You don't need to be a millionaire to save money on taxes. You only need to have the know-how. Were you aware your taxes have a direct impact on every aspect of your money, for instance, how much you have to invest, where you should invest it and how much you save.

Perhaps you know your tax bracket but, that’s not likely what you pay. The truth is, the typical American pays about 31.5% in income and payrolls taxes. 15.4 percent is due to income taxes and 15.9 percent is due to payroll taxes, over half of which is paid by the employer on the employee’s behalf (you pay the cost of the employer-side payroll taxes through lower wages also). Believe me, all that averages a great deal compared to rich Americans who pay peanuts, while you're probably paying more than 31%.

The bottom line is: If you want to save money on taxes - know where to invest your funds. And thanks to the Uncle Sam's tax code, you have several ways to save that are either tax-free or tax-deferred.

Save money on taxes like the millionaires

Provide your financial portfolio with a major boost by taking full advantage of all available tax-deferred and tax-free investment accounts. For long-term goals namely retirement or education for your children plant your money in a tax deferred or tax-free account where it'll not only grow -you'll save money.

The rich save money on taxes by taking advantage of tax-deferred accounts, including traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs) along with other tax-free accounts. You won't owe any income taxes until you begin making withdrawals from these accounts. Hopefully not until after you retire. From each of these accounts you will not have to pay taxes on your earnings annually, compounding your investments untaxed. Your beginning to understand your money's long-term growth potential. Also in some instances, if you defer taxes on your contributions with these accounts you'll help your accounts to compound even faster.

You want to give some attention to the types of investments that are most suited for tax-deferred and tax-free accounts. Growth investments, such as stock and stock funds, gain from the potential for long-term compounding. The only real drawback is that withdrawals from tax-deferred accounts are taxed at your regular tax rate, which is above the rate you'd pay on qualified dividend income and capital gains. Bonds can also have a role in your tax-deferred and tax-free accounts, as do mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs) that invest in stocks and bonds. Before you decide to dive in do your research at sites like Moneypacers.com. And please always speak to a professional financial advisor before establishing your portfolio.

Author's Bio: 

I'm Don Briscoe, a personal finance expert, and the co-founder and former editor-in-chief of Huntington-Fox Investments, LTD, New York. Residing Chair of Hunting-Fox Media. I've contributed to major financial publications, and is the author of the upcoming "Money Can Buy You Love." I'm the go-to guy of the financial gurus. If there's ever any spare time I pick up kids and swing them in the air. I live in New York with my family.