5 Money Moves to Make Before April 15

April 15 is coming up fast, and most people treat it as a deadline for filing paperwork. It's actually a deadline for making financial moves that can save you real money — some of which you can't make after that date.

Here are the five that matter most, in order of impact.

1. Max Out Your IRA

This is the most important thing on this list. You have until April 15 to make a 2025 IRA contribution. The limit is $7,000 ($8,000 if you're 50 or older). If you haven't hit that for 2025, you can still do it — even after filing your return.

Traditional IRA contributions may be tax-deductible depending on your income and whether you have a workplace retirement plan. Roth IRA contributions aren't deductible, but the growth is tax-free. Both are excellent. If you're unsure which is right for you: if you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in retirement than you are now, lean Roth. If you're in a high tax bracket today, lean Traditional.

2. Contribute to an HSA (If You Have a High-Deductible Health Plan)

Health Savings Accounts are the most tax-efficient account that exists — triple tax advantage. Contributions are pre-tax. Growth is tax-free. Withdrawals for medical expenses are tax-free. You also have until April 15 to make 2025 HSA contributions. The 2025 limits were $4,150 for individuals, $8,300 for families. If you're eligible and haven't maxed this, do it before the deadline.

3. File for an Extension if You're Not Ready — But Pay What You Owe

A tax extension gives you six more months to file your return (until October 15). What it does not do is give you more time to pay. If you think you'll owe money, you still need to pay an estimate by April 15 or you'll accrue interest and penalties. File Form 4868 to request the extension. It's a simple one-pager. Don't skip this step because filing is stressful — the penalties for not filing are worse than the penalties for not paying.

4. Harvest Any Remaining Tax Losses

Tax-loss harvesting — selling investments that are down to offset gains you've realized elsewhere — is something most people only think about in December. But you can do it any time during the tax year, including right now. With market volatility in early 2026, you may have positions that are down from where you bought them. Selling them locks in a loss that can offset capital gains dollar-for-dollar, and up to $3,000 of ordinary income per year. You can immediately reinvest the proceeds in a similar (but not identical) investment to maintain your market exposure.

5. Check Your Withholding for 2026

If you're getting a large refund this year, you're giving the government an interest-free loan. If you owe a lot, you may be underpaying and risk a penalty next year. After you file your 2025 taxes, use the IRS Withholding Estimator (available at irs.gov) to check whether your 2026 withholding is calibrated correctly. Update your W-4 if needed. This one move prevents the same problem from happening again next April.

My Two Cents?

Taxes are the single biggest expense most Americans face — bigger than housing, bigger than healthcare, bigger than anything else. And yet most people spend more time planning their vacation than their tax strategy. The five moves above are not complicated. You don't need an accountant for most of them. You just need to do them before April 15.