Q: I received a good-size bonus from my employer, but now I’m worried that I’m going to get stuck with a big income-tax bill next April. If I pay the second installment of my home’s property tax now instead of waiting until it’s due next spring, would I be able to deduct the amount on my 2007 return, or would I have to wait until I file my 2008 return about a year from now?

Rules published by the Internal Revenue Service clearly state that property-tax payments can be deducted in the year that you actually pay them. That means that you can make the payment now, even though it’s not due until next spring, and deduct the amount on your 2007 return to reduce the taxes on your recent bonus and other income.

If you want to cut your 2007 income-tax bill even further, also consider making your January mortgage payment now instead of waiting until the new year begins. Like property taxes, mortgage-interest charges also can be deducted in the year that you pay them.

Q: We’re trying to keep our expenses to a minimum for our annual winter vacation. I have heard that some hotels offer big discounts for “out of order” rooms that they normally would not rent. Can you explain how this process works, and whether it’s a good deal?

A: Sure. Many hotels often have at least one or two rooms each night that are considered “out of order” and therefore are not scheduled to be rented because they need some work to bring them back up to the owner’s standards. Savvy consumers can save a lot of money if they’re willing to take one of these rooms.

For example, the last time I made plans to go to Hawaii, I asked the hotel’s reservation department if they had any out-of-order rooms. I was rewarded with a two-bedroom suite for the price of a standard room simply because the hotel’s remodeling program was running a month behind schedule, so the frayed drapes in the suite had yet to be replaced.

If you want to get similar discounts, ask the reservation desk at the hotel if they have any out-of-order rooms when you make your reservation – or even when you check in upon arrival. If the clerk says that none are available, ask for the manager: Hotel supervisors often know about out-of-order rooms with minor problems that they’re willing to rent, but usually don’t post such information on the computer system that is used by clerks when they’re making a reservation or checking in a guest.