6 tax moves you can still make before April 15

Think your tax situation is locked in for 2025? Think again.

Most people assume that once December 31 passes, your tax return is set in stone. But here's what the savviest financial planning professionals know: The window between Jan. 1 and April 15 is packed with opportunities to lower your tax bill, boost your savings, and set yourself up for a stronger financial year. You just have to know where to look.

Domain Money shares seven moves you can still make right now to reduce last year's tax bill.

1. Max Out Your IRA

This is the most underutilized last-minute tax move out there. The IRS gives you until Tax Day to make a prior-year IRA contribution—and it could make a real difference.

You can contribute up to $7,000 to a traditional or Roth IRA (or $8,000 if you're 50 or older). If you go the traditional IRA route and qualify for the deduction, that contribution directly reduces your taxable income. That means a lower tax bill, potentially a bigger refund, and more money working toward your retirement.

One thing to know for 2025: IRA deduction phaseouts have shifted. If you have a workplace retirement plan, the deduction phases out between $79,000 and $89,000 AGI for single filers, and between $126,000 and $146,000 for joint filers. If your spouse has a workplace plan but you don't, your phaseout range is $236,000 to $246,000. If neither of you has a workplace plan, no phaseout applies.

Even if you don't qualify for the deduction, a nondeductible IRA contribution can set you up for a backdoor Roth conversion—more on that below.

2. Fund Your Health Savings Account (HSA)

If you were enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) in 2025, you can still contribute to your HSA for that tax year—and the tax advantages are hard to beat.

For 2025, the contribution limits are $4,300 for individuals and $8,550 for families, plus a $1,000 catch-up contribution if you're 55 or older. And unlike most tax-advantaged accounts, HSAs come with a triple benefit: Contributions reduce your taxable income now, the money grows tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are completely tax-free.

That's not all. Once you hit 65, you can use your HSA funds for any purpose—not just healthcare—making it a surprisingly powerful retirement savings vehicle on top of everything else.

Most people treat their HSA like a medical spending account. But the smarter move can be to treat it like a stealth retirement account and let it grow.

3. Open a SEP-IRA or Solo 401(k) If You Have Self-Employment Income

Freelancer? Consultant? Side hustle? This one's for you—and it's one of the most powerful tax levers available to self-employed individuals.

A SEP-IRA allows you to contribute up to 25% of your net self-employment income, with a 2025 cap of $70,000. That's a potentially massive deduction that directly lowers your taxable income. And the best part? You can open and fund a SEP-IRA for 2025 any time before your tax filing deadline, including extensions.

A Solo 401(k) works similarly but has some structural differences—including the ability to make both employee and employer contributions—that can make it even more advantageous in certain situations. If you had any self-employment income in 2025 and haven't explored these options, you could be leaving a significant deduction on the table.

4. Check Your State's 529 Deadline

529 college savings plan contributions won't reduce your federal taxable income, but here's what a lot of people miss: Many states offer a state income tax deduction for contributions to their 529 plan—and some allow you to make prior-year contributions all the way until Tax Day.

If you live in one of those states and have a 529 plan for a child or grandchild, this could be a quick, easy deduction you haven't taken yet. Even a modest contribution can qualify. It's worth a five-minute check to see if your state is on the list.

5. Hunt Down Every Deduction and Credit You're Owed

This one sounds obvious, but it's consistently where people leave real money behind. Before you file, do a thorough sweep—especially with a few notable changes for 2025.

The SALT cap is now $40,000. The One Big Beautiful Bill raised the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000 for 2025. If you pay significant state income taxes or property taxes, this is a material change that could make itemizing worthwhile for the first time in years.

Tips and overtime may be deductible. If you earned tips or overtime income in 2025, a new deduction allows up to $25,000 for tips and up to $12,500 for overtime pay for single filers (up to $25,000 for joint filers)—both subject to income phaseouts starting at $150,000 MAGI ($300,000 for joint filers).

Car loan interest is now deductible (with limits). For qualifying vehicles, you can deduct up to $10,000 in auto loan interest, subject to a phaseout that begins at $100,000 MAGI ($200,000 for joint filers).

Seniors get an extra deduction. Taxpayers 65 and older can claim an additional $6,000 deduction for 2025, with a phaseout starting at $75,000 MAGI ($150,000 for joint filers).

Don't overlook the classics: charitable contributions (cash and noncash), student loan interest, business expenses for the self-employed, educator expenses up to $300, and energy-efficient home improvement credits for qualifying upgrades made in 2025.

Here's why credits matter so much: A deduction reduces your taxable income, but a credit reduces your actual tax bill dollar-for-dollar. A $1,000 tax credit is worth more than a $1,000 deduction at almost any tax rate. Don't skip this step.

6. Consider a Backdoor Roth Conversion

If your income is above the Roth IRA contribution limits, a direct Roth contribution isn't an option. But a backdoor Roth conversion might be.

Here's how it works: You contribute to a traditional IRA on a nondeductible basis (so no upfront tax break), then convert that balance to a Roth IRA. If done correctly and the cumulative balance in all of your combined traditional IRAs has no pre-tax funds, the conversion is essentially tax-free—and your money now gets to grow and be withdrawn completely tax-free in retirement.

The long-term benefit of tax-free compounding in Roth IRAs is significant, especially for high earners who expect to be in a higher bracket down the road. That said, there are nuances—particularly around the "pro-rata rule"—that can trip people up. This is one move that's worth talking through with a financial advisor before you execute.

The Bigger Picture

Here's what all of these moves have in common: They're available to you right now, but they require knowing they exist and acting before the window closes. That's the difference between reactive tax filing and proactive tax planning—and it's one of the most tangible ways a financial strategy can pay for itself.

With the One Big Beautiful Bill reshaping the tax landscape for 2025, there's more to navigate than in a typical year. New deductions, higher caps, and expiring credits mean the stakes of missing something are higher, too.

A personal financial advisor doesn't just help you file—they look at your full financial picture year-round, so opportunities like these don't slip through the cracks. From equity compensation strategies to Roth conversions to HSA optimization, they help you make confident moves before the deadline, not scramble after it.

Your 2025 tax story isn't written yet. Let's make it a good one.

This story was produced by Domain Money and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.