End of Year Checklist for Your Taxes, Points and Miles

#257: We break down essential tax and financial decisions to make before year-end. Learn how to maximize deductions, optimize charitable giving, manage investment gains and losses, and take advantage of retirement and home-improvement credits. We also run through all the credit card, points and miles deadlines to hit before 12/31.Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/end-of-year-financial-checklist-2025Partner DealsVuori: 20% off the most comfortable performance apparel I've ever wornMasterClass: Learn from the world's best with 15% offAura Frames: $35 off the best digital frames with code ALLTHEHACKSDeleteMe: 20% off removing your personal info from the webFabric: Affordable term life insurance for you and your familyGelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealthDaffy: Free $25 to give to the charity of your choiceFor all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/dealsResources MentionedChris' End of Year Checklist for Taxes, Points & MilesCarry Solo 401kKick (20% off your first year of bookkeeping with code CHRIS20)Invest America Kids Savings & Investment AccountsHotel Mattress RunCardPointers Pro (50% off here)Use Your CreditsATH PodcastChris’ Best Cards PageEp 144: Leveraging Tax-Advantaged Accounts to Maximize Your Wealth with Katie Gatti TassinEp 243: Smarter Strategies for Retirement, Wealth Building, and Taxes with Michael KitcesLeave a review: Apple Podcasts | SpotifyEmail for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: [email protected] Show Notes(00:00) Introduction(01:03) Standard Deduction vs. Itemizing(03:02) The New SALT Cap & Property Tax Strategy(05:02) Pass-Through Entity Taxes for Business Owners(06:07) Smart Charitable Giving Strategies(07:07) Donating Appreciated Assets(09:18) Using Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs)(14:16) Why 25-26 Changes Matter for Charitable Giving(16:14) New Car Loan Interest Deduction(18:19) Deduction for Qualified Tips & Overtime(18:34) New Senior Deduction(19:12) Shifting Income to Optimize Your Tax Bracket(20:48) Capital Gains: Loss & Gain Harvesting(22:02) Understanding the Wash Sale Rule(25:11) Advanced Tax Moves to Ask Your CPA(25:42) Key Retirement Deadlines & Contribution Limits(31:01) Roth IRA & Traditional IRA Rules(34:18) Backdoor & Mega Backdoor Roth Contributions(35:18) ISOs & Alternative Minimum Tax(36:16) FSA Essentials: Use It or Lose It(38:57) HSA Strategy & Triple-Tax Advantage(42:13) Home Efficiency & Solar Credits for 2025(43:14) 529 Plans, Gifting Rules & Education Savings(47:37) The New “Trump Account” for Kids(48:14) Funding a Child’s Roth IRA Through Earned Income(50:29) EOY Tax Moves for Business Owners(55:51) EOY Checklist for Points & Miles(01:00:32) Credit Card Annual Credits & Benefit Resets(01:03:57) Calendar-Year Credits to Use Before January(01:14:55) Final EOY Checks for Airlines, Hotels & Credit CardsConnect with ChrisNewsletter | Membership | X | Instagram | LinkedInEditor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.