Lawrence resident Randy Gardner says it’s time to start getting serious about preparing for filing your income taxes – and it has nothing to do with the fact that the April 17 deadline is just two weeks away.

Gardner, a certified public accountant and financial planner, says the time is right for planning to pay taxes next year. He and Julie Welch, also a certified public accountant and financial planner, are co-authors of “101 Tax Saving Ideas,” now in its eighth edition.

Among their suggestions:

¢ If you had a large refund on your 2005 tax return, consider completing a new Form W-4 to reduce your withholding. It’s better to lower your withholding and invest the cash throughout the year.

¢ Contribute to your IRA now for 2006. Deductible IRA contributions may be available even if your spouse is a participant in an employer-sponsored retirement plan.

¢ Consider a Roth IRA rather than a traditional IRA. All future earnings in a Roth will be totally tax-free when you make qualified distributions.

¢ The spousal IRA is $4,000 ($5,000 if age 50 or older). Thus, even if your spouse does not work outside the home, as long as you earn at least $8,000, you can each make $4,000 in IRA contributions.

¢ Remember your deduction for noncash charitable contributions. Make a list and take pictures to help document your deduction.

¢ Remember education incentives, such as the lifetime learning and HOPE scholarship credits and the student loan interest deduction. This can be a significant help to funding education costs.

¢ Take advantage of fringe benefits that your employer sponsors, such as 401(k) plans. Contributions to a 401(k) plan reduce your current income, and the earnings within the plan are not taxed until you make withdrawals.