Earned income is subject to additional levies to pay government programmes like Social Security and Medicare and federal, state, and municipal taxes. It's not easy to avoid tax trouble, but there are ways to minimise your liability. If you want to avoid paying taxes on your money, consider these six options.

Taxes on some income can be avoided entirely or postponed by contributing to tax-advantaged retirement and employee benefit accounts with pretax monies. Long-term capital gains are subject to relatively low tax rates.

There may be further tax savings available through the deductibility of capital losses. The federal government typically does not tax the interest received on municipal bonds.

The first step is to purchase municipal bonds.

Purchasing a municipal bond is similar to making a loan to a state or local government agency, except that the borrower receives periodic interest payments rather than a single lump sum. The buyer returns their initial investment in full

at the bond's maturity date.

Unlike their corporate counterparts, default rates on municipal bonds have typically been lower. Researchers discovered that the default rate for investment-grade municipal bonds was 0.1% from 1970-2019, compared to 2.25% worldwide corporate issuers.

However, the interest rates offered by municipal bonds are often lower. For some buyers, the tax-equivalent yield on municipal bonds is enough to justify the potential benefits of owning such securities. The tax equivalent yield increases as one's tax bracket rises.

Long-Term Capital Gains Should Be Your Primary Target

The ability to invest money wisely can be crucial to accumulating wealth. Long-term capital gains receive preferential tax treatment, making stocks, mutual funds, bonds, and real estate attractive investment options.

Taxes on the capital gain of an investor who has held the asset for more than a year are reduced to 0%, 15%, or 20%, depending on the investor's income level. The capital gain is taxed at regular income rates if the asset was held for less than a year before being sold. Knowing the difference between long-term and short-term capital gains rates is crucial for financial success.

If your taxable income for 2021 is less than $80,800 (or $40,400 if you're a single filer), then you won't owe any taxes on your long-term capital gains. Long-term capital gains up to $83,350 for married couples and $41,675 for individuals in 2022 are subject to no tax.

You should consult a tax expert and financial advisor to determine the best time to sell stocks to minimise profits or maximise losses, whether they have appreciated or depreciated. You can use the proceeds to reduce your taxable capital gains when you sell securities at a loss. The lesser of $3,000 of the excess losses or the net capital loss might be deducted from other income if the loss on investments exceeds the gain on investments. If your capital loss exceeds $3,000, you can roll it over to the next tax year.

Initiate a New Enterprise

A side business not only helps you bring in more money but also has various tax benefits. Many business expenses are tax deductible if they are spent in normal operations. Self-employed people can save money on taxes by deducting health insurance premiums if they meet certain criteria.

A home office deduction allows a business owner to write off some of their home's costs as long as they comply with IRS regulations. Utilities and internet service costs incurred for commercial purposes may also be deducted.

The taxpayer must operate a for-profit business to take advantage of these breaks. According to Publication 535, the IRS considers a variety of variables. Generally speaking, taxpayers are deemed to be running a business if they have earned a profit in three of the past five years.

In 2019, Congress passed the SECURE Act, which stands for "Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement." Employers participating in numerous employer retirement plans and providing retirement benefits to their workers are eligible for tax breaks under the SECURE Act.

Other Employee Benefits

The maximum amount that can be contributed to a 401(k) or 403(b) plan and have it count toward the participant's deductible in 2022 is $20,500 (up from $19,500 in 2021).

Workers aged 50 and over are eligible for a $6,500 increase in their standard employment retirement plan contribution. In 2021, an employee who earns $100,000 and contributes $19,500 to their 401(k) will have their taxable income reduced to $80,500.

In 2022 and 2021, taxpayers contributing up to $6,000 ($7,000 for those 50 and over) to a standard Individual Retirement Account (IRA) would receive a tax credit for retirement savings. To a certain extent, and depending on their income level, taxpayers who participate in occupational retirement plans (or whose spouses participate in such plans) may be eligible to deduct their traditional IRA contributions.