As we approach the 4th quarter of the year, most of our clients now have a fairly good idea on what their taxable income will be for 2011. If you are like these clients, you may be wondering "Is there anything I can do NOW to save taxes on April 15th"? The answer is very likely "yes." This short article will lay out a few ideas - each of them could save you tens of thousands of dollars on your 2011 income tax bill, depending on your facts and circumstances.

Be sure to see the offer below for a FREE CONSULT to discuss YOUR 2011 TAXES with the OJM Group team.

1. Maximize the Tax Benefits of Your Qualified Retirement Plan (QRP)
Nearly 95% of the physicians and business owners who have contacted us over the years have some type of QRP in place. These include 401(k)s, profit-sharing plans, money purchase plans, defined benefit plans, 403(b)s, or even SEP or SIMPLE IRAs, for these purposes.

However, most of these plans are NOT maximized for deductions for the business/practice owner(s). The Pension Protection Act of 2006 improved the QRP options for many business owners, including physicians. In other words, many owners may be using an "outdated" plan and forgoing further contributions and deductions allowed under the most recent rule changes. By maximizing your QRP under the new rules, you could increase your deductions significantly for 2011 and reduce your taxes on April 15th 2012.

2. Implement a Fringe Benefit or "Hybrid" Plan
Unfortunately, the vast majority of physicians and business owners begin and end their retirement planning with QRPs. Most have not analyzed, let alone implemented, any other type of benefit plan. Have you explored fringe benefit plans, non-qualified plans or "hybrid plans" in the last two years? The unfortunate truth for many doctors and business owners is that they are unaware of plans that enjoy favorable short-term and long-term tax treatment. If you have not yet analyzed all options, we highly encourage you to do so. A number of these plans can help you reduce your taxable income in 2011 significantly... and they can be put into place in a few weeks, so it's not too late for 2011.

3. Make Investments that Create Tax Benefits
There are a number of investments that, in and of themselves, create present tax benefits. These typically are asset classes in which the government encourages investment, from oil and gas partnerships to conservation easements to certain types of racehorses. Tax deductions, tax credits and other potential benefits can be immediate and significant.

4. Use Charitable Giving
There are many ways you can make tax beneficial charitable gifts while benefiting your family as well. Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs), Charitable Lead Trusts (CLTs), Private Foundations - these all can be used, within the IRS rules, to benefit charitable causes, reduce taxes and retain some benefits for families. If you have considered any of these tools in the past, implementing them in a year of high income might be a good idea.

5. Pre-Pay 2012 Expenses in 2011
As the year winds down, we typically counsel clients to prepay for some of the following year's expenses in the present year. As long as the economic benefit from the prepayment lasts 12 months or less, this can be done. Since 2012 highest marginal tax rates will be the same as 2011 rates, the time value of the earlier deduction does make sense this year.

Conclusion
This article gives you a few ideas for potential tax savings. For larger businesses and practices with $3-5 million or more of revenue, there are additional techniques which could offer significantly greater deductions.

David Mandell, JD, MBA, is an attorney, author of five books for doctors, and principal of the financial consulting firm OJM Group, where Carole Foos works as a CPA and tax consultant. They can be reached at 877-656-4362.

SPECIAL OFFER: For a free (plus $5 S&H) copy of For Doctors Only: A Guide to Working Less and Building More, please call (877) 656-4362.

We encourage you to contact us at OJM for a free consultation to discuss your 2011 taxes and what you can do to reduce them. Please contact David B. Mandell, JD, MBA at 877-656-4362.