First Quarter

• If you work for tips and earn more than $20 in tips during the month, report tips to your employer by the 10th of each month for the following month on form 4070. 
• Complete Form W-4 and adjust withholding if needed. 
• Pay fourth-quarter estimated tax voucher for the preceding tax year by January 15. 
• Evaluate before-tax contributions to retirement plans. 
• Evaluate voluntary after-tax contributions to retirement plans. 
• Apply for a Social Security number for any child who does not have one. 
• Make quarterly defined benefit Keogh contribution for preceding year by January 15. 
• If you claimed exemption from withholding last year, you must file a new W-4 form with your employer to claim the exemption for this year. 

Second Quarter

• Comply with minimum distribution rules for qualified plans by April 1 if you attained age 70½ in previous year. 
• File individual tax return (or an application for an extension of time to file) by April 15. 
• Pay first-quarter estimated tax, using the correct voucher, by April 15. 
• Make previous-year IRA contribution by April 15. 
• Make previous-year Keogh plan contribution by April 15 (unless you applied for an extension of time to file your tax return). 
• Make quarterly defined benefit Keogh contribution for the current year by April 15. 
• Pay second-quarter estimated tax voucher by June 15. 

Third Quarter

• Make quarterly defined benefit Keogh contribution for the current year by July 15. 
• File Form 5500 Annual Report of Employee Benefit Plan by July 31, if applicable. 
• If you applied for an extension of time to file your preceding year's tax return, file the return or an additional extension request by August 15.
• Pay third-quarter estimated tax voucher by September 15. 

Fourth Quarter

• If you got an extension of time to file later than August 15, you must file by October 15. 
• Make your quarterly defined benefit Keogh contribution for the current year by October 15. 
• Begin your year-end planning:.
• Evaluate the applicability of the AMT and other taxes. 
• Adjust withholding, if necessary. 
• Evaluate year-end capital transactions. 
• Establish a separate Keogh plan for self-employment income. 
• Comply with minimum distribution rules for qualified plans. 

Throughout the Year

• Evaluate your tax and financial strategy for receiving discretionary and mandatory retirement plan distributions. 
• Reevaluate your uses of debt. 
• Consider making gifts to children or other family members up to the annual gift tax exclusion of $12,000 per gift per donee per year. 
• Evaluate passive loss exposure and potential investment shifts. 
• If you have excess cash flow, consider how to invest those funds. 
• Optimize mix of interest expense items. 
• Consider making charitable contributions of property, instead of (or in addition to) giving cash. 
• Consider ways to fund your children's education. 
• Evaluate your mix of portfolio and passive income. 
• Review prior gifts to children under age 14 and their incomes in order to minimize the amount of income that will be taxed at your rate. 
• Review the selection of your second residence and status of your vacation home.