# Act Now to Lower Your Taxes for 2026

> Max out tax-advantaged accounts and use tax-loss harvesting to lower 2026 taxes.
- Title: Act Now to Lower Your Taxes for 2026 · The Motley Fool
- Summary: Max out tax-advantaged accounts and use tax-loss harvesting to lower 2026 taxes. Optimize 2026 taxes by maxing retirement contributions, tax-loss harvesting…
- Keywords: taxes, 2026, 401k, roth conversion, charitable giving, tax-loss harvesting, asset location, municipal bonds, required minimum distributions, qcd, finance, money
- Source: The Motley Fool — https://fool.com/investing/2026/10/21/act-now-to-lower-your-taxes-for-2026
- Author: Motley Fool Staff
- Published: 2026-10-22T00:03:48+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: taxes, 2026, 401k, roth conversion, charitable giving, tax-loss harvesting, asset location, municipal bonds, required minimum distributions, qcd, finance, money
## Max out tax-advantaged retirement contributions
Check 401(k) and 403(b) limits of $24,500 with $8,000 catchup for those 50+.
## Tax-loss harvesting opportunities
Sell investments below cost to offset capital gains, with wash sale rule exceptions.
## Asset location for tax efficiency
Move income-generating assets to traditional IRAs to defer taxes.
## Charitable giving with appreciated stock
Donate stocks to avoid capital gains tax and get full fair market value deduction.
## QCD for tax savings
Direct up to $111,000 RMDs to charities without counting as taxable income.
## Withholding and estimated payments
Ensure withholding covers 90% of tax liability to avoid penalties by April.
## Roth conversions
Convert traditional retirement accounts to Roth to pay tax now and grow tax-free.
## Tax bracket estimation
Estimate 2026 tax bracket to guide retirement contributions and conversions.
## State tax differences
State rules may affect QCDs and 529 transfers, like New Jersey and California.
## Deadline for tax actions
Complete tax strategies by December 31 to avoid April penalties.
## Key takeaway

Optimize 2026 taxes by maxing retirement contributions, tax-loss harvesting, and charitable giving with appreciated stock.