Tax tips that don't require a dictionary.

Every dollar you put in lowers your taxable income, grows tax-free, and comes out tax-free for medical costs — the only "triple tax-free" account there is.

Brand-new for 2025 — lets you deduct up to $25,000 of tips and/or up to $12,500–$25,000 of overtime pay, on top of everything else.

Give two years' worth every other year — often through a Donor-Advised Fund — so you clear the standard-deduction threshold and actually get a tax benefit from giving.

Selling a losing investment on purpose lets you offset gains elsewhere — and up to $3,000 of regular income — free money you're otherwise leaving on the table.

A missing or late SSN forfeits the entire Child Tax Credit — a paperwork fix, not a strategy, but a full $2,200 per child if missed.

One of the most overlooked credits among non-traditional earners — many assume gig/freelance income doesn't count, but it does.

Send money straight from your IRA to charity instead of taking a taxable withdrawal — it satisfies your required withdrawal without adding a dollar of taxable income.

Splitting income into a reasonable salary plus distributions can reduce the extra 15.3% self-employment tax on part of your profit — though it adds payroll/compliance costs.

Usually the single biggest deduction for these groups, and the easiest one to under-claim if you don't track it from the start.

A state-level election lets your business deduct state tax at the entity level, sidestepping the $40,000 individual cap on state and local tax deductions.