Related Guide: For details on the Coverdell Education Savings Account (formerly the Education IRA) - special purpose vehicles for higher education - please see the Financial Guide: HIGHER EDUCATION COSTS: How To Get The Maximum Deduction.

Defer Bonuses or Other Earned Income

If you are due a bonus at year-end, you may be able to defer receipt of these funds until January. This can defer the payment of taxes (other than the portion withheld) for another year. If you're self-employed, defer sending invoices or bills to clients or customers until after the new year begins. Here, too, you can defer some of the tax, subject to estimated tax requirements. This may even save taxes if you are in a lower tax bracket in the following year. Note, however, that the amount subject to social security or self-employment tax increases each year.

Accelerate Capital Losses and Defer Capital Gains

If you have investments on which you have an accumulated loss, it may be advantageous to sell it prior to year-end. Capital losses are deductible up to the amount of your capital gains plus $3,000. If you are planning on selling an investment on which you have an accumulated gain, it may be best to wait until after the end of the year to defer payment of the taxes for another year (subject to estimated tax requirements). For most capital assets held more than 12 months (long-term capital gains) the maximum capital gains tax is 20 percent. However, make sure to consider the investment potential of the asset. It may be wise to hold or sell the asset to maximize the economic gain or minimize the economic loss.

Watch Trading Activity in Your Portfolio

When your mutual fund manager sells stock at a gain, these gains pass through to you as realized taxable gains, even though you don't withdraw them. So you may prefer a fund with low turnover, assuming satisfactory investment management. Turnover isn't a tax consideration in tax-sheltered funds such as IRAs or 401(k)s. For growth stocks you invest in directly and hold for the long term, you pay no tax on the appreciation until you sell them. No capital gains tax is imposed on appreciation at your death.

Use the Gift-Tax Exclusion to Shift Income

You can give away $15,000 ($30,000 if joined by a spouse) per donee in 2019 (same as 2018), per year without paying federal gift tax. You can give $15,000 to as many donees as you like. The income on these transfers will then be taxed at the donee's tax rate, which is in many cases lower.

Invest in Treasury Securities

For high-income taxpayers, who live in high-income-tax states, investing in Treasury bills, bonds, and notes can pay off in tax savings. The interest on Treasuries is exempt from state and local income tax. Also, investing in Treasury bills that mature in the next tax year results in a deferral of the tax until the next year.

Consider Tax-Exempt Municipal Bonds

Interest on state or local municipal bonds is generally exempt from federal income tax and from tax by the issuing state or locality. For that reason, interest paid on such bonds is somewhat less than that paid on commercial bonds of comparable quality. However, for individuals in higher brackets, the interest from municipal bonds will often be greater than from higher paying commercial bonds after reduction for taxes. Gain on sale of municipal bonds is taxable and loss is deductible. Tax-exempt interest is sometimes an element in the computation of other tax items. Interest on loans to buy or carry tax-exempts is non-deductible.

Give Appreciated Assets to Charity

If you're planning to make a charitable gift, it generally makes more sense to give appreciated long-term capital assets to the charity, instead of selling the assets and giving the charity the after-tax proceeds. Donating the assets instead of the cash prevents your having to pay capital gains tax on the sale, which can result in considerable savings, depending on your tax bracket and the amount of tax that would be due on the sale. Additionally, you can obtain a tax deduction for the fair market value of the property.

Keep Track of Mileage Driven for Business, Medical or Charitable Purposes

If you drive your car for business, medical or charitable purposes, you may be entitled to a deduction for miles driven. For 2019, it's 58 cents per mile for business, 20 cents for medical and moving purposes (members of the armed forces only for tax years 2018-2025), and 14 cents for service for charitable organizations. You need to keep detailed daily records of the mileage driven for these purposes to substantiate the deduction.

Take Advantage of Your Employer's Benefit Plans to Get an Effective Deduction for Items Such as Medical Expenses

Medical and dental expenses are generally only deductible to the extent they exceed 10 percent of your adjusted gross income (AGI). For most individuals, particularly those with high income, this eliminates the possibility for a deduction. You can effectively get a deduction for these items if your employer offers a Flexible Spending Account, sometimes called a cafeteria plan. These plans permit you to redirect a portion of your salary to pay these types of expenses with pre-tax dollars. Another such arrangement is a Health Savings Account. Ask your employer if they provide either of these plans.

Check Out Separate Filing Status

Certain married couples may benefit from filing separately instead of jointly. Consider filing separately if you meet the following criteria:

• One spouse has large medical expenses, miscellaneous itemized deductions, or casualty losses.
• The spouses' incomes are about equal.

Separate filing may benefit such couples because the adjusted gross income "floors" for taking the listed deductions will be computed separately. On the other hand, some tax benefits are denied to couples filing separately. In some states, filing separately can also save a significant amount of state income taxes.

If Self-Employed, Take Advantage of Special Deductions

You may be able to expense up to $1,020,000 in 2019 for qualified equipment purchases for use in your business immediately instead of writing it off over many years. Additionally, self-employed individuals can deduct 100 percent of their health insurance premiums as business expenses. You may also be able to establish a Keogh, SEP or SIMPLE IRA plan, or a Health Savings Account, as mentioned above.

If Self-Employed, Hire Your Child in the Business

If your child is under age 18, he or she is not subject to employment taxes from your unincorporated business (income taxes still apply). This will reduce your income for both income and employment tax purposes and shift assets to the child at the same time; however, you cannot hire your child if he or she in under the age of 8 years old.

Take Out a Home-Equity Loan

Most consumer-related interest expense, such as from car loans or credit cards, is not deductible. Interest on a home equity loan, however, can be deductible. It may be advisable to take out a home-equity loan to pay off other nondeductible obligations.

Bunch Your Itemized Deductions

Certain itemized deductions, such as medical or employment related expenses, are only deductible if they exceed a certain amount. It may be advantageous to delay payments in one year and prepay them in the next year to bunch the expenses in one year. This way you stand a better chance of getting a deduction.