The Deductibles // March 2026

⚠️ April 15th Deadlines to Know

📅 Individual Tax Returns The big one. File your return or request an extension by midnight. An extension gives you more time to file, not more time to pay. If you're not sure which is right for your situation, that's worth a quick conversation with a tax strategist before the date hits.

📅 IRA & HSA Contribution Deadline Last chance to make 2025 contributions to your IRA or HSA. April 15 is the cutoff for last tax year — after that, the window closes.

📅 Q1 Estimated Tax Payment First estimated tax payment of 2026 is due. If you're self-employed or have significant non-W2 income, don't skip this one. Underpaying triggers penalties that add up fast.

Not sure where you stand heading into the deadline? That's exactly what a Gelt tax strategist can help you figure out — before it's too late. Schedule a call →

📁 Strategies Worth Knowing

🗂️ What To Do If You Need an Extension

An extension is not a failure — it's a tool. Here's what to know:

• Filing an extension gives you until October 15 to submit your return

• It does not extend the time to pay — you still need to estimate and pay by April 15

• If you underpay, interest and penalties apply from the original due date

• Not sure if an extension makes sense for your situation? That's exactly the kind of call a good tax team should help you make

💼 Last-Minute Deductions to Grab Before Filing

Before your return is filed, make sure these haven't been missed:

• Home office deduction — if you work from home as a business owner, this can be significant and is often overlooked

• Business meals, travel, and software — review your 2025 expenses one more time before submitting

• Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction — eligible S-Corp owners and sole proprietors may deduct up to 20% of qualified income. Make sure your CPA is applying this — it's commonly missed

• Vehicle expenses — if you use a vehicle for business, the deduction is based on actual costs and your business use percentage. If your car is used more than 50% for business, the savings can be substantial. If no one has asked you about this, that's worth fixing

🏦 Maximize Retirement Contributions Before the Deadline

April 15 is the last day to make 2025 contributions to:

• Traditional or Roth IRA — up to $7,000 ($8,000 if 50+)

• SEP-IRA — up to 25% of compensation (deadline can extend with your return)

• HSA — $4,300 individual / $8,550 family for 2025 (requires HDHP coverage)

These contributions can directly reduce your taxable income for last year. If you haven't maxed these out, there's still time — but the window closes April 15.

🛠️ How Gelt Handles Extension Season Differently

Most tax firms treat an extension payment as a single transaction. At Gelt, we combine your 2025 extension payment and your Q1 2026 estimated tax into one consolidated recommendation. Rachel breaks down why that matters in this video:

• Penalty protection — if your 2025 liability ends up higher than expected, the combined payment acts as a buffer, reducing potential penalties when you file

• Flexibility to get money back — if your 2026 estimate turns out to be too high, you can recover that overpayment when you file, rather than waiting until 2027

• One clean payment — instead of managing multiple payments across tax years, you make one consolidated payment per jurisdiction

This is the kind of proactive planning that makes a real difference at tax time. If your current setup isn't doing this, it's worth knowing what you're missing.

🧠 Filing Your Taxes and Planning Your Taxes Are Not the Same Thing.

One costs you money. The other makes you money. Most high earners are only doing one of them.

If your income includes equity, bonuses, or business revenue, the decisions that determine your tax bill are not made in April. They are made throughout the year. By the time your CPA asks for documents, most of the opportunities are already gone.

The executives who consistently pay less in taxes are not doing anything exotic. They just think about it differently, and earlier.

Rachel Richards, CPA breaks it all down in Gelt's Executive Tax Planning Guide.

👉 See how high earners think about taxes differently →

Stop Guessing. Start Saving.

Tax season is short. The window to make meaningful moves is even shorter.

Gelt works with founders, investors, and business owners who are done leaving money on the table. If you're still piecing together your tax strategy on your own — or relying on software that doesn't know your situation — this is your sign to make a change.

Here's what working with Gelt looks like:

• ✅ A proactive tax team that reaches out to you — not the other way around

• ✅ Strategies like PTE, Augusta Rule, and S-Corp optimization built into your plan

• ✅ Payroll, bookkeeping, and tax all coordinated so nothing falls through the cracks

• ✅ A team that understands founders, investors, and complex income — not just W-2s

Tax season won't wait. Neither should you.

Schedule a call with Gelt today →

📰 Gelt in the News

📌 ExecutiveEDGE Podcast — Rachel Richards, CPA on why executives need proactive tax planning year-round, not just in April.
Listen here →

📌 GOBankingRates — Rachel Richards, CPA quoted in "4 Costly Investing Mistakes Even Millionaires Regret."
Read the article →

📌 Chicago Sun-Times — Gelt CEO Tal Binder breaks down what the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" means for high-income earners and business owners.
Read the article →

📌 Entrepreneur — Gelt CEO Tal Binder on why S-Corps aren't the answer for every founder — and what high earners should consider instead.
Read the article →

The best time to get ahead of your taxes was last year. The second best time is right now.

All the best,

The Gelt Team