Checklist · 3 min read
Personal tax savings checklist
A short list we go through each year. Most items take minutes, and together they can be worth thousands.
- Who it fits
- Every client, once a year.
- Figures
- 2026 tax year
The key rule
Max out tax-advantaged accounts, keep withholding on track and time income and gifts deliberately.
8 steps
Retirement
Max your 401(k) ($24,500 for 2026), check for a mega backdoor Roth and do a backdoor Roth IRA if eligible.
Health
Fund your HSA and use your FSA balance before it expires.
Equity
Check withholding on vests, plan ISO exercises and fix your 1099-B basis.
Investments
Harvest losses and rebalance inside tax-advantaged accounts.
Giving
Bunch gifts and give appreciated stock or use a donor-advised fund.
Family
Fund 529 plans, children's Roth IRAs and dependent care FSAs.
State
If you moved or are thinking about it, track your days and ties.
Estimates
Check you have met the safe harbor before January 15.
Example
What the list can add up to
A married couple in the 35% bracket max both 401(k)s, fund an HSA, do two backdoor Roths, harvest $10,000 of losses and bunch two years of giving into a donor-advised fund. Together, those steps can lower this year's tax by $20,000 or more and move much more money into tax-free accounts.
Common mistakes
- Waiting until December, when payroll changes and stock transfers may be too late.
- Doing each item alone. The order matters, for example harvesting losses before a big RSU vest or giving stock in a high-income year.
Key dates
- September
- Mid-year review and projection.
- December 31
- Most items need to be done by year-end.
- January 15
- Final estimated payment.
Questions we hear
When is the best time to go through this?
A first pass in late summer or early fall, so there is time to act before year-end.
What to send us
- Anything new this year: a move, a baby, a new job, a home
Upload them to your client portal.
General education for TaxSquad clients, not advice for your situation. Rules and figures change. Talk to us before acting on this guide.