offset long-term gains before offsetting short-term gains. Short-term capital gains, or earnings from assets owned for less than one year, are taxed at ordinary income rates. 

In 2023, long-term capital gain limits are the following:

• 0% for single filers whose income is no more than $44,625 ($89,250 in the case of a joint return or widow(er), $59,750 in the case of an individual who is head of household, $44,625 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return)
• 15% tax for single filers whose income is between $44,626 and $492,300 ($553,850 in the case of a joint return or widow(er), $523,050 in the case of an individual who is the head of a household, or $276,900 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return)
• 20% tax for those whose income is higher than that listed for the 15% tax

In 2024, long-term capital gain limits will be increasing to the following:

• 0% for single filers whose income is no more than $47,025 ($94,050 in the case of a joint return or widow(er), $63,000 in the case of an individual who is head of household, $47,025 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return)
• 15% tax for single filers whose income is between $47,026 and $518,900 ($583,750 in the case of a joint return or widow(er), $551,350 in the case of an individual who is the head of a household, or $291,850 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return)
• 20% tax for those whose income is higher than that listed for the 15% tax

For example, if a single investor whose income was $100,000 had $10,000 in long-term capital gains, there would be a tax liability of $1,500. If the same investor sold underperforming investments carrying $10,000 in long-term capital losses, the losses would offset the gains, resulting in a tax liability of 0. If the same losing investment were brought back, then a minimum of 30 days would have to pass to avoid incurring a wash sale. 

According to the Internal Revenue Service, "If your capital losses exceed your capital gains, the amount of the excess loss that you can claim to lower your income is the lesser of $3,000 ($1,500 if married filing separately) or your total net loss shown on line 16 of Schedule D (Form 1040)."

For example, if an individual earned $75,000 a year and had $5,000 in net capital losses for the year, the $75,000 income will be adjusted to $72,000 ($72,000-$3,000). The remaining $2,000 in capital losses can be carried over with no expiration to offset future capital gains.

The Bottom Line

Tax planning involves utilizing strategies that lower the taxes that you need to pay. There are many legal ways in which to do this, such as utilizing retirement plans, holding on to investments for more than a year, and offsetting capital gains with capital losses.