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Kiera is joined by Alexis Gallati, founder and lead tax strategist at Cerebral Tax Advisors, to talk about tax strategy not just for 2025 success, but 2026 and beyond. They discuss asking your CPA the right questions, shifting income from your higher tax bracket down, the Augusta rule, and a ton more. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: The Dental A Team (00:00) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera and today I am super jazzed. I have an incredible guest joining us on the podcast today ⁓ to talk about last minute tax strategies before April 15th. Like why not? I mean, hey, maybe you were like, you're not the early bird. You were like, shoot, I forgot. Like what things can I do? And so I'm super excited. Alexis Gallati, she reached out to us. ⁓ She is founder and lead tax strategist at Cerebral Tax Advisors.   Ansari Real Wealth Academy. And I was so excited about this topic because I know you guys know I love to geek out about this and I have it on my vision board of tax expert ahead. Like I hate taxes. I love taxes. I believe that taxes are such a beautiful way for us to pay to be in this incredible country. But you better believe I don't want to pay a penny more than I need to. So really figuring that out just a little bit about her is she is got a dual master's degree in business administration and taxation, which is super rad because   Let's be real, she gets the business side of it. She gets the taxation and we were chatting before and she was like, what people make like their top line revenue versus their take home pay are two different things. And I was like, amen sister, preach on. She's enrolled agent, NTPI fellow and certified tax strategist. She also is the author of advanced tax planning for medical professionals. She specializes in high level strategic tax planning and multi-state tax preparation for healthcare professionals and business owners. She's raised in a family of physicians and married to one.   She empathizes with the financial challenges medical professionals face. This personal connection inspired her to create accessible, unbiased tax solutions tailored to their busy lives. Driven by passion and guided by cerebral thinking, Alexis forms Cerebral to help professionals keep more of their hard earned money. Amen sister. That's what we want. That's why you're here. Their approach breaks the mold of traditional financial advice, offering a unique perspective for medical professionals and business owners. So while yes, she's not 1000 % dental guys were in the healthcare world and she's so brilliant. So Alexis, welcome to the show today. How are you?   Alexis Gallati (01:54) Thank you so much for having me. I'm doing very well. Hope you had a wonderful holiday season.   The Dental A Team (01:58) Yes, likewise. And I was so excited when I heard that you would be a guest on our podcast. I geek out about this, Alexis, I know it's like our first day meeting, but ⁓ I just think the world of tax is such the game of monopoly. And I'm like, if you would have just told me that rule, I could have played and won the game better. But I feel like it's always as ever changing, ever evolving. And I know there were some big things that happened in 2025 that are impacting like our our taxes. And so, yeah, definitely a timely and   exciting podcast to throw out there. So Alexis, I know I gave you a very welcomed ⁓ bio and intro, but yeah, tell us a little bit about who is Alexis. You're married to a physician. You're in this world of tag. How does one become obsessive about CPA? I'm truly just curious. How do you like, how does this happen? How did you become this?   Alexis Gallati (02:49) Yeah, so I love law and I love money. And so when I was in undergrad, I took a tax and accounting class and loved more the tax side than the accounting side, I do admit. And so after meeting my husband in college and us starting to go through that full medical journey, was about a year and a half out from him.   The Dental A Team (02:54) you   Alexis Gallati (03:18) from him finishing his residency. And I really saw the writing on the wall. Even at that time, with him being in residency, about four months of his salary was going towards taxes. And I was like, that's not right. That's not right. With   The Dental A Team (03:36) No.   Alexis Gallati (03:38) hard he works and how hard   medical community works in general. ⁓ my gosh, that's not right. So that's when I really dedicated myself to   finding out, why do the Warren Buffets and the Bill Gates of the world have this really low to sometimes non-existent tax bracket? And I really dove into that tax planning. ⁓ And so, you know, what's very unique about, ⁓ you know, the way that I work and my business is that my husband and I are in the same exact position as majority of our clients. And so, yes, I'm looking for   strategies for my clients, but I'm also looking for those strategies for myself.   The Dental A Team (04:19) You're like, hey,   it's me. I'm going to help myself out. I'm very motivated to do this.   Alexis Gallati (04:25) Very motivated. And I love it. I love it. It's like you said, it's ⁓ Congress keeps us on our toes, changing the laws consistently year after year. ⁓ it's like a puzzle. Like, hey, how can I just keep more of what I'm earning?   The Dental A Team (04:43) Yeah, and I, this is what I get obsessed about. what I learned, gosh, it's like, I was so naive when I started the company. was like, marketing is marketing. I just need to hire a marketer they can do everything. And then I was like, oh, there's a content marketer. There's a copywriter marketer. There's a strategist. There's a growth marketer. There's like an AEO marketer now. There's an SEO. Like you guys, this thing is like a web. They're a content marketer. And then I started realizing it's similar to CPAs and financial planners that like,   I thought you hire a CPA, Alexis. Like I'm so naive to business. I'm shocked that I've made it this far. Like truly I'm proud of like the journey we've been on, but like not all CPAs are created equal. And then I realized like CPAs play by different rules. Like it's the same rule, but there's shades of gray. They're how comfortable are you with this and how uncomfortable are you with it? Like there's one CPA that told me like, here, you can totally go skiing in Tahoe. Just like put your logo on your skis and you can totally ride it off and like put your logo on your boat and you can ride it off.   And then there's like the Alexis of the world was like, oh, hard pass. No, you're going to like totally get flagged. But I'm like, what rule is right? And so I realized that there are, like you said, tax strategy and for higher wealth earners. I do believe that there's a game, like you said, how did the Warren Buffett's, how did the Bill Gates, like they're not paying this. And then you get into the real estate game and you get into all these other things. You're like, how can we do this? And so Alexis, I'm just jazz. This is me being nerdy. And I'm going to ask you a bajillion questions and I can't wait.   to learn. So let's kind of talk about most of your clients, what's the size of take home net pay that they do. So that way we know like what brackets were in. So that way right clients come to you. I also learned not all financial advisors take all people. I was like, I make 30 grand. They're like, great. So we're going to help you out just a little bit. And then like, when you get to this level, we'll chat with you. ⁓ tell us kind of that. And then let's dig into how do we keep more money, Alexis, legally.   Alexis Gallati (06:10) I love it.   The Dental A Team (06:39) I'm here for legal advice. I'm willing to go gray, but not go to jail. So that's my line. So as long as we're on the same page, I think we are, I'm here for it.   Alexis Gallati (06:40) Yes.   Definitely, yeah. I am more than happy to play in the gray areas. We just have to feel comfortable defending it in an audit. And so that's our line in the sand. ⁓ But yeah.   The Dental A Team (06:55) Mm-hmm.   She's like, this is why I went to law guys. This is why I like the law side and the CPA.   I like it. I like your style. It's so unique and I just am excited. So, okay, I'm ready.   Alexis Gallati (07:07) Yeah.   Yeah. at Cerebral, we work with those that earn at minimum $400,000 per year in taxable income. So we have lots of businesses, which by the way, 99.9 % of our clients are medical professionals. I think we have like maybe two clients that have zero ties to the medical industry. And so the practices we work with, you know,   generally range from anywhere from maybe about $700,000 in gross revenue all the way up to eight figures. So we tend to not work with those that are larger practices, that usually over 50 employees. And that's just because once you get above 50 employees, yeah, it changes quite a bit. So we're definitely in there with those smaller to medium sized practices.   The Dental A Team (07:56) Tax co-changes. Yep.   Amazing. No, that's super helpful. And I know we were talking before, like the average of your clients, about 700,000 like net pay is typical where you guys are at. You have some that are higher, but that minimum of 400,000, which is great because I do think that there are thresholds. ⁓ And I did learn through going through business that who Kiera needed as a tax support and advisor when I was in that 30,000 range compare and as a business owner, I thought it was so funny.   Gosh, taxes, like they hurt so bad sometimes. Like, whoa, easy come, easy go. Like I've never, I've always been a W-2. So that was such a fascinating world for me. But yeah, let's dig into some of the things you've seen for the medical world. Cause I know I have friends that were physicians and they're really big on real estate. And like I took the real estate Kool-Aid and I'm just like, is this really real? There's gotta be easier ways than doing this. And so I'm just jazzed to kind of go through what are some of the things we can do now before April 15th.   What are things that we can do even past April 15th to set us up for great success for 2026? So Alexis, this is your show. I'm just excited, kind of riffed us through it. Of course, I'm gonna geek out and ask probably about way more questions than you care to even be asked, but I'm really excited to learn more today.   Alexis Gallati (09:20) Yeah, great. Well, yeah, I hate to be a little bit of a Debbie Downer in the beginning and that when your past December 31st, ⁓ the number of tax strategies that are available to you are before you actually go to file your tax return are limited. It's just the nature of the code.   The Dental A Team (09:37) I agree. was super, when you were   like, what are the tech? I was like, I want to know because most of the times like when the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, it's like game over and we start again. But yes, which is why I want to know what are like the small ones, but then also Alexis like, let's set our listeners up for like, what things can they do this year to be better prepared for it in conjunction? So yes, before April 15th, but selfishly I want to know what else can I do this year that maybe I haven't thought of.   Alexis Gallati (09:52) Yeah.   you   The Dental A Team (10:06) because the clock hasn't struck midnight in 2026. So like we've got time. So yeah, for 2025 filing, but also for 2026 as well.   Alexis Gallati (10:09) Yeah.   Yeah, so let's talk about 2025 filing first. Especially if you're a business owner, there are actually a number of things that you could still put together for yourself that can impact your 2025 financials. ⁓ So even basic things like if you haven't been taking advantage of your home office deduction or ⁓ vehicle expenses ⁓ and unreimbursed business expenses. So those are expenses that you paid   personally, but our business expenses. So all of those items, you can still go and report on your 2025 return. So if you haven't taken the time to sit down and say, how much should I pay in my home utilities or insurance, repairs, et cetera, and take the percentage. So let's say your home office is 7%.   of your total square footage of your home. Well, then you can write off 7 % of your home expenses on your taxes. the treatment's a little bit different depending upon if you're a sole proprietorship or an S corporation. But in general, you still have that time to take advantage of that. And a lot of you might be like, oh, Alexis, it's such a little amount. I don't even know if it's worth it. Believe me.   All these little things can really add up together. And easily, I usually see between $10,000 to $20,000 of really ⁓ easy to grab savings for yourself if you just take even a few hours to gather all the information. ⁓ And you can even use ⁓ personal financial apps like Monarch Money or You Need a Budget, things like that to help.   organize that information for you throughout the year so it's a little more automated.   The Dental A Team (12:10) Yeah, that's amazing. I do love the YNAB. You're throwing me back to like pharmacy school days of you need a budget. I was like, oh my gosh, got to answer this every time. They have updated so much, but I love that you said like 10 to 20 grand, I think is worthwhile, but more than it being pennies or dollars, I think it's the discipline of having it prepared for next year too. So that way we don't, I think it's like, well, it might not be enough this year, but I'm like, you take that this year and we compound over the next year and the next year and the next year. I think these little things to me at least,   Alexis Gallati (12:15) Ha ha ha.   The Dental A Team (12:41) Like I said, it's their game of monopoly. And I'm like, okay, maybe I didn't get it that time, but I'm going to take that rule and I'm going to apply it this year and the next year and the next year. So I'm even taking notes over here, guys. So Alexis, if you see me, I'm writing it like, okay, I'm going to check in on that, check in on that. So make sure, make sure that they're being taken into consideration because I don't prep my own taxes. I don't even know half the stuff. Like they just tell me. So I also think being a good steward as well and always double checking your CPA to make sure like, are we maximizing every deduction we can?   Alexis Gallati (12:53) Good, I like it.   Of course.   Yeah. And being proactive is like you said, the number one thing because the IRS can deny deduction if you don't have that itemized receipt or you don't have the proper documentation. And 99 % of any fight with the IRS is that documentation. And I did a three year fellowship in IRS representation. So I'm obviously very focused on that tax savings, but also very focused on making sure   that everything's set up properly. So if the IRS were to challenge it or even the state, you're in good hands. then that way, you can just give them the stuff and say, go away.   The Dental A Team (13:51) Exactly. And I heard somebody once tell me, they're like, Kiera, it's not a matter of if I'll be audited, it's when. Like every business will most likely be audited at some point. I hope and pray like we're not. I think about that a lot of like cross my T's, dot my I's, make sure that I'm constantly trying to be compliant with things. But your wealth of knowledge on that Alexis of what things and how to become, I mean, shoot three years of IRS. Girl, you got my vote. That's impressive. And like love the love the authority piece that you're bringing to our podcast today.   Alexis Gallati (14:20) Thank you. Thank you. So some other things that you're able to do before you file that tax return, and this is a big one, is retirement. So you actually have until the filing of a tax return, and that includes extensions. So for example, if you're an S corporation or a partnership, have the original due date, which is March 15th, or the extended due date, which is September 15th, to go and   open and fund that retirement plan. So if you have employees, it can get obviously a little bit more complicated, but you still are able to do it and ⁓ do that employer contribution. And that's obviously really one of the lower hanging fruits when it comes to not only tax savings, but also wealth generation.   The Dental A Team (15:12) Yeah, no, I love that. That's a great idea. And I think a lot of people miss that. And again, CPAs, tax strategists, wealth advisors, they're all playing in their own lanes, but how can we make sure all of them are maximizing together? Because you as a human are trying to build that wealth. So I love that.   Alexis Gallati (15:30) Yeah. And don't forget as well, you know, kind of in the same vein as retirement is that health savings account. So if you had a high deductible plan throughout the year, but maybe your employer didn't actually provide a ⁓ health savings account, like so if you're a W-2, for example, or even if you're self-employed, you can still go open up your   own Health Savings account through, I think Fidelity has some, ⁓ Optum Bank, HSA Bank. So there's a whole bunch of different providers out there. can just Google and find the provider that works best for you.   The Dental A Team (16:07) Interesting. And I know like I just wrote that down because a lot of dentists don't have HSA. Like we are the providers for it. But hearing that that might even be a resource to attract people into your business if you were able to like, don't necessarily provide it, but these are some companies that we could help our employees get if they wanted to have an HSA because I know that that's something that my husband works at a hospital. So there's an HSA there, but as sole proprietors and S-Corps, a lot of times they aren't provided. That's actually really like, I think just a great tool and resource to   possibly provide to our employees, depending upon what it looks like for your business.   Alexis Gallati (16:40) Yeah, definitely. And then one other thing that you ⁓ may be able to do, depending upon your state, ⁓ to help with state taxes, is go and contribute to a 529 plan, which is for education for yourself or other dependent. And some states like Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, South Carolina, there's a number of them. They allow you to make that contribution all the way up to the   filing of the tax return.   The Dental A Team (17:13) Interesting. I did not know that I wrote that down. That's fascinating. I love this. This is like so fun. Keep going.   Alexis Gallati (17:20) Yeah. Yeah. So that, you know, is, a good, especially for, you know, higher earners. ⁓ that's kind of a good summary of what you can be doing before this, ⁓ April 15th or even the extended due date as well. ⁓ but when you start looking into 2026, who, that book, that book opens up, there is.   The Dental A Team (17:39) It does, right? It's like the   monopoly Bible. Like it's so big. Like how do I play the game of taxes? So I truly, and I think like for all the listeners, like the home office, the HSA, ⁓ retirement, the 529 plan, like there's still time. So go look at those things. And even if you can't contribute or do those things now, having that set up for next year, like, Alexis, truly, I'm like, I'm getting the popcorn. I'm getting my notepad. Like,   I am so excited because half these things I haven't heard of. And so it's very fun to just hear different perspectives. And I do love that you've got a legal background too. I love that you're in IRS. I love that you're in medicine and healthcare and like for your own personal savings too. It's like you're the Nancy Drew of like, how can I do the most amount through all of this? It's a very fascinating perspective you bring today.   Alexis Gallati (18:27) thank you. I appreciate that. yeah, when obviously when you are a W-2 employee still that your options are not as open for those that have a business. But ⁓ besides obviously retirement HSA that you can do all year, one thing that a lot of W-2 employees forget is to actually check with your employer to see what their reimbursement policy looks like.   The Dental A Team (18:29) course.   Alexis Gallati (18:55) because if you're maybe in a private practice with a large group, and I mean, these could even be groups that have sometimes hundreds of physicians in it, or even if it's just a hospital system, they'll have actually pretty generous reimbursement policies for things like your CME, your new loops, or going and   doing your mileage in between different hospitals or clinics, things like that. So making sure that you are keeping track of those things. Obviously, if you're a business owner, you definitely want to keep track of those. But some of my favorite for those that own their own practices, my absolute favorite is hiring your kids.   The Dental A Team (19:36) Of course, yeah.   Alexis Gallati (19:48) It seems so basic, but believe me, there are definitely steps in place that have to be done in order to make sure they ⁓ qualify. for me, the ⁓ court tested age is seven. So I usually don't recommend my clients going and hiring their kids until they're at least that age. You can do it younger, but the old my kids are models strategy is kind of ⁓ antiquated now just because ⁓   everybody has these great cameras now on their phones. And so it's kind of devalued, being a model ⁓ for those that aren't professionals basically. ⁓ But that's a really great way to shift income from your higher tax bracket down to their non-existent tax bracket.   The Dental A Team (20:21) Totally.   Right?   Alexis Gallati (20:40) and you can then put that money into a Roth IRA for them. And if you do that, let's say over like a 10 year period in 2026, that amount is 7,500 is the max you can put in. They're easily, by the time they're age 65, gonna have at least 2 million plus dollars in savings. So it's a really great way to create a legacy for your kids and give them a little headstart.   The Dental A Team (20:48) Mm-hmm.   Yeah, that's amazing. And I think so many people are like, I don't know how to help my kids with college or different things like that. And it's like, these are great ways to prepare them for the future for when they retire for things like that. I mean, how awesome I know a couple of ⁓ doctors because   The bulk of our audience, Alexis, are not W-2 earners. They are self-employed, like dental practice owners. ⁓ But I know that there were several that didn't tell their kids that they had done this for them. And then the surprise when they graduated college of, we've been putting this into place for you. I mean, shoot, that money's going to go to the government or to your kids. Why not invest in your children? You're going to pay that money regardless. So ⁓ definitely think that that's such a brilliant idea. And I've heard people, they're like,   their real job, like they have to have a real job. They're like a paper shredder. Like they like literally shred the paper or they open the mail or they like pick out the cards or they pick out the toys for the prize boxes, like actual legit jobs that they employ them for. But I think what an amazing gift and legacy to give your kids as well.   Alexis Gallati (21:51) they   Yeah, exactly. All four of my children are, obviously cerebral isn't a dental practice, but they're hired through cerebral. So that way they are earning enough to put that money into their Roth IRA. ⁓ And a lot of ⁓ my clients are like, man, I don't know what my kids can do. And like you said, there's a lot of admin work that they can do. Even a seven-year-old can.   like you said, shred paper, stamp envelopes. They can help with doing their ABCs and filing things away if you're an older ⁓ practice owner and they have ⁓ still the paper file system. ⁓ yeah, it really is a wonderful way to not only teach responsibility, but also to save. ⁓ I highly recommend ⁓ doing that. And even if you have parents that you financially support, you could even   The Dental A Team (22:45) Yeah.   Yeah.   Alexis Gallati (23:02) go and hire your parents through your practice ⁓ and write off their support. Of course, again, they need to also have a legitimate job in the business. with parents, you have to be careful if they have any benefits like social security or Medicare. Then you just want to make sure that you're not pushing them out of those benefits because of their income ⁓ or making any part of their social security taxable. So that takes a little bit more. ⁓   finesse than hiring a child.   The Dental A Team (23:36) No, that's great. That's a really good idea too, because I hadn't thought about parents. I have heard about children, but you're right, parents are retired. And if there's ways that you can support and give back rather than like, again, I love the government. I am happy to pay taxes, but if there's ways that I can support my own family, ⁓ I think it's great because I'm going to pay that money anyway, but paying it to people that I love and care about is really a great idea.   Alexis Gallati (24:00) Yeah. Another popular one I'm sure that you've seen on TikTok or other social media is the Augusta rule. ⁓ and this is where you're renting your home to your business. ⁓ and this is perfect example where documentation is absolutely critical. ⁓ but basically what happens is you rent your home to your business for 14 days or less. Those days do not have to be consecutive and your business gets to   The Dental A Team (24:07) Mm-hmm.   Alexis Gallati (24:28) right off the cost of that rent. So obviously lowers your taxes. But then you as the individual do not have to pay tax on that rental income. Now, if you do it for 15 days and you've ruined the strategy and you have to pay tax on all 15 days. So that's really important you do 14 days or less. But this is again a really great way if you have monthly board meetings, that's 12 days right there.   Or if you have employee parties, if you have colleagues over in discussing business, though, as long as you have a rental agreement in place between yourself and your business, and you document through meeting minutes everything that occurred during that event, then that is the documentation that the IRS would need in order to substantiate that.   strategy. And obviously a reasonable rental rate as well.   The Dental A Team (25:27) Yeah, no, didn't realize,   I did not realize that you needed a rental agreement. Can you expand more on that? like we check all the Airbnb's and the VRBO's in the area to see what does our house actually go for and like keep that documented every single year and then have an actual agenda and like have it in the calendar. So it's in our Google calendar. It's got an agenda. It's got a PDF didn't attach. But how does the rental agreement work? like, yeah, how do you, I didn't realize that that was a necessary piece to it.   Alexis Gallati (25:57) Yeah, so you can even just use ChatGPT to create it. ⁓ But essentially what you do is it's just that agreement between the business and personal. So ⁓ you just want to think about it like any other rental that you would do. If you were to go to a conference room in a hotel, for example, or go rent that Airbnb, you're going to be signing some sort of agreement saying that this can happen.   that this event can happen on this date. ⁓ you can either do one agreement for the entire year, spelling out like, here are the days that we're going to be doing these things, ⁓ or you can have an agreement for each time that it happens.   The Dental A Team (26:43) Very cool. That's super helpful. Yeah, I do love the addresses for all anything people. And I mean, I've had CPAs and like, don't go crazy. Like that's where I say like check Airbnb, check VRBO like what you think your house is worth versus what market value says your house is worth. Like, let's make sure that we are accurate on that. But yeah, that's definitely an amazing one that I think is great for offices to surely do.   Alexis Gallati (26:51) Yes.   Yep. Go and get two to three comps. So then that way can just take an average. I feel like that's a very safe way to, ⁓ show reasonableness. You're not just like, Hey, I'm taking the highest one on the block. You know, it's taking a few of them.   The Dental A Team (27:21) Totally. No, definitely agree. I love that. Okay, Alexis, what other ideas? know we're, I'm like just like sitting here. I'm like, I love this writing it down. Great ideas. What are some of the ones that like, yeah, anything else that's going to save us? Um, because like taxes are taxes and we are going to pay them, but like, what else can we do to, like you said, Bill Gates or, um, like Warren Buffett, what are the things that you found for like these higher net worth earners? Like, do they need to get into real estate and like use the big, beautiful tax bill or like,   Alexis Gallati (27:23) Yeah.   Okay.   The Dental A Team (27:50) anything else that you've seen that like really moves the noodles or is like, no, just the small consistent things are really going to help them out.   Alexis Gallati (27:57) Yes, well, they all help out. ⁓ But if you are looking for more of that, hey, Alexis, what's like Hail Mary that I can be doing to act to really save? ⁓ You can look at real estate. ⁓ That could be a whole podcast by itself. ⁓ But in general, you you tend to ⁓ get into real estate when you're not talking about like reets or things I can do through the stock market.   The Dental A Team (28:14) Right.   Alexis Gallati (28:26) ⁓ You're either doing like real estate syndications, ⁓ direct ownership, like long-term rentals or short-term rentals. And ⁓ each of those are treated differently and have different ways of making that ⁓ a tax deduction for yourself. So when it comes to, in general, ⁓ real estate syndications, this is where you're   The Dental A Team (28:49) Mm-hmm.   Alexis Gallati (28:54) buying into a partnership that maybe owns an office building. And you go in with other partners and ⁓ it's syndicated. So it's very passive. There's no way for you to write off any losses in that current year. ⁓ When it comes to direct ownership, the IRS basically says, hey, that real estate is considered passive unless you have real estate professional status or you do that short-term rental   deduction or excuse me, short-term rental exclusion. And so what ⁓ happens if you can qualify for the short-term rental exclusion or real estate professional status is that those what would have been passive losses that you can't use against your current income will be considered active losses. And then you can use it against your   active income, when I say active income, things like your W-2 or your business. So you're getting a current year deduction from that. And you can do cost segregation study to help accelerate depreciation. ⁓ So this is very, very much in the nutshell sort of explanation. ⁓ But it can really be a great way to lower your taxes if   The Dental A Team (29:57) Mm-hmm.   Yeah.   Alexis Gallati (30:16) you essentially want a second job. Just know that real estate is not as passive as the social media gurus go and ⁓ try to glamorize. It really does take a lot of extra work. You want to make sure that you are following the rules properly so that you can get that tax benefit in the current year. ⁓ But if you   The Dental A Team (30:19) Yeah.   Alexis Gallati (30:41) do have that prerogative and you want to learn and get do things properly, then it can really save you quite a bit of money.   The Dental A Team (30:48) Yeah. Are there any other things, Alexis, that are like real estate that save that much but don't require that much work? I'm asking you for the weight loss drug of taxes, please. What's our easiest way with the most amount of bang for buck that you've seen? These are the big hits that if you want, because agreed, real estate's great. If you do that short-term thing, but it is a lot of work. With the big, beautiful tax bill that came through, that 100 % depreciation is pretty fantastic. But like you said,   Alexis Gallati (30:54) Yes.   Mm-hmm.   The Dental A Team (31:17) got to have it rented out, you got to have the pieces, you got to like reno it like there are and you have to have it done by the end of the year and like it's a stressful zone. ⁓ So are there other things that you've seen that might be like 50 or 100 or 200,000 off taxes that aren't necessary real estate? The Augustus one, yes. Like paying people, there's things but is there anything else you've found that are like some of those bigger chunks that maybe people don't think about they don't recognize? Yes of course they're going to take a little bit more work but...   Alexis Gallati (31:17) You gotta work for it.   The Dental A Team (31:45) that you found that could be benefits to our audience.   Alexis Gallati (31:48) OK, so let's talk about my Hail Mary for tax savings. I   love this one towards the end of the year because you're going to want to know, have a good idea of where your tax situation is going to end up. So I use this a lot for year end planning. And this is oil and gas. When you ⁓ invest in oil and gas, again, just like with real estate, there's a lot of different options.   But my favorite is our drilling funds and this is where you invest in a partnership that owns oil and gas wells and these this allows you in that first year to Essentially write off usually somewhere between 80 to 95 percent of the investment that you've put in So let's say you invest a hundred thousand dollars Then you're getting about and let's say conservatively an eighty thousand dollar deduction that can go a   against your ordinary income. So if you're W2 or your business. usually, a good rule of thumb is that, let's say, if you're putting in $100,000, you're saving $30,000 in tax. You're putting in $200,000, you're saving $60,000 in tax. And then after year one, you're earning overall, during the life of the investment, about a 2x   The Dental A Team (33:10) Bye.   Alexis Gallati (33:11) you put   100,000, you're getting about 200,000 back. And so it's considered a very conservative investment. And just because the length of the investment, and this is one of the cons of it, is that it's usually about a 10 to 12 year period. So it's generally only about a 7 % return on investment over the life of the investment. the great thing about it is that   you let's say if you did put in that hundred thousand, you're getting that 30,000 in savings, and then you can go put that into something else that will earn you even more money. So then this is something that you can do every single year. And, you know, just depends on how much money you want to save and so that how much you put in for that investment.   The Dental A Team (33:57) Gosh, that's such a good one. And these are things of like just fun, like tips and topics. Like I said, it's the rules of monopoly. I caught like, how do we play tax strategy better? Alexis, what are any like resources? I feel like you guys have some resources. Like I feel the world of tax is so daunting. And so it's like, we hear from podcasts and we hear snippets and we see TikTok and it's like real estate games. like, where do people go if they like want to dig a little bit deeper and really become like more tax expert and more tax savvy and.   like tax strategy, like what are any resources you found or ways for people just to become a little bit more literate in the tax world.   Alexis Gallati (34:33) Yes, so ⁓ of course I'm to do a little shameful plug. My book, The ⁓ Advanced Tax Strategies for Medical Professionals, it's really just that it's a brain dump of all different types of strategies, whether it's for your business or W-2 only, charitable, these alternative investments. And so it's really a space.   The Dental A Team (34:36) as you should.   Alexis Gallati (34:58) for readers to learn more about their options. So then that was the way they can go online and do more research or bring it to their current advisor. So, you know, it's just about opening those possibilities. Otherwise, you know, one resource that is really great for especially medical professionals is the White Coat Investor that Dr. Dali, he has a wonderful, wonderful site and he puts out really good material.   The Dental A Team (35:11) Yeah.   Alexis Gallati (35:25) when it comes to not only taxes, but also for ⁓ just finances in general. And then, of course, on ⁓ CerebralTaxAdvisors.com, our website has wonderful ⁓ material that I put out all the time. There's lots of goodies there, as well as ⁓ different resources and worksheets and stuff like that.   The Dental A Team (35:52) Yeah, no, that's super helpful.   But Alexis, what do you find ⁓ as you go through this? Like one, how often are you meeting with your clients? Because I feel like so many CPAs and tax strategists meet with them in like December 1st and they're like, hey, you owe this much money. Is that how you guys plan? Like how should tax planning actually work?   or is that normal? Like I'm just trying to find a vibe of how this should work in the industry.   Alexis Gallati (36:15) Yeah.   Yeah. So when a medical professional first starts working with us, I design a tax plan for them. And that's really critical because right then and there, OK, what can we be doing to dramatically lower your taxes, legally, of course, and set you up for success? And then we meet with our clients at minimum twice a year. So we do a mid-year tax projection and a year-end tax projection.   The Dental A Team (36:34) course.   Alexis Gallati (36:45) And especially with medical professionals, your income is so variable throughout the year, depending upon insurance reimbursements or seasonality and things like that. And so we really want to make sure that we have a good, clear understanding, good six plus months in advance. Hey, what are you going to be owing tax wise? What does cash flow look like? What quarterly estimated payments do you need to make?   All of these things should not be a surprise. So that's why when I built Cerebral in the packages we have, I was really focused around how do we eliminate those surprises.   The Dental A Team (37:23) Yeah, no, I love that. that's super helpful because I feel like so many just wait till December and it's like, no, like there's things I could have been doing and if I would have known. So that's super helpful. And then I think the other question is like, okay, you guys are tax strategy. Are you CPA? Are you bookkeeping? Like kind of differentiate. Are you in the financial advisor world? Like what specifically would we say I need you for XYZ, but I'm going to need these people again, like marketing, right? Like what facet of my wealth management are you?   and who do I need paired with you?   Alexis Gallati (37:54) Yep, so we are your tax compliance, tax planning, your bookkeeping, and CFO services, and also business advising as well. So we're able to set up entities for you ⁓ as well as provide ⁓ just a lot of the years and years of experience that we have in running businesses and seeing different types of practices, et cetera. ⁓ We are not investment advisors, so we won't   say, buy Coca-Cola versus Pepsi. But we will introduce you to different investments that have tax benefits. And one very unique quality of Cerebral that's very different from other firms is that we do not take any commissions or kickbacks on any strategies we recommend or vendors we recommend. And we don't sell any products. So we're very education-based. I'm very focused on   you understanding your options so you can make a educated decision on what you want to move forward with. And then we are a white glove done for you firm that will implement those strategies on your behalf and make sure they're reported properly on your tax returns. Because that's what we've found being in this industry, especially specializing in medical professionals, is there's a lot of people out there that know about these strategies.   but they do not know how to implement them properly. And that honestly is 80 % of the fight when it comes to doing any of these strategies.   The Dental A Team (39:26) Yeah, no, that's incredible. So, and again, this is just like naiveness on my side. Do I need a CPA or are you guys the replacement of a CPA?   Alexis Gallati (39:35) Yeah, we're the replacement of CPA. We are CPAs. We are EAs. So we are taking care of your tax preparation, so personal and business. We do it all. I try to keep these packages as comprehensive as possible because I hate being nickel and dined. communication's a top priority for us. And so we don't want our clients to hesitate whatsoever to connect with us. And so that's why we don't.   The Dental A Team (39:56) Totally.   Amazing.   Alexis Gallati (40:05) shot like I, my gosh, I just got like a bill from my attorney the other day and it was for stuff that I talked to him about like in August. I'm like, I hate those pop-up bills. So that's yeah, that's, why I try to make it as comprehensive as possible.   The Dental A Team (40:10) Yep.   Right.   Awesome.   No, that's fantastic. That's really helpful. And I know a lot of people are very nervous to switch from their CPA. CPAs, feel like we're so embedded and we trust them with our souls. Truly, I see this. ⁓ So is there complementary calls we have with you? how do we start with that? Because I know, honestly, untangling from a CPA is such a pain. It is so annoying. so ⁓ how does that process work if people want to work with you, Alexis?   Alexis Gallati (40:46) So the best thing you can do is go to our website and go to the contact page. And you will ⁓ go through a very quick questionnaire to make sure that you're a good fit for us, because we also want to make sure we're a good fit for you. And we will ⁓ have a tax discovery session. And during that session, we will. We'll talk about what your needs are and what it's like to work with us. ⁓ I'm very focused on that return on investment. We actually have a guarantee.   with the design of our plans that I will save you at least two times what you pay us in ⁓ tax savings or you get the plan for free. And on average, our clients actually achieve 4.5 multiple with the design of our plans. So again, it doesn't make sense for us to work together if I can't save you more than what you're paying us.   The Dental A Team (41:39) That's amazing. No, that's incredible. And that's a great guarantee. And ⁓ then let's say hypothetical, we do get audited. How often do you guys go through audits and like success rate? Like I'm imagining if you were three years in IRS, you're probably pretty fantastic at that. But these are always things that I'm just curious. Like how does that work? And how often are your clients audited? And like, how is your success rate on that? And if you don't want to share this, I hope you do. We're just going to go for it. Like, yeah, I'm just going to ask the weird questions. Why not?   Alexis Gallati (42:01) Yeah.   I love the weird questions. They're the best. So yeah, that's one thing I can never guarantee that you won't be audited because of course there are always random audits that happen. We've only had three audits since I started Cerebral over 10 years ago. In 2014, I started Cerebral. ⁓ And ⁓ one of them was for the mortgage interest deduction. there's a limitation in that.   The Dental A Team (42:18) It's incredible.   Alexis Gallati (42:28) Um, and that was just, unfortunately, a client had not provided the correct information. And so we were easily able to just change it and be on our way. Um, and then another two were regarding actually real estate professional status. And that was just New York state saying, Hey, like we don't, we don't think that you're actually qualified for this. we're like, Oh, yeah, we do. Here's the paperwork. And they're like, Oh, okay. See you later. So yeah.   The Dental A Team (42:50) Yeah.   That's amazing.   That's a huge thing. And I'm so glad I asked the question because I think for me, that's something I'm curious on of like, I get it. Like you said, you can't guarantee that, but as long as you back in, do you guys charge extra for those audits or is that part of the plan? Like, nope, we stand behind it. Like, how does that work? Cause I know there's some firms that I have chatted with and if we do get audited, it's like 375 an hour for the audit. And I'm like, okay, like I'll just plan for that. But how does that work for you guys?   Alexis Gallati (43:18) Yep, so we back up all of our work and all of our packages. If you do receive a notice for anything that we prepare, you send it to us and we help you take care of it. So yeah, we 100 % back up our work. If you come start working with us and you have some a notice from a year that we didn't handle, like we didn't prepare, we'll still help you handle it. But that would be just.   at our hourly rate, depending upon the extensiveness of the notice. But to go back to your original question about making that change, I 100 % get it, especially if you've been with somebody for so long. And so you just have to look at that cost benefit and see, hey, staying with this person, how much is that costing me in tax savings versus   The Dental A Team (44:01) Right.   Alexis Gallati (44:12) going with somebody like cerebral and we try to go and make that process as seamless as possible when it comes to getting ⁓ up to date in your history and then ⁓ getting access to your bookkeeping and getting your tax returns. ⁓ And so, because I completely understand it can be daunting, but. ⁓   Happy to have a conversation around it when we meet about the discovery session and to see if it's something you'd want to move forward with.   The Dental A Team (44:43) Amazing. Alexis, has been such a great podcast and I just love meeting great individuals. I love how much you have a passion for the law and for the tax wealth and it's your own life and your own livelihood. So if people want to reach out, I know you said it before, how do they connect with you? So yeah, they can get started if they're interested.   Alexis Gallati (45:01) Yeah. So you can Google us or just go to CerebralTaxAdvisors.com. And which by the way, the reason why I have cerebral is because my husband is a private practice neurosurgeon and my dad's a retired private practice neurologist. hence cerebral in the brain. So if y'all can remember. But yeah, so CerebralTaxAdvisors.com is the best way to get a hold of us.   The Dental A Team (45:14) There you go.   I love it. Yeah.   Alexis Gallati (45:27) ⁓ And I look forward to potentially talking with y'all.   The Dental A Team (45:32) Well, Alexis, thank you so much for this. And for all of you listening, I hope you take advantage between now and April 15th. I hope you just like have a conversation. I'm always pro. I love CPAs. My CPA listens to this podcast and I'm always interested in meeting new people like Alexis, chatting with them. Are there different ways that they can benefit me? Because yes, I love my CPA, but I love more than that saving money and learning new strategies that maybe I didn't know about. So Alexis, I really hope a lot of them reach out to you, connect with you and for   All of you listening, thank you for listening. I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team Podcast.  

When should you pay yourself? Paying yourself on the wrong payroll schedule can create IRS red flags, cash flow crunches, and painful cleanup later.In this episode, we break down monthly, quarterly, and annual payroll for S Corp owners. You'll learn what the IRS actually expects, how reasonable salary works, why quarterly “true-ups” can create cash flow problems, and how to structure payroll to stay compliant without overpaying in taxes.We also cover catch-ups, slowdowns, bonuses, zero payroll returns, and a critical but often-missed strategy involving self-employed health insurance and HSA contributions that can reduce FICA taxes.If you're an S Corp owner trying to pay yourself the right way and avoid IRS attention, this episode walks you through exactly how to do it. 

Today we're talking about why complexity is the enemy of profitability and what the hidden costs of complexity actually are. I'm going to give you some real life examples and break down what this idea really means. Work with Me - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/work-with-meVisit the Bookstore - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/bookstoreSign Up for Free Weekly Tips and Trainings - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/subscribe More About the Episode Sponsor:T&O Strategic Advisory (http://www.tostrategicadvisory.com/) - Offering a wide range of tax and accounting services, including entity election and S-Corp advisory.

Setting up an IC-DISC the right way can mean the difference between maximizing tax savings and having issues down the road. In this episode of The IC-DISC Show, I sit down with Brian Schwam, IC-DISC specialist and tax attorney, to walk through the complete IC-DISC setup and compliance process from start to finish. This conversation was inspired by a CPA request for a comprehensive guide covering every step of the IC-DISC journey. Brian breaks down the entire process chronologically, from the initial consultation to determine if a business qualifies, through the critical formation steps that can make or break your IC-DISC. We cover proper capitalization requirements, the infamous 90-day election window, why non-interest bearing bank accounts matter, and the draconian 60-day payment rule that catches many businesses off guard. He explains the difference between simple and transaction-by-transaction calculations, sharing an example where detailed analysis increased a client's commission from $4 million to $17 million on $100 million in export sales. Whether you're a CPA learning about IC-DISC for the first time or a business owner considering this strategy, Brian's systematic approach demonstrates why working with a true specialist matters when navigating these complex regulations.     SHOW HIGHLIGHTS A detailed transaction-by-transaction calculation increased one client's IC-DISC commission from $4 million to $17 million on the same $100 million in export sales. Missing the 90-day election filing window requires a private letter ruling costing $35,000-$40,000 to fix, making it cheaper to just set up a new IC-DISC. The 60-day payment rule requires paying at least 50% of your estimated commission in cash or promissory note within 60 days of year-end to avoid disqualification. Setting up an IC-DISC with no par value stock is a fatal error that will cause the IRS to reject your election, regardless of everything else done correctly. A non-interest bearing bank account is essential because even $1.50 of interest income can disqualify your IC-DISC if no commission is paid that year. Export sales typically need to reach $3-5 million before an IC-DISC makes economic sense, though exceptions exist for businesses with exceptionally high profit margins.   Contact Details LinkedIn - Brian Schwam LINKSShow Notes Be a Guest About IC-DISC Alliance Brian SchwamAbout Brian TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Dave: Good morning, Brian. Welcome to the podcast. Brian Hey, good morning David. Good to be here. Dave: So I, I now refer to you as the Bob Hope of the podcast because I believe that Bob Hope holds the record for the most appearances on the Johnny Carson Show. So that's why you're like the Bob Hope of the podcast. You have more appearances than anyone else with today's appearance. Brian That's good company to be in if you're of a certain, if you're of a certain age. Dave: Yeah. And I'm not even sure you and I are quite old enough to even be of that certain age. Brian I probably never saw him on Johnny Carson. Dave: Yeah, me too. So this is an episode that was requested by a CPA of one of our clients who was retiring and he had a new. Partner taken over and he said, Hey Dave, can you send over a link to the episode that just goes through all the details of the IC disc from start to finish? And I'm like, well, we don't have that episode, but it's a great idea. So that's what's behind this. So let's start at the very beginning. Somebody calls you up and says, Hey Brian, I need an IC disc, or I want an IC disc. What's the very first step? Brian Very first step for me is to say why. Dave: Okay, Brian tell me about your business. Dave: Okay. Brian You know, do you have qualified export receipts? Do you have qualified export property? That those are very complex areas. And some people might think they do when they don't, and others might think they don't when they do. Dave: Okay. Brian And more likely than not, they heard about IC disc from. Somebody they met at a, you know, business leader meeting or something and somebody said, oh, hey, I have an IC disc. You should have one. Dave: Okay. Brian And not everybody can utilize one, but there's many out there that can utilize 'em that do not. Dave: Okay. And do you charge anything for that consultation? Brian No, because to me it's just a fact finding. Dave: Okay. So step one, figure out if their fact pattern warrants having an IC disc. Brian Right? Right. Well, it's, it's actually, that's one step. If you deter, if we determine that yes, an IC disc makes sense because they do have qualified export property, they do have qualified export receipts, then we have to talk about volumes. Because, you know, if you have 500,000 of export sales, most like more likely than not. Disc isn't gonna make sense. Dave: Economic sense when Brian you factor Right. Economic, the Dave: costs Brian not right. There's not enough benefit to offset the cost at that, at that level, most likely. Of course. It [depends on what, what it is they're selling. Dave: Sure. Do you have a rule of thumb you typically use? Is it like three or 5 million where it typically makes sense or every case Brian For most, for most businesses, that's sort of the range that where it starts to make sense, but there are always exceptions to that. Dave: Sure. Brian So like I had a client that had, you know, 600,000 of export sales, but their bottom line profit was 80%. Dave: Okay. Brian So in that instance, hey, it made sense, but for most companies that have 600,000 of export sales, it, it probably doesn't make sense. Dave: Okay. So let's say they have 5 million of exports, good margins, looks like it makes economic sense. What's the next step then? Brian Well then we talk about what is the tax structure of that exporting company? Is it a flow through entity? Is it a C Corp? And how is it owned? Sometimes [00:04:00] it's owned by a foreign company that makes things way more complicated. Okay. It's owned by a combination of different shareholders, some of which are individuals, some of which are corporations. So that can be complicated. And sometimes it's just a, it's just a pass through entity that's owned by, you know, let's say it's an S corporation that's owned by a family owned. Dave: Sure. Brian You know, so you, you can have a lot of different fact patterns and that will dictate a lot of things with, with respect. Dave: Okay. Brian To how the disc is organized. Dave: Might that also be the time? You inquire as to whether multiple discs might make sense for their structure, or do you typically just focus on kind of getting the initial disc in place and then exploring that over time? Brian Probably the latter. Dave: Yeah. Brian Initially I, you know, the goal is, you know, do you have enough activity? Do you have the right kind of activity? What kind of benefit is it that you think you can, we can get for you? And then, okay, if the answer to all those are in the positive, then it's like, okay, how should this disc be owned based on what we're trying to achieve and where should it be set up? Because that also can have a lot of negative surprises if you set it up in the wrong place. Dave: Yeah. So let's say and I think there's some rules of thumb like if if the. Exporting company is a C corp, you typically don't want the C Corp to own the disc, is that correct? Brian That is, that is correct. And that's because a C corporation pays tax on a dividend. It receives from the IC dis, so effectively there's no benefit. Dave: Okay. So with a C corp, typically it would be the individuals, individual or [individuals that Brian are Oh, the, the shareholders typically, Dave: yeah. Brian You know, possibly a management group could be involved as well, but typically we're talking about the shareholders of the C corporation. Dave: Yeah. And the shareholders of the disc do not necessarily have to mirror the shareholders of the C corp. Right. Brian That is sort of up in the air. I, I prefer that to be the case, but it doesn't have to be the case. Dave: Yeah, like in a simple example, census C Corp owned by one person and when they set it up, they wanna add a couple key employees to it. Brian Yeah. That, that, that's probably fine. You know, there's some old revenue rulings out there from the early 1980s that have a bad fact pattern, which the IRS held that the structure created gift tax issues, but that was like a mom and a dad and a son and a daughter, and mom and dad set up a disc and then gave the stock to the son and the daughter. And, and so that, that's, I see that's a bad fact pattern. What you described is a completely different fact pattern. There's no donative intent in that fact Dave: pattern. Yeah. Okay. In Brian fact, that I have a client that started out where the disc and the C Corp was. It did have mirror ownership, but over time, that has changed dramatically. But still, there's no donor of intent because we have all these unrelated families that own shares in the company in this quote company. And when there have been redemption opportunities over the years, they have the choice redeemed, the disc shares redeemed. The, the C corp shares redeemed them both. So some of like kept their dis shares, but gotten rid of the C Corp shares and vice versa. But really without the donative intent, plus some court case you know, precedent, I, I'm not [00:08:00] so concerned about that issue. Dave: Okay. Now let's switch gears and let's say it's a flow through an S-Corp partnership et cetera. Do you typically want the individuals to own it in that situation? Say that the company has three shareholders, would you just make them the three owners of the disc? More often than not, no. Okay. And why is that? Brian Because it, you get the same benefit by making the disc a subsidiary of the S corporation without some of the extra complexity associated with having the disc be owned by the shareholders. Now that, that's, that's preferred, but there are also situations where that doesn't make sense. Dave: Okay. Brian So let's say the, the S corporation is in California and the shareholder lives in Texas, or Florida. Or Nevada. Dave: Okay. Brian So they might want that dividend income flowing directly to them so that there's [00:09:00] no state Oh. So that there's no state income tax on the dividend. Dave: Sure, sure. Brian Okay. Okay. Yeah. So again, it's just another fact you need to uncover in the process of trying to figure all this out. Dave: Okay, so you've met with the client, you've figured out a disc makes sense, you've dug further you figured out the ownership structure of the disc. That makes sense. So then I guess you have to figure out where to incorporate, huh? Brian Yeah. And that again, there are good states and bad states. Dave: Okay. Brian Some states will tax an IC dis as a regular C corporation, you wanna avoid those states. Some states don't have an income tax at all, and those are good states to deal with. Dave: Okay. Brian And the three, you know, I'd say there's three states that are predominantly viewed as positive, and that would be Delaware, Texas, and Nevada. Okay. They're all fairly similar. For filing. And, and none of them have a corporate income tax on the dis so that's, that's all good in terms of not adding additional costs to the, the structure. Dave: Okay. So I'm in Texas and thus you, it seems like most of my clients end up incorporating in Texas. Do you just so here we are January 8th. We're recording this of 2026. So do you just do you just get around to doing it anytime before the end of the year and then you could use the disc the whole year? Is that how it works? Brian It's not how it works. It's generally a prospective opportunity. So you wanna get that entity formed as quickly as possible. Dave: Okay. Yeah. I've had people, I've heard [00:11:00] people say that if you don't do it on January 1st, you just have to wait till the next year. Brian No. That, well, that's certainly not true. And from any date forward that you set it up, you can certainly get benefits or shipments. Okay. That they, but one other item that I forgot to mention earlier, they also like to ask if the, if the related supplier entity, which is the exporter, if they're an accrual based company or a cash basis, Dave: ah, Brian that's an, that's an incredibly important issue Dave: Sure. Brian Dealt with. That's why. Dave: Okay. Brian Because the disc is an accrual base taxpayer by default. Dave: Yeah. Okay, we'll get into that when we get further around the, Brian okay. Dave: I think about when I was a kid, there was a, there was a Saturday morning TV series I think called schoolhouse Rock. And one of the episodes was how, how a bill becomes a Law [00:12:00] And there's the whole steps, the Brian episode, everybody remembers. Dave: Yep. Yep. So everybody our age at least. Okay, so you've got the disc set up and say you do it in Texas and let's say they make the decision January 8th, takes a few days to, you know, just kind of get stuff, you know, information from the client set up. And let's say you get it set up January 15th, so then they're good to go, huh? They can just start using that disc and away we go. Anything else? Ha. That has to be done Or is it, is it that some Brian on the, on the surface, yes, that's true. Dave: Okay. Brian But beneath the surface, there's other things that have to take place. Dave: Okay. What's the next thing that has to happen after you've formed the disc? Brian Well, you have a, there's a 90 day window to file a disc collection with the IRS. That's probably the most critical thing that has to happen. You have to file an actual paper form with the IRS to elect disc status for the company, because the company, when you set it up, it's just a corporation. Without that election, it's not a disc. Dave: And that election, is this the famous form 48, 76 dash a, is that said election, Brian famous or infamous in some cases, Dave: yes. Yeah. Okay. So you have to, so you just well, you just go to the IRS website. Download the form, send it in, bing, bam. Boom. You're done. You're good to go. Brian Not exactly. Dave: Okay. That's the Brian first Dave: step. Brian Skip. That's the first step. But the I mean, first of all, when you're setting up the disc, you have to make sure you incorporate it properly. Dave: Okay. Brian I kind of glossed over that. Dave: And what are some of the elements of proper incorporation? Brian Well, for example, when you go to a, the Texas website or any other secretary of State website to organize the company, because it can be done all online, [00:14:00] like the default is always, you know, no par value stock, right. Brian If you just select the default, you are going to have a problem because Okay. Dis rules require, you know, par or stated value of $2,500 on the, issued an issued an outstanding stock of, of the disk. So I had a client that came to me years ago. They had set up a company in, well, they used Wyoming, which is also possible to use, and it's not a bad jurisdiction. And they had, he had his quote unquote friend that who was an attorney, set it up for him. And there were some issues with the DISC collection and it went back and forth and then ultimately took a look at the articles of incorporation and it had, you know, $1 power stock, 1000 shares. Dave: Ah, that's a problem. Brian That's, [00:15:00] yeah. So no matter what happened with the disc election and the back and forth with the IRS, the disc election was ultimately never approved because the entity didn't meet the requirement. Having enough outstanding capital stock. So you have to have one and it can only have one class of shares. So there are, you know, there are some hoops you have to jump through in terms of not doing things incorrectly or doing things correctly. So you have to make sure there's one class of stock, $2,500 par value. There can't be foreign sales corporation in the same patrol group, which years ago was a big deal, but now it's not really a big deal because those have been gone for many years and almost nobody has one left. Not, not really an issue there. And what, you know, those are the formation matters that, that mattered, that are important to make sure you, you meet when you form the entity. Okay? If it's formed wrong, right from the get go, you have a problem. If [00:16:00] it's formed correctly, then the next step is yes, file a disc election. Dave: And, but before you file the disc election, there's a step we're missing, right? Doesn't the DISC election require. To put the corresponding EIN for the distance. Oh yes. I mean, I just assumed we, yeah, you obviously you have to apply for an ID number for the new entity that does not come automatically with the incorporation. Brian 'cause that's done with the state as opposed with the IRS yes. Dave: Yeah. And that's become more challenging. It used to be pretty easy to get an EIN you could apply under a corporate name or Brian yeah. But there, there's a, you know, there is an online portal with the IRS to get an EIN for a domestic company. So it's not, it's not Dave: terrible. Yeah. Brian It's not terrible. Dave: Yeah. So you have the EIN that you need for the 48 76 ae. Brian Right. Dave: You have you have 90 days, Brian you have the proper capitalization. Dave: Yeah. Brian You figured out who's gonna own the disc because the, the disc collection is. Signed, you know, it's not just made by the disc entity. It's made by the disc entity, then consented to by the shareholder. So you have to make sure that all that takes place. I can't tell you the number of times where somebody filled out part one, the disc signed it, and then the shareholder forgot the consent to it. And if you don't do the 48 76 dash eight correctly, you get it filed timely. It's an extremely expensive fix to try and get that Dave: rectified. Brian Generally, you have to try to get a private letter ruling, which will grant an extension of time to file the late disc collection. Dave: Okay. Brian And that's that's an expensive process. It's a 25 to $30,000 exercise to [00:18:00] file the private letter, really. Plus you have to pay a user fee to the IRS of 10,000, 11,000. Dave: Wow. Yeah. It seems that seems inconvenient at, at best. Brian And for most companies, they're better off just setting up a second dose Dave: Sure. Brian As opposed Dave: to process, Brian because how much volume there is. Dave: Yeah. Yeah. And I understand the IRS itself refers to these as a, a paper entity. So I guess since it's a paper entity, that's it. No need to fuss around with a bank account or actually have to capitalize it with actual money is there. Brian It's, it's recommended, but you're right, it's not required. There's no requirement in the disk rules to set up a bank account. Dave: Okay. Brian So there it could simply have. A receivable receiv for the capital stock. And that can be, its working capital doesn't have to have a bank account, but that's sort of a misnomer that people think it must have a bank account. Okay. In the original regulations, that was a requirement, but when the regulations are finalized, the requirement was removed. Dave: Okay. But practically speaking, it you probably wanna have a bank account. Brian Yes. Practically speaking, it makes all the sense in the world to have a bank account, a non-interest bearing bank account. Dave: And why is the non-interest bearing important? Brian Well, it, it has to do with one of the annual requirements of a disc. That 95% of its receipts have to be qualified export assets. I'm sorry, receipts. And so let's say in a year the company decides. You can't always decide not to use the DIS even though you've got it in place. So let's say the company says, well we're not gonna use the, this year we had a loss. In our business there's no using. Dave: Okay. Brian We say, okay, and then the DIS bank account earned a dollar 50 of interest income. Dave: Okay, Brian well 100% of the receipts are now not qualified receipts. Okay. Income and no other revenue. If there was a non-interest bearing bank account, it would just have no receipts and then it would be fine. But the earning, the dollar 50 of interest would disqualify that. Dave: Okay. So non-interest bearing account and then I guess the dollar amount in the bank account, what you start with, $2,500 initially. Brian Yeah, pretty much keep it there forever. Dave: But, but it doesn't matter if you end up, oh, if you're a little lazy and you forget to distribute all the money and you end up with 50 grand at the end of the year, that, that's not a problem, is it? Brian It is. Dave: It is. Everything's a problem Brian with you, Brian, because everything, 'cause the, these rules are draconian and everything can become a problem. So a commission dis anyway, a comm, [00:21:00] you know, a paper entity commission dis doesn't need $50,000 of working capital. And the IRS would hold that, that that's not a qualified export out. Like having too much working capital in DIS will cause it to fail. The other test, which is the 95 qualified export asset test 2,500, you know, an amount of cash equal to the capital stock is fine. Dave: Sure. Brian Amounts above that start to, you know, raise questions as to whether. That's reasonable working capital or not? Given that the entity's a paper entity, it doesn't really have any expenses. Maybe some bank fees. That would be about it. In most cases, it really doesn't need cash sitting. Dave: Yeah. Yeah. So maybe 3000, 3,500 to account for some bank fees or, Brian yeah, at most, yeah, we start getting about 5,000. It really starts to [00:22:00] look questionable. Dave: Okay. Oh, I just realized, I think in the initial assessment there was a step we forgot and that's, do they want to make it a buy sell disc or a commission disc? What percentage of your clients are commission discs? Mine a hundred percent. That's Brian 99%. Dave: Yeah. So we're just stepping ahead assuming that it would be a commission disc, Brian right. I mean, the only time you would really have a buy sell disc. 'cause if you have a business where. They're buying inventory from unrelated parties. And all the inventory is manufactured in the US and all of it is export. Dave: Yeah. Brian Okay. That, that, that I do have, like I said, two clients that have adopted that structure. One was commissioned disc with an S-corp and they converted, they merged the S-corp into the disc and just became an operating disc. You know, and that's a little different than a buy sell disc. I mean, an operating disc. People think of buy, sell dis an operating disc for the same thing. They're really not. I mean, 'cause you could have a, the equivalent of a commission disc, but have it be by sell where it could buy product from its related exporter and then export it. Dave: Okay. Brian It's possible that, that, that tho that fact pattern, I don't have any clients in. Dave: Okay. Brian It's possible. Dave: Okay. So we've got the election filed and then at some point the IRS will send the taxpayer letter approving the election, right? Brian Correct. That is, that was true. Dave: And then so we've got the, the B and usually it makes more sense to have the disc bank account at the same bank as the operating company, right? Brian It typically does, Dave: yes. Yeah. And we'll get into that when we get further into the operation of the disc. Okay. So it's all set up. And elections filed, election approved. So now certainly we're done with incorporation and government governance matters, right? Brian No. No, Dave: not yet. Brian Not yet. Not yet. Okay. We still have to make sure there's a a call, a related supplier agreement or disc commission supplier agreement in place between the, the exporting entity or entities and the disc itself. This document is, it's not, again, it's not required in the regulations, but it is recommended. It gives the related supplier a lot of flexibility in how it uses the disc and if it uses the disc and it gives it unilateral powers to decide not to use the disc. It also lays out the, you know, sort of boil legal boilerplate language about an inter intercompany agreement between the two business. Dave: So you could just go to chat GPT and have them spool up a one page sales agent agreement. Is that right? Brian Maybe. I don't know. I haven't tried that 'cause I don't wanna teach chat GPT how to, how to do that, but because every time you ask it a question, you teach it, right? Dave: Sure. Brian General, no, it's a pretty specific agreement and it has very specific provisions in it. Provisions and so somebody that knows what they're doing really needs to draft them. Dave: Okay. Okay. So this is kind of pointing away from just having your general corporate attorney who's never heard of a disc, do all that quote paperwork. Brian Yeah. I never recommend. I always recommend that a specialist do it, namely myself take care of it. Dave: Okay. Yeah. 'cause you are, in addition to having an accounting background, you're also a tax attorney, correct? Brian Correct. Dave: Correct. Okay. Brian Yeah. And you know, some of the documents that need to be created, yeah. That can be done by a general corporate attorney like bylaws and those as well and or other organizational documents that aren't disc specific can only be done by any attorney. But but if, but really it doesn't make sense to split that work up amongst different attorneys. Dave: Okay. Sure. Brian It all sort of be done by the same party to make sure that it's, that everything gets taken here. Dave: Okay. Brian And timely because there's a 90 day window to get this, in my opinion, to get this all done. Dave: Yeah, to co to coincide with the election filing. Brian Right. Because typically I don't provide any of the documents, including the election, to the, to the client until all these things are done. Dave: Yeah. Oh, I see. Sure, sure. Because then there's, Brian you know, they have to sign the disc election and there's all these other documents they need to sign and put in a minute book. And so rather than piecemeal it, we just give it to them all at once. Dave: Okay. So they've got their binder with all their signed documents or a signed copy of the 48 76 A that was filed a copy of the approval from the IRS. So now finally, are we ready to get started using our disc? Is there. Brian Collection the I. Yeah. As you've probably seen in the news, things are changing at the postal service as far as postmarks and what they can be relied on as when something was considered filed. So they're not promising the postmark things that they, you drop them in the mail anymore. Dave: Oh, really? Okay. I hadn't heard that. Brian Yeah. So it's recommended to go, like, walk it to a counter and have it hands stamped with [00:28:00] a postmark. Yeah. But more importantly, and unfortunately not everybody listens to this, send the form certified mail return receipt requested. 'cause many times document is sent to Kansas City and they lose track. Oh, we never got your dis election. We can't process your dis return, whatever. And then there's proof that it was sent and then they have to, you know, find it basically. Dave: Okay. Or Brian at least accept it, maybe even if they never find. Dave: Yeah. Brian But there's one other thing about the disc and that we didn't talk about and, and I'm reminded of it because something you asked me in passing last week, which is something about the year end of the disc, the year end of the disc must coincide with its principal shareholder. So if I have a C corp that's a fiscal year, but the owners of the disc aren't gonna be [00:29:00] individuals, that disc will be a calendar year disc. Dave: Sure. Brian Not be a fiscal year company. And you know, if. It's owned by, let's say an S corp that has a fiscal year, then the disc will have a fiscal year. It, it must have the same year as its principalship. Dave: Okay. Yeah. Good. Thanks for the reminder of that. Brian And sometimes the disc collection gets filled out incorrectly. Somebody assumes one thing and, and then when a return is filed, the IRS, they're like, they, they dunno what to do. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Alright. Now finally, do we have a little bouncing baby disc to be delivered to its proud parents? I think so. Dave: Okay. Okay. Okay. Brian And that's usually, it's usually about three to five months after it was formed. Dave: Okay. Brian Is when it started eating solids. Dave: Okay. Alright, so now we've got the disc set up and 9:45 AM I'm, I'm sorry, I keep touching my watch and it says the time, apparently it's time to just take off my watch. Okay. So now, so let's just say that they have not yet set up the bank account. They've done everything else, and now it's time to set up the bank account so they, you know, call their local banker. They get it set up at the same bank, so it can be on the same online banking platform. And then they fund it. And does it matter where the funding comes, comes from for that bank account? Can they just like say the company. I mean, can just anybody fund it? Say there's three shareholders, can just one shareholder write a check for $2,500 to fund it? Or how does that all look? Brian Well, I mean, there, there will be a subscription agreement that shows how much each shareholder owes for their shares, and each shareholder should pay for them. Okay. Can't just be one. Dave: Okay. So we have the bank account set up, we're ready to go. And so now we're at the end of the year, or approaching the end of the year. Let's say we're in November of 2026. Anything we need to do before the end of the year Brian for an accrual based taxpayer? No. Okay. There's nothing paid to do, but before the end of the year. Dave: And what about for a cash basis? Brian For a cash basis, taxpayer, if we want a deduction in 2026. We need to pay the DIS in 2026, so Dave: we Brian would need to gather information in order to estimate a DIS commission for 2026 before the end of the year. Dave: Okay. So cash basis, that's what we need to do by the end of the year. Accrual basis. Basis, no. Do I need to do [00:32:00] anything by the end of the year? Brian You don't need to. You have an option to, if you'd like to, if you wanna have an idea of what the disc commission might be, or you actually wanna pay it before the end of the year, but there's no requirement. Dave: Yeah. And if you don't, and if you don't pay it by the end of the year, you get a deferral benefit Brian possibly. Dave: Yeah so say, say you did a hundred million of exports and your commission was $20 million. You just get to defer that whole thing till the next year, right? Brian No, Dave: no. Brian, all you say is No. Every good idea have you just say No. Brian It could defer 10% of it to the next year because only the income related to 10 million of export sales can be deferred, and it'd be a little less than 10% because the disc wasn't there the whole year. So we'd have to prorate that 10 million for the number of days the disc existed. And then some sliver can be deferred, but the rest of it is gonna be taxed to the shareholders as a deemed dividend Dave: in the current year. In the Brian current. Dave: Okay. Brian Then not taxed when physically distributed in the following. Dave: Okay, so we have an accrual tax payer. We get into the to 2027, and let's say they're extending their corporate return and they're planning to file that in August of 27. So we're done. We don't have anything else to do before August. Right? Brian That's not true either. Dave: Brian, Brian you're Dave: killing me. Brian Yeah, well, it, I mean, it depends. If nothing was done before the end of the year, then something needs to be done within the first 60 days after the accrual base taxpayer. Or, you know, let's say the cash base taxpayer says, I don't [00:34:00] care if I get my deduction next year, so I'm not gonna pay anything this year. Something needs to be paid at this within 60 days of the end of the year. Dave: So is this one of those things like the sales agent agreement, that that's just recommended? Brian No, this is required. Dave: Required. Okay. Brian Yeah. This is required. This is, this is one of the hot buttons the IRS will try to use to disqualify your disc. Dave: Okay. Brian So the disc accrues a receivable at the end of the year, even though it doesn't know the amount at the end of the year for all, for, for disc purposes and books an an accrual for the income at the end of the year. That accrual or the receivable is only a qualified export asset if, if the payment rules around that receivable or satisfy. Dave: Okay. Okay. Brian One Dave: rule Rules. Rules. There's always rules. Brian Yeah. It's very draconian. You have a 60 day rule and a 90 day rule. 60 day rule says you must pay a reasonable estimate of the disc commission to the disc within 60 days of the end of the year in cash or. It could be cash, it could be a note. Dave: And reasonable is just any old amount. You just put your finger in the air and ah, I think a hundred dollars is reasonable. Brian Again, that's not the case. There is a safe harbor for what is reasonable, and that safe harbor is f at least 50% of the final commission amount that you Dave: determine. But how do you know that in February Brian you have, Dave: if you're not preparing the corporate, Brian you have to try to compute an estimate before the end of FE Dave: and you have to nail it exactly at 50%. So if you think the commission's gonna be $1,217,412, you need to pay exactly 50% of that, Brian at least. [00:36:00] Dave: Oh, at least. So you could pay more. At Brian least you could pay more. And we always recommend maybe paying 75 to 80%. Dave: Okay. Brian Because if you pay whatever you pay. That amount is gonna be your limit. So if you thought it was gonna be a million and you paid 500,000 and it turns out to be 1,000,500, too bad. So sad, you only paid 500,000, you're capped at a million. Dave: Okay? I mean, that's the safe harbor. I suppose there might be circumstances where, where one could argue that they maybe the first year of the disc, and you know, they, they, Brian you can argue it, you can try to argue it, but there's no guarantee that the IS will accept any of the arguments. And the private letter rulings that exist from the 1970s would imply that they, they're really not going to accept just about any rationale for being reasonable other than that 50% bright [00:37:00] line safe harbor. Dave: Okay so you make the payment, Brian make that payment, and. Dave: Can you just book a journal entry? Do you, do you actually have to really move the money? It sounds like a hassle. Brian I mean, in, in general you have to, you have to either create a note or move cash. Dave: Okay. Brian Okay. Dave: But that might be a lot of money though. Like what if, what if it's like $2 million and million? The company only has a million dollars in the bank. Brian They could use the same capital multiple times. Dave: Oh, okay. Brian And roundtrip the money as many times as they need to, or like I said, use the, use the promissory note. Dave: Okay. Brian Short term promissory note to satisfy that requirement because it does say cash or property. Dave: Okay. So we get through February, we've made our, our 60 day payment. We've, we've, you know, sh sh we've, we, instead of doing 50%, we did about 80% of what we thought it was gonna be to give us some cushion, and now we can go take a vacation till the till the corporate returns ready. Brian Yeah. I, I, I think so. Dave: Okay. Brian I think so. Dave: Okay. So it's time to now. So it's time. Now, if they extend that corporate return, I guess they're gonna have to extend the disc return as well. Brian Well, the disc return is due September 15th as a matter of course. Dave: Oh, Brian are handy. There are no extensions. So really as far as the disc and its compliance goes, once you make that 60 day payment, there's really not much you can or should do or are able to do until the related entities tax return. Prepared. [00:39:00] So a lot of times they'll say, well, that's not gonna be done till September 15th, and we have to have a discussion about how that doesn't work because the disc return has to be done by September 15th, but in order to do the disc return, you need to basically a completed within it supplier returns. So then we have to work backwards from September 15th to figure out like when's the latest they can have that, that other return done in order Dave: to Brian get the disc return done. Now that's relatively easy in the past through context because all those pass through returns are also due September 15th on extension. Dave: Sure. Brian Whereas a C corporation, it's not so easy because the extended due date for a C corporation, if it's a calendar year is October 15th. So it may be that you have to file a disc return with a made up number on time and then amend it after. Okay. After September 15th. I've done that a number of times. Dave: Okay. So that makes sense. Brian Because as is good as CPAs are, they're deadline driven. So if a return is due October 15th, they're unlikely to have it done by the end of August. Dave: Yeah. Okay. So it's time to file the disc return. I assume the CPA firm probably has that disc return and their standard tax software with all the other forms. So you just have the CPA go ahead and prepare the disc return. I've looked at it, it's a short return. It's like 10 pages long. So you just go ahead and have the CPA prepare the disc return, then bing, bam, boom, you're done. Brian Could do that. Dave: Okay. Is there a drawback to doing that? Brian Yeah, it would probably be wrong. Dave: Okay. Why do you say that? Now, remember [Brian, we have a lot of CPAs who we have very good relationships with that we share clients, you know, saying that they're probably gonna do it wrong. I mean, heck, I don't really wanna annoy all my great CPAs we work with Brian Well, okay, but it, well, it's just a fact. It'll probably okay Dave: be Brian wrong because they might see one or two or three a year. They, they think they know what all the different terms on the district return mean, but they're not as familiar with that as they are with a S Corp return or a partnership return, or 1120. So they do what they think is right, and it may be right, it may not be right. So again, I, in my opinion, you want a specialist preparing the district return. Dave: Okay. Brian Okay. Because we know exactly how it's supposed to be filled out. And then if, if the calculation is done on a transaction by transaction [00:42:00] basis, there's this schedule P that gets attached to the return. Well, if you don't do a T by T, there's one Schedule P. If you do a T by T, there could be thousands of them. So I don't think CPAs and their software are equipped to complete thousands of schedule Ps and attach Dave: Yeah. Brian To the district. Dave: No, good point. And you're, you're getting your your enthusiasm to get to T by t had me, you got a little ahead of me. 'cause I was gonna ask, so client says, Hey, we have a desk. Our accounting department's busy. What's just the bare minimum of information we need to send you? What's the bare minimum? Brian Bare minimum would be qualified export sales. Dave: They just need to send you a number. Brian Yes. Dave: Then you take that number and how hard can it be? Right. Just take the, Brian it's not, it's not necessarily that hard at that point. Dave: Yeah. But say the profit on those sales [00:43:00] is the average profit of the company and taxable profit. And you compute the disc commission, you go through the Schedule P and compute the disc commission and pick the higher of the two numbers that you, that you compute. So you would just be like the final draft, corporate return and that total export number, you know, dollar amount for the year. And, and that's really all you need to, to do. That's Brian the bare bone. That's the bare bones, yeah. Dave: Okay. And that's what some people would call the standard calculation or a simple calculation, Brian I'd call it simple. Yeah. Dave: Okay. And that's also known as the 4% 50% calculation in some circles. Right. How does that work? Brian Well, it's also known as the safe harbor calculation in certain circles as well. Back to that, Dave: back to that safe harbor again. Brian Yeah. But that's actually not a safe harbor, so that's why I bring that up. Dave: Okay, well Brian that's the safe harbor calculation. I'm like, no, it's not. It's just the [00:44:00] calculation. There's nothing safe harbor about Dave: it. Okay. Brian Okay. It's just the rules that are found in the code and regs for computing and disc commission, and they're the two predominant methods. 4% of sales and the 50% of net profit, Dave: you just cherry pick whichever one works better. Brian Yeah, but the 4% method has limitations. So Dave: more limitations probably. Why? Why can't this just be simple? You said it was the simple calculation and now you're already telling me there's inherent complexity. Brian Even if it's simple, it's not totally simple. Dave: Okay. Okay, Brian so the, and I've seen this done wrong. Millions, well, not millions, hundreds of times, and I can say it is hundreds of times. Client computes the 4% method just by choosing 4% of sales. They don't look at what their net income is on the, on the [00:45:00] activity. They just say, oh, I'm allowed to use 4% of sales. The limit there is you cannot create a loss. There's something called the no loss rules. You can't create a loss with a disc commission if one doesn't already exist. So if the profit on, say, on the sales are 2% of sales, you can't take 4% of sales. You're limited to 2% of sales. And if, for example, you have a loss of the company, you're limited to zero. But I've seen situations where that's completely ignored. Dave: Okay? Brian Properly computed this commission of 4% of sales, but it should have been something less or possibly zero. Dave: Okay? So more complexity, but the good news, that's the extent of the complexity. One, schedule P, 4%, 50%, you know, make sure you, you don't create a loss. Now we're, we're all done. Pop. You [00:46:00] know what, what? Dusted and dusted and delivered we're, we're good to go. They've maximized their dis commission, right? And we're all done. They have a nice 10 page return to send to the IRS. Which by the way, can they file that electronically, that return? Brian Fortunately, there are no provisions for electronic filing of the disc return. It must be, Dave: what is this, the 1970s or something? Brian Pretty much Dave: Okay Brian with, with regard to the disc? Yeah. And, and some other forms. Yeah. But the, the, the benefit of that, here, I'll give you a benefit. The benefit of the fact that you must file a paper return is they can have an electronic signature on it. Okay. It doesn't have to have a wet signature. Dave: Okay? Okay. Brian So you could theoretically, for example, send your client the return using DocuSign, have them sign it. You print it, you file it for, Dave: okay. Okay. But, but now we're finally done. It's signed, it's done. And they say, boy, thank you very much, Brian. You've done, your team did a great job, and boy, I really appreciate, you know, we had 10 million of exports. We have all kinds of variability in our profit margins. And, but thank you very much. You, you created the amazing $400,000 or you calculated the 400,000 disc commission. Thank you very much. I couldn't imagine you went above and beyond. I couldn't imagine you could have done anything more. And then what do you say? Do you graciously say, oh, you're welcome. It was our pleasure. Brian I would graciously say, you know, we, we've just computed your minimum disc commission. Dave: Okay, Brian not your maximum. Because you have Dave: vast, lemme guess. Lemme guess. There's more complexity coming. Brian More complexity, which relies on more data being. Pulled from the client's [00:48:00] records to, to allow for a calculation of the DISC commission at a more detailed level, ideally at a line item by invoice level, Dave: line item. That sounds like a lot of work. Brian It can be. Can be a Dave: lot. What if the client says, our accounting department's busy? Sounds like we're gonna have to spend weeks gathering all this data for you. Eh, it's just, we're too busy, it's not worth it. What do you say then? Brian I gu I almost can guarantee you it will be worth it. Okay. Because looking at the detail is likely to cause at Disconnect commission to be anywhere from 50 to three, 400% higher than what it otherwise would've been. Now, unfortunately, in that first year, since you've already filed with a certain number, you're limited to two times what you paid in that 60 day window. But going forward. You know, there's no limit. Dave: Okay. Brian Whatever we compute can be your disc commission. So different industries have different amount of variability and t and transaction by transaction calculations have different impacts depending upon the industry, the profitability of the business, how many products they have, who they sell to. But it can vary. But I'll give you an example of one that we worked on recently where company had a hundred million of export sales. They took 4% of sales, and they've been taking 4% of sales year after year, after year, after year, after year, Dave: okay. Brian They brought us in like three weeks before the district return. Dave: Okay. Brian And we went through the calculations and we actually calculated 17 million Dave: as opposed to 4 million. Brian As opposed to four. Dave: [00:50:00] Yikes. That's a big difference. Brian It's a huge difference. And fortunately they were, you know, well, I mean they were very pleased with the result. And so now on a going forward basis, we're not doing 4% of sales. Dave: Okay? But you still have this. But if they were able to get a $17 million commission, then that means their corporate taxable income must have been at least 17 million. 'cause didn't I hear you say the disc commission cannot cause a loss. Brian It cannot cause a loss at the level at which you're computing the commission. So there's no, you're killing me, Brian. Just more complexity. Yeah. Well, it's very complex area. There's, there's no overall no loss rule. Like if you, you can, as long as you're meeting the rules as they're written, you can cause your entity to go into a loss position. Now, this particular instance, it did not do that, but [00:51:00] you could do that. Dave: Okay. And then if you get into a loss position, there are other non disc complexities that come into play that impact whether you want to maximize the loss in that entity or you want to target a particular loss in that entity. And that's not something that we get involved with, but we're certainly sensitive to it. Sure. Sure. And so you're saying for this client, even though I've heard some people say you've got the simple calc and then the hard calc. And so you'd wonder why would anyone do the hard calc? Well, it's because their commission went from 4 million to 17 million, which saved them hundreds of thousands of dollars. You created hundreds or millions of dollars with additional tax savings. Brian Right, right. Dave: Okay. Brian And by the way, after the first conversation we had with them, they said, oh [00:52:00] yeah, this is not something we can do. The accounting department said, this is not something we can do. Then the owner said, this is something you're gonna, Dave: it's funny how that, how that works. Okay. And then I'm guessing this extra work. You, you're probably gonna have to create another schedule P or two. So now the disc return, it's gonna be 10 pages. It's what? 20 pages? Is that kind of a typical page count? Brian No, it could be Dave: no. Brian Thousands of pages. Dave: Thousands. I mean, Brian, a ream of paper is 500. So thousands would be reams of paper. Brian Yes. I've had some returns that have like 15 binders of paper. Dave: Yikes. Brian Yeah. Just goes in a big box and I'm sure the IRS types, all those schedule Ps into their, Dave: I'm sure they do. Okay. So the return gets filed, so the return's ready. You take that box, you just slap a you print off a postal label online, drop it off at the post office. And you're done, right? You just give it to carrier, Brian understand, Dave: carrier, carrier your house or whatever. Brian Well, you can send it via FedEx. You can send it via UPS. And actually, in some ways, I think that might be better these days than the postal service. Dave: And why do you have to do that? Can you just slap, I mean, if you have your 15 binders, couldn't you just put a hundred stamps, you know, on the, the box and ship it in because they'll get it, right? I mean, it's not like they're gonna lose it or anything. Brian They might, they could very well lose it. And you definitely want proof of delivery and you want proof of mailing. So again, it's a certified mail if you're using the postal service or if you're using a private carrier like FedEx, you know, you get all that documentation about when it was shipped and when it was delivered.[00:54:00] Dave: Okay, well now at least we're finally done. Right? You ship it off. The CPA pulls the numbers from the disc return, puts it on the corporate and shareholder returns. Now we're done. It's gone to the IRS. We never have to think about it again. Right. Brian I'm not sure if that's a trick question or not, but in some ways that could be true, Dave: right? Yeah. But it, but I guess you could get audited, right? Brian Could get audited by an agent who has no idea what they're doing, which is typically the case. Dave: So that's why you want your CPA defending you in that case. 'cause then it's like the blind leading the blind. Brian No, I think it's better if someone with site is involved. So again, the specialist who did the disc work should represent the taxpayer or be involved with the representation of taxpayer in the case of the audit. Dave: Okay. Brian And the should be involved. Because really what's under, what's really in question is the [00:55:00] deduction on that entity's tax return. The dis itself doesn't pay tax. So they rarely audit a dis quote. Dave: Okay? So if I break it down, you to do it really right? You need a specialist to guide you on the initial structure of the disc. You need another specialist to set up the, the disc. You need another specialist to do all the paperwork, make sure the document's correct another specialist to prepare the return, and then another specialist to defend you. So is that about right? So do you need like five different people to make sure everything's done right? Brian? Isn't there some way that you could just have one person that could just do it all for you and be done with it? Brian Well, of course. Dave: Okay. Finally, finally, I get a simple answer, Brian right? So if you, if you engage a disc specialist, that [specialist should be able to do all that. Dave: Okay? Brian Okay. Now, not every disc specialist is created equally. Dave: Sure. Brian You know, I brought up during our conversation that there are some non disc things that can also add complexity to the situation. Not every disc specialist will be sensitive to those things. Not every disc specialist will understand those things. So the benefits that like our organization brings is that. Least myself in particular, I didn't always just do IC disc work. I, I, I have a well-rounded knowledge of all of the, of the tax world. And so I am sensitive to non disc things. You know, for example, you know, another example, oh, a company has a lot of export sales. You would think it's a no brainer. They should have a dis, they should use the dis. They should, they, they should want to convert that ordinary income to qualified dividend [00:57:00] income. Well, what if the S-corp is owned by an ebit? What if there are passive shareholders? All of those things impact whether the disc commission actually helps or hurts their tax situation. And I would get, I would venture a guess that, you know, if you went out and Googled, you know, I see this specialist, you would find a handful. At most that understand all that stuff and how all it all interplays together as opposed to the multitude of those that won't understand any of it. Dave: Okay. Brian So I think a, a disc specialist that is sensitive to all the other tax rules is, is definitely something that is valuable. Dave: And you probably want someone with some experience who's done maybe, you know, what a dozen disc returns in their career, maybe 50 if they're really good. Like how many, how many have we done organization wide? Probably Brian probably 10,000. Dave: 10,000? Well, that's a lot more than 50. Brian Yes. Over the years it's probably close to that number. And we've probably claimed billions of dollars of just deductions and saved clients, hundreds of millions of dollars of tax. And, and I'm proud to say that every dollar we've ever claimed we've. Okay. Dave: So Brian I've never had an adjustment from the IRS. Dave: Well, that sounds like a, a good a good record. So bottom line, Brian that's, that's the best you can come up with a good record. I'd say it's Dave: well, I didn't wanna say a perfect record. I didn't want to jinxy. Brian No, but it's, it's, it's, it's pretty outstanding record. Dave: Yeah. It's a, it's an impressive record Brian because there are also just providers out there that say, well, you know, Dave: it's the Wild West. Brian The wild west, the IRS doesn't really understand it, so let's be as aggressive as possible. And, and that's not the way we approach it. Dave: Yeah. Wow. Well, this has been this has been a lot. So really it's that simple. So the person who wants to just do all this themselves, we've laid out the whole playbook for them. Brian Yeah. The only simple thing they have to do is call us. Dave: There you go. That is it. Yeah. And, and oh, the other thing, not only are you the Bob, hope you now have moved from number two to number one for the most experienced icy disc guy. I know now that Neil Block is retired. Brian Well, that's, I don't know if that's a plus or not. Whether I'll take it just means I've been doing it a long time myself. So Dave: yeah, Neil was, I think my second, first or second guess. And and I was just happy. 'cause his billing rate back then was like $1,500 an hour. I was just glad I didn't get a bill a month later for him being on the podcast. But he, [01:00:00] he did it for exactly 50 years at one firm, baker and McKinsey in Chicago. He had one office, one phone number, like the whole 50 years. Brian Yeah. That's, Dave: that is something you don't see much anymore. Brian Definitely not, no. It's, but it's very, that's. That's very cool. And Neil is a very, you know, is a very intelligent savvy guy. Dave: Yeah, that is for sure. Well, Brian, anything else that we didn't cover that you can think of? Brian I can't think of anything. I think we covered a, a great deal here. Dave: Okay. Brian Can't think. Dave: Well, I, I'll let Brian we omitted. Dave: Well, great. Well, hey, thank you so much for your time. Really appreciate it. And I'll let you get back to your, your exploration of your yard there. Brian Yeah. I feel like, it's funny I shrunk the kids. Dave: I know. Well, hey, well, well again, thanks again, Brian. We all appreciate your time. Brian You're welcome. Have a good day. Dave: You too.

If you're a small business owner, you're not just running a business, you're moving through stages. And the strategy that works in the beginning is not the same strategy that works when you're growing, and it's definitely not the same strategy once you've reached a plateau. In this episode, Brandon breaks down the three stages of small business growth and explains how to maximize each phase so you can keep more money, grow faster, and build a business that supports the life you actually want.Stage 1 is the Startup Phase. This is the stage where you're building momentum, reinvesting into your business, and laying the foundation for future growth. Brandon talks about how to think through tax write offs the right way, how to make smart purchases that support growth, and how to position your business financially so you're not just surviving, you're building something scalable.Stage 2 is the Growth Phase, which usually happens a few years in once things start working and your marketing and ROI are becoming more predictable. This is where the big financial moves begin to matter, including when it makes sense to shift from a sole proprietorship to an S Corp, how paying yourself the right way can reduce taxes, and how to take advantage of business benefits like health insurance. Brandon also explains how retirement accounts like a SEP IRA or Solo 401k can become a major part of your long term strategy as income increases.Stage 3 is the Plateau Phase, where you've reached many of your goals and ambitions, but now your focus shifts to sustainability and long term vision. This is the phase where business owners start asking bigger questions like how to make more while working fewer hours, how to structure the business to reduce stress and burnout, and what success really looks like moving forward. Whether that means optimizing operations, changing the way you work, or even planning for a sale one day, Brandon walks through how to think about the long term path with clarity and intention.Drop a comment below, which stage are you in right now, 1, 2, or 3? And if you want more videos on small business strategy, tax planning, wealth building, and long term investing, make sure to subscribe.All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

You formed your LLC. Good job.But many business owners unknowingly make critical mistakes after formation that quietly destroy liability protection, trigger audits, and limit growth.In this episode, Mike walks through the 10 most common LLC mistakes business owners make in 2026 and explains exactly how to fix them. From mixing personal and business finances to ignoring tax planning and misclassifying owner compensation, this episode gives you a practical framework to audit your business and protect it the right way.If you want your LLC to survive and thrive, not just exist on paper, this episode shows you what to fix now before it becomes expensive later.

Discover the best legal entity structure for commercial and multifamily real estate. In this training, I break down the exact framework I've used for 25+ years to protect my assets, minimize risk, and maximize tax advantages.You'll learn:Why commercial real estate requires a different ownership structure than single‑familyHow LLCs create a shield between your business assets and personal assetsThe truth about non‑recourse loans and why they're a game‑changerHow pass‑through taxation works and how depreciation can wipe out your taxable incomeWhy C‑Corps and S‑Corps are poor choices for owning propertyHow to structure multiple properties using a holding companyThe three biggest mistakes beginners make—and how to avoid themI am not an attorney or CPA. Always consult licensed professionals for legal and tax advice. 

Paying yourself incorrectly as an S Corp owner creates quiet IRS risk, cash stress, and year-end cleanup that many business owners don't see coming. In this episode of Business By The Books, Danielle explains what reasonable compensation actually means, why payroll must come before owner draws, and how setting this up early can save you stress later in the year. You'll learn: What reasonable compensation means for S Corp owners Why underpaying yourself through payroll creates future tax problems The IRS rule that requires payroll before owner draws How paying yourself through payroll supports long-term business value What to do now so you're not fixing this under pressure at year-end Key topics: Quiet IRS risk from paying yourself incorrectly Why business owners delay payroll and regret it later Reasonable compensation and owner draw rules Why Quarter One matters   Sources:

In this episode of the Dental Boardroom Podcast, host Wes Read, CPA and financial advisor at Practice CFO continues his series on common financial mistakes dentists make, this time focusing on tax planning gaps. Wes explains why many dental practice owners unknowingly overpay taxes and how poor tax planning often results from weak cash flow management, rather than bad intentions.This episode breaks down complex tax concepts into practical insights, helping dentists understand how smarter planning throughout the year, not just at tax time, can lead to tens of thousands of dollars in savings annually and faster financial independence.Key Notes:1. Tax Planning Is Not a Once-a-Year ActivityMany dentists believe tax planning is handled solely by their CPA at year-end.Real tax planning happens throughout the year, tied directly to business decisions.Waiting until December often means it's already too late to reduce taxes effectively.2. Tax Planning Is a Subset of Cash Flow PlanningTaxes cannot be optimized in isolation.Every dollar flowing through the practice revenue, expenses, payroll, debt, and savings affects tax outcomes.Smart tax strategies must consider current and future cash flow, not just immediate deductions.3. Common Tax Planning Gaps Dentists MakeMissing legitimate deductions (leaving money on the table).Buying equipment just for a tax write-off without considering long-term loan payments.Poor timing of depreciation and capital purchases.Not coordinating payroll, distributions, and retirement planning.4. Understanding S Corporations vs. Sole ProprietorshipsBeing an S Corp does not automatically mean you're saving taxes.S Corps come with higher administrative costs, so the tax benefits must outweigh them.In general:Under ~$150k income → Sole proprietor may make more sense.$180k–$200k+ profit → S Corp usually becomes beneficial.5. Reasonable Compensation: The Biggest Tax LeverAs an S Corp owner, you pay yourself in two ways:W-2 wages (subject to payroll/FICA taxes)Distributions (not subject to FICA)Paying too little W-2 can trigger IRS penalties.Paying too much W-2 can unnecessarily increase payroll taxes.Finding the right balance is critical to staying compliant and...

What's the secret to building financial resilience as an entrepreneur—and how do you make sure you're never caught off guard by life's curveballs? In this episode of The Angel Next Door Podcast, host Marcia Dawood sits down with financial strategist Leah Williams to tackle these questions head-on, exploring how proactive financial planning and tax strategies can empower you to take control of your wealth journey.Leah Williams brings her story of personal financial transformation—after weathering divorce and witnessing the power of good planning through family loss—to offer practical advice that goes beyond the basics. Her firm, Savvy Financial, is built on a mission to help people, especially women, become confident in their financial decisions, teaching them about insurance, investments, and the hidden levers of tax efficiency.From leveraged charitable deductions to accelerated depreciation and creative ways to involve family in your business, this episode is loaded with real, immediately useful strategies that anyone can apply. If you want to make smarter choices about your financial future and get inspired along the way, this is the episode for you. To get the latest from Leah Williams, you can follow her below!https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-williams-chfc%C2%AE-clu%C2%AE-wmcp%C2%AE-aa007595/ https://www.savvyfinancialllc.com/ Sign up for Marcia's newsletter to receive tips and the latest on Angel Investing!Website: www.marciadawood.comDo Good While Doing WellLearn more about the documentary Show Her the Money: www.showherthemoneymovie.comAnd don't forget to follow us wherever you are!Apple Podcasts: https://pod.link/1586445642.appleSpotify: https://pod.link/1586445642.spotifyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/angel-next-door-podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theangelnextdoorpodcast/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/theangelnextdoorpodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marciadawood

Thinking about forming an LLC in 2026? In this episode, Mike breaks down how to set up an LLC step by step, what “free” really means, state filing costs, common mistakes to avoid, and why an LLC can act as an insurance policy for future S Corp tax savings. Perfect for new and growing business owners who want clarity without the confusion.If you want a clean, simple business setup that protects you now and gives you flexibility later, this episode gives you the roadmap without the legal confusion.

Tax Strategies and Planning Tips for Small Business Success as Tax Season Approaches Books4hospitality.com Solutionsbychs.com About the Guest(s): Douglas Carpenter is a seasoned financial expert with over 40 years of experience in accounting and financial consulting. He holds credentials as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). Starting his career as the youngest registered stockbroker in America at age 17, Douglas has built an illustrious career across various high-level CFO and consulting positions. He currently owns and operates Comprehensive Accounting Solutions, specializing in tax-saving strategies and accounting services for small businesses, with a particular focus on the hospitality sector. Episode Summary: In this insightful episode of The Chris Voss Show, host Chris Voss welcomes Douglas Carpenter, a distinguished CPA and CFA, to discuss strategies for effective tax planning as we move into 2026. The conversation kicks off by highlighting the unique challenges of accounting in the hospitality sector and how Comprehensive Accounting Solutions provides tailored services to mitigate these complexities. Chris and Douglas dive into the importance of preparing for tax season early, discussing strategic planning that can save individuals and businesses considerable amounts in taxes. Douglas shares his extensive expertise on tax strategies, focusing on key elements like proper entity structuring and the nuances of different business setups, such as S-Corps and C-Corps. Douglas stresses the importance of regular evaluation of financial strategies and planning for cash flow and budgeting in small and medium-sized businesses. The episode offers valuable insights into how businesses can effectively manage and plan their taxes, preventing last-minute rushes and the often-fatal “head in the sand” approach to budgeting and cash management. This episode is a must-listen for business owners eager to optimize their tax planning for the upcoming year. Key Takeaways: Proper entity structuring and regular financial reevaluation are critical to maximizing tax savings. The difference between tax preparation and tax planning can greatly affect a business's financial health. Early organization and strategic planning can prevent rushed decisions and missed opportunities in tax deductions. Understanding new tax laws, such as the Secure Act, can offer additional avenues for financial optimization. Comprehensive tax solutions involve integrating tax planning with broader financial strategies for sustained success. Notable Quotes: “The important thing to remember, if you owe the tax, pay the tax, but don’t overpay the tax.” “Tax planning is very different from just getting your tax return done.” “Proper entity structure is a key area where business owners can save significantly on their taxes.” “Regularly reevaluating your financial strategy is crucial for making the most of your business’s tax situation.” “A well-prepared and organized approach to taxes is essential to avoid last-minute frustrations and missed deductions.”

How to Legally Pay Less Tax as a Business Owner with Former IRS Agent Carlotta Thompson   With Former IRS Agent Carlotta Thompson Most business owners believe high taxes are just the price of success. They're wrong.   In this episode of Profit Answer Man, Rocky sits down with former IRS agent turned tax strategist Carlotta Thompson to reveal how the tax system really works, what actually triggers audits, and how profitable business owners legally keep more of what they earn. This is not about loopholes or risky moves. It's about understanding the rules well enough to play the game correctly.   In This Episode, You'll Learn: What actually triggers IRS audits and why most business owners worry about the wrong things. The common tax and bookkeeping mistakes that quietly raise red flags with the IRS. Why home office and mileage deductions are usually not the real problem. How poor recordkeeping costs business owners money even when deductions are legitimate. Why constantly moving money between Profit First accounts is a warning sign, not a solution. When an S Corp makes sense and when it can actually cost you more in taxes. Why starting as an LLC gives you more flexibility as your business grows. How to shift from asking "Can I deduct this?" to "How can I deduct this legally?"   The Big Takeaway: Paying less tax is not about gaming the system. It's about: Knowing what the IRS actually looks for Building clean, consistent financial systems Aligning profit, tax strategy, and long-term vision When you do that, audits become less scary, profit becomes more predictable, and your business stops leaking money quietly.   Bio: Carlotta Thompson is a Founder + CEO When Carlotta was 14, she remembers becoming enthralled with a booklet on preparing taxes. She decided then that she wanted to work for the IRS, so at 14 years old, she began studying tax law with the dream of working for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Shortly after attaining her dream of working for the IRS, Carlotta realized that the IRS isn't actually in place to help small businesses like she'd thought and it felt like she was working for the wrong side. As an auditor, she saw tons of tax returns with sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars of missed deductions that were detrimental for the client. Carlotta had a bigger dream and mission to directly help business owners pay the least tax legally possible, so what began as a ministry has evolved into Tax Strategists of America!  She now has a Pathway to Zero™ program helping business owners pay the least taxes legally possible!   Links: Website: https://taxstrategistsofamerica.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlotta.thompson.1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlottathompsonfinance?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw%3D%3D TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@carlottathompsonfinance?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@carlottathompsonfinance   Conclusion: Paying less tax is not about shortcuts or loopholes. It's about clarity, structure, and intention. When you understand what the IRS actually looks for, keep clean records, and align your entity and profit strategy with your long-term goals, taxes stop feeling like a constant threat. This episode with Carlotta shows that real tax savings come from running a better business, not from taking bigger risks.   #ProfitAnswerMan #ProfitFirst #BusinessProfit #TaxStrategy #CashFlow #SmallBusinessFinance #BusinessOwners #IRS #TaxPlanning #FinancialClarity #EntrepreneurLife #KeepMoreProfit #BusinessSystems #MoneyMindset   Find Rocky Lalvani @ www.ProfitComesFirst.com or email him at rocky@profitcomesfirst.com   Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available! Free Copy of the Profit Blueprint Book: : https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page  Monthly Newsletter signup: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/newsletter-signup Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/ My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/ Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.

In this episode of the Basic Influencer Strategies Podcast, Mike is joined by tax professional and Amazon Influencer Program participant Tina McGlynn to break down essential tax strategies every content creator should understand.We dive into why creators need to start treating their content as a business early on, and Tina walks through foundational topics like Schedule C filings, LLC vs S-Corp considerations, deductible expenses, and proper record keeping.Special attention is given to navigating brand deal income, understanding the fair market value of gifted products, and avoiding common mistakes that can cost creators thousands at tax time. Tina also shares practical advice on setting up business bank accounts, tracking income correctly, and staying organized year-round.The episode wraps up with resources and guidance Tina offers to help creators confidently handle their taxes and legally minimize what they owe.Whether you're brand new or scaling fast, this episode will help you build smarter systems and avoid painful tax surprises.Treating content creation like a business from day oneSchedule C basics for content creatorsLLC vs S-Corp considerationsDeductible expenses creators often missHandling brand deals and gifted productsFair market value of samplesSetting up business bank accountsRecord keeping and tax prep systems________________________________Download Tina's Tax Guide Here!Tax Guide Checklist________________________________

Nurse inventors, this one's for you.

What if your sales goals are doing more harm than good? In this episode, I'm unpacking why the constant focus on sales targets might be sabotaging your business. Sales matter—but not in the way you've been taught. Tune in to hear my take. Get started now with the Inventory Genius Academy. Click here to save $250! Work with Me - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/work-with-meVisit the Bookstore - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/bookstoreSign Up for Free Weekly Tips and Trainings - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/subscribe More About the Episode Sponsor:T&O Strategic Advisory (http://www.tostrategicadvisory.com/) - Offering a wide range of tax and accounting services, including entity election and S-Corp advisory.

What if your sales goals are doing more harm than good? In this episode, I'm unpacking why the constant focus on sales targets might be sabotaging your business. Sales matter—but not in the way you've been taught. Tune in to hear my take. Get started now with the Inventory Genius Academy. Click here to save $250! Work with Me - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/work-with-meVisit the Bookstore - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/bookstoreSign Up for Free Weekly Tips and Trainings - https://www.ciarastockeland.com/subscribe More About the Episode Sponsor:T&O Strategic Advisory (http://www.tostrategicadvisory.com/) - Offering a wide range of tax and accounting services, including entity election and S-Corp advisory.

In this episode, host Don Adeesha joins Sean Duncan, founder of Chief Proactive Advisors, to distinguish between tax preparation and tax planning. Sean argues that relying solely on historical filing is a costly error, sharing how reactive financial structuring can waste tens of thousands in unnecessary taxes. Sean breaks down the math of entity selection, identifying the $50,000 net income threshold where switching to an S-Corp becomes viable. He highlights the hidden benefits of this structure, including ultra-low audit risk, and details a reasonable compensation methodology that satisfies the IRS without overpaying payroll taxes. Finally, Sean shares his "Big Three A's" framework for year-end reductions: Accelerate expenses, acquire Assets, and leverage Altruism. He warns against panic-buying unnecessary vehicles and urges owners to treat their CPA as a strategic partner, conducting mid-year reviews to actively architect wealth.

Ever catch yourself wondering, "What is my business worth—like, the real number, not the cocktail-party guess?" If your business represents the majority of your net worth (and for most CEOs, it does), not knowing your true valuation is risky. You could be planning an exit, thinking about succession, considering a partnership change, or even just trying to make smarter growth decisions—but without a real valuation framework, you're basically relying on back-of-the-napkin math. In this episode, you'll get a clear, CEO-friendly breakdown of how valuations actually work and what drives value up (or quietly drags it down). You'll walk away with: A practical understanding of the real valuation methods (market comps, public peer multiples, discounted cash flow, and when asset-based valuation applies) so you can stop guessing and start thinking like an investor. A sharper perspective on what increases or decreases your company's value—especially risk factors like customer concentration, shaky financials, key-person dependency, and unreliable forecasts. A clearer playbook for "valuation readiness" so you can improve value before a buyer, a partner, or the IRS forces the question. Press play now and steal the same valuation lens buyers use—so you can protect your wealth, reduce risk, and increase what your business is worth before the next big decision hits. Check out: 0:03:10 — The 3 main ways your business is valued (market comps, public peer multiples, and discounted cash flow—plus why valuation is forward-looking). 00:10:55 — How to value intangible assets like patents and trademarks (including the "relief from royalty" method that's surprisingly practical). 00:22:40 — The biggest value drivers you can actually control (clean financials, forecasting confidence, reducing key-person risk, and de-risking the business for buyers). About Dave Bookbinder Dave Bookbinder is a corporate finance executive with a focus on business and intangible asset valuation. Known as a collaborative consultant, Dave has served thousands of client companies of all sizes and industries. Dave has conducted valuations of the securities and intangible assets of public and private companies for various purposes including acquisition, divestiture, financial reporting, stock-based compensation, fairness and solvency opinions, reorganizations, recapitalizations, estate planning, S-Corp. conversion, exit strategy, and succession planning. 

In this episode of Real Estate Success: The Whissel Way, Kyle Whissel and Bryan Koci shift the conversation from making more money to keeping more of it by breaking down practical tax and wealth strategies specifically for real estate agents. They cover why agents earning over $50,000 should consider an S Corp, how hiring family members can legally reduce taxes, and how depreciation, self-directed IRAs, syndications, and the Augusta Rule can dramatically impact an agent's bottom line. The episode is a tactical overview of how agents can legally lower tax liability, reinvest smarter, and build long-term wealth beyond commissions.   Chapters: 00:00 Intro and why agents overpay in taxes 02:07 Making more money vs keeping more money 05:26 Why every agent is already a business 06:01 S Corp explained and why it matters 08:49 Salary vs distributions and tax savings 13:39 When an S Corp makes sense financially 16:31 Hiring your kids and family legally 20:53 Self-directed IRAs and real estate investing 24:48 Passive investing through funds and syndications 31:16 Depreciation, real estate professional status, and the Augusta Rule

In this special episode, we bring you a practical, high-context walkthrough of early-stage investing hosted by the San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC). With insights from the Pillsbury ECVC legal team and SDAC organizers, this session offers angel investors - both new and experienced - a clear breakdown of key financing instruments like SAFEs, convertible notes, and priced equity rounds.We cover the structure and implications of different entity types (C-Corps, LLCs, S-Corps), the nuance behind valuation caps and discounts, the benefits of pro rata rights, and the tax advantages of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS). Whether you're gearing up for Fund 8 or thinking about writing your first check, this session equips you with the frameworks and real-world insights you need to invest smarter.Key Topics Covered* Why SDAC is building year-round investor education & networking events* Overview of startup legal structures: LLCs vs. C-Corps (and why Delaware still leads)* What investors should understand about SAFE agreements* How post-money valuation caps really work (and how they differ from discounts)* Why side letters can protect your upside: pro rata, info rights, MFNs, and more* How convertible notes differ from SAFEs and when they might be preferable* Real red flags on cap tables and what they tell you about a company's past* What to know about Zombie SAFEs (and how to avoid them)* Tax advantages of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) and recent updates to eligibility* The evolving dynamics of angel rounds, bridge financing, and recapitalizationsLinks & Resources* San Diego Angel Conference Website* Qualified Small Business Stock Overview – IRS This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe

Lance Graulich sits down with Sam Miles, CPA (Guardian CPAs) to break down the biggest tax mistakes first-time business owners make — and how to avoid them.If you're buying a franchise, running a small business, or thinking about switching from an LLC to an S-Corp, this conversation could save you thousands in taxes and keep you out of IRS trouble.

Our guest is Tom Nichols, partner at the Milwaukee-based Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols, longtime advisor to S-Corp, and author of an excellent new piece exposing the Section 461(l) Excess Business Loss limitation for the money-grabbing fraud it is. Tom walks through the provision's origins, the harm it does to affected businesses, and how flawed revenue estimates drove the policy. We also get into our SALT Parity efforts and how the state laws and legal analysis he drafted helped pave the way for $20 billion in annual tax savings for Main Street businesses. 

In this episode of Remodelers on the Rise, Kyle Hunt sits down with Abe Degnan, second-generation owner of Degnan Design Build Remodel, to share the story of building a remodeling business designed to last. Abe reflects on growing up on job sites, joining his father's company, and helping shape an early design build approach through intentional learning, documented processes, and steady leadership. They dig into lessons Abe has learned over 25 years in business, including hiring with purpose, pricing with confidence, investing in systems, and making the shift from working in the business to leading a team. Abe also shares thoughtful insights on company culture, peer groups, and building a life outside of work, offering encouragement for remodelers who want long term growth without burning out. ----- Today's episode is sponsored by Builder Funnel! Click here to learn more about how Builder Funnel helps remodelers and home builders grow through strategic digital marketing. ----- Takeaways Abe Degnan is a second-generation remodeler who joined his father's business. Investing in learning and joining peer groups has been crucial for growth. Hiring the right people is essential for maintaining company culture. Abe's broken leg led to a shift in focus towards office work and management. Understanding pricing and financials is key to business success. High-quality photography is vital for effective marketing. A clear sales process is necessary for consistent success. Establishing a design center enhances client engagement. Balancing family life and business is a continuous challenge. Documenting company values and processes helps differentiate from competitors. ----- Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 03:00 Abe Degnan's Journey in Remodeling 06:10 Transitioning from Sole Proprietorship to S Corp 09:00 The Evolution of Design-Build Approach 11:54 Investing in Learning and Company Culture 15:04 Hiring Practices and Employee Retention 17:59 Overcoming Challenges in Business Growth 21:00 The Impact of Personal Experiences on Business 23:38 Pricing Strategies and Financial Management 27:10 Marketing and Sales Process Insights 29:53 Establishing a Design Center and Client Engagement 33:02 Balancing Family Life and Business 35:57 Final Thoughts and Advice for Remodelers

This episode is a live mini-workshop recorded with members of the Escapee Collective (and released here because it was too useful to keep inside the community).My guest Diane Kennedy (CPA) breaks down what most new escapees get wrong about taxes and business structure — and why the real first question isn't “LLC or S-Corp?”It's: Are you building a business… or replacing a paycheck?From there, we get into the most common setup for solopreneurs (LLC + S-Corp election), how to think about deductions without getting cute, and why “keeping it small and keeping it all” is the solopreneur cheat code.We also bring in Lisa Dini from Lettuce, who explains how they help solos run the S-Corp model without turning you into an accountant.Heads up: This is educational, not legal/tax advice. Talk to your pro for your situation.What you'll learnThe real first question for escapees: build a business vs replace a paycheckWhy “LLC vs S-Corp” is usually the wrong framing (and what Diane recommends instead)Why Diane believes you should set up an LLC early (asset protection + flexibility)The 3 “buckets” of income for solopreneurs: Earned, Leveraged, & Passive (the holy grail)A simple way to think about deductions: ordinary + necessary (and how to find write-offs you already have)How S-Corps can help you keep more of what you earn (salary vs distributions, plus other benefits discussed)Real-world Q&A on: partners, joint ventures, and multi-state setups, California “special rules” , Schedule C vs S-Corp timing, Solo 401(k) and related retirement ideasResources Mentioned:Lettuce.co: https://hubs.ly/Q03Yz8KX0Tax Calc: https://hubs.ly/Q03Yz8Rf0Tax Prep: https://hubs.ly/Q03Yz8JY0GuestsDiane KennedyCPA and long-time solopreneur. Diane helps business owners structure their business and income in smarter ways so they can keep more of what they earn and operate like a real business.Lisa Dini (Lettuce)Lettuce helps solopreneurs run an S-Corp model efficiently, without drowning in admin and accounting work.

Keith discusses the K-shaped economy, where income from capital assets is rising while labor income is declining.  In 1965, 50% of income came from labor and 50% from capital; by 1990, it was 54% and 46%, respectively, and today it's 57% and 43%. Keith emphasizes the importance of how capital compounds over labor and advises on building ownership in real estate and businesses.  Finally, he answers your listener's questions about: agricultural real estate inflation, profiting on mortgage loans, transitioning from accumulation to preservation and a fast-growing state that no one talks about. Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/584 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text  1-937-795-8989 to speak with a freedom coach Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review"  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com or text 'GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript: Keith Weinhold  0:00   Keith, welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, capital compounds, labor doesn't realizing this can change allocation decisions for the rest of your life. Then I discuss giving. Finally, I answer your listener questions about agricultural real estate inflation, profiting on mortgage loans when it's time for you to stop accumulating properties and a fast growing state that no one talks about today on get rich education   Speaker 1  0:33   since 2014 the powerful get rich education podcast has created more passive income for people than nearly any other show in the world. This show teaches you how to earn strong returns from passive real estate investing in the best markets without losing your time being a flipper or landlord. Show Host Keith Weinhold writes for both Forbes and Rich Dad advisors, and delivers a new show every week since 2014 there's been millions of listener downloads of 188 world nations. He has a list show guests include top selling personal finance author Robert Kiyosaki, get rich education can be heard on every podcast platform, plus it has its own dedicated Apple and Android listener phone apps build wealth on the go with the get rich education podcast. Sign up now for the get rich education podcast or visit get rich education.com   Corey Coates  1:18   You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  1:34   Welcome to GRE from Williamsburg, Virginia to Williamsport, Pennsylvania and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold, and you're listening to get rich education, and I'm somewhat near Williamsport, Pennsylvania today. For years, I've told you about the widening canyon between the haves and the have nots, and that's something that you might have only visualized in your head or merely considered a theory, but now you can see it. There's a chart that I recently shared with our newsletter subscribers that might just make your spine tingle and look, I don't like saying this, but hard work just does not pay off like it used to. This is emblematic of the K shaped economy. Just visualize the upper branch of the K, a line rising over time, and the lower branch of a letter k, that line falling over time, both plotted on the same chart. So what steadily happened over the last 60 years really is quite astonishing. And look, I don't want the world to be the way that I'm about to tell you it is, but that's just what's occurring. The share of one's income from capital assets is rising, while the share from labor keeps decreasing simultaneously. Now just think about your own personal economy. What share of your income is from your invested capital versus how much of your income is derived from your labor. When you're the youngest, it's all labor. When I got out of college and had my first job, all of my income was from labor. I certainly didn't have any rental property cash flow or stock dividends. But for Americans, here is how it's changed over time, and this K shaped divergence is alarming people in 1965 it was 5050 by 1990 54% of income was from capital and 46% labor. Today it's 57% capital and only 43 labor. Gosh, the divergence is real, and it's only getting wider, and I really had to dig for the sources on this K shaped economy chart. They are the BLS, the Tax Foundation and the International Labor Organization. Increasingly, asset owners are the haves. The upper part of this K shaped economy, that line is drifting up like a helium balloon that you forgot to tie to the chair. It just keeps going up and then the labor share of income, which is shrinking, that is also known as how much of the economic pie goes to people who actually work for a living. That is another way to think of it. So frankly, that's why I say hard work just does not pay off like it used to, because with each wave of inflation, assets, pump, leveraged assets, mega pump and wages lag behind, and we can't allocate our resources in the way that we want the. World to be, but how the world really is. In fact, the disparity is even greater than the chart that I just described to you, because it doesn't even include value accumulation, also known as appreciation. I was only talking about income there, and the reality is that working for a paycheck just pays off less and less and less. No amount of working overtime on a Saturday can make you wealthy, but it might make you miserable. Owning assets pays off more and more. In fact, the effect is even more exaggerated than what I even described, because, as we know, the tax treatment is lighter on your capital gains than it is your income derived through labor. As the economy keeps evolving, those who benefit the most, they do not sell their time for money. They're not trading their time for dollars. In fact, let me distill it down here are, yeah, it's just four words that could change the way you allocate your time and your effort for the rest of your life. Capital compounds, labor doesn't. yeah, there's a lot right there. If you want to keep up or get ahead, you need to be on the capital part of the K, the upper part. And what would that really look like for you in real life? What does that practically mean? It means building ownership into your financial life, owning real estate, owning businesses using prudent leverage, owning things that produce income, and even merely owning more things that appreciate. And here's the great news, though, real estate is still the most accessible, leverageable, tax favored capital friendly asset class ever created. That's whether you're just patching together like 43k for a down payment on your first turnkey single family rental, or making a tax deferred exchange into a 212 door apartment complex. Okay, this is how that can look in real life. The bottom line here is that as the economy gets more and more K shaped, with this divergence between Americans capital share of income increasing and labor share decreasing, that you want to stack real income generating assets. That is the big takeaway.    Keith Weinhold  7:44   Well, this is the time of year where a lot of people feel compelled to give donations. And as a GRE listener that's paid five ways, you've got more ability than others to give, I need to caution you about some things. I'm sorry that it is this way, because I do want to promote giving. It's kind, it's virtuous, and it's not a completely selfless act either, because when I give, it makes me feel good too. You're making a difference, and that feels great. Let's talk about the downsides of giving, though, because few people discuss that. We already know about the upsides when I give to an organization, say, 1500 bucks here, $1,000 over there, well, inevitably, you do get on that organization's contact list. And yeah, I suppose that it is easier to retain a customer or donor than it is to find a new one. Sometimes I just make what I expected to be a one time donation, but they will keep contacting you. Now, I was once on the other side of this. I served on a volunteer committee that organizes athletic events, and a friend of mine, John made a $1,000 donation to our organization one year, which was really kind, and he's just a day job working kind of guy when he didn't make the donation. The following year, someone made it a line item in our meeting minutes to say that John's donation was not renewed. Like that's the only thing they brought up. Oh gosh, that really struck me the wrong way, because here's a guy that traded his time for dollars at a job that I happen to know he doesn't like very much, and the committee statement was that the guy didn't renew his donation. Sheesh, now, when it comes to the tax treatment of, say, $1,000 that you make in a donation, there's a lot of misunderstanding about how that works, and this is the type of subject that you're thinking about now, because sometimes people want to get a tax break tallied up before year end, because some people think that after the year ends, well, the IRS pays you back the $1,000 you donated because it's tax deductible. No, that's how a tax credit. Works. But a tax deduction, which is all that you might be eligible for, means that if your annual income is 100k well then a 1k donation lowers your taxable income to 99k so if you're in the 24% tax bracket, then you'd get 240 bucks back. But you know, in many or even most cases, you're not going to get any tax break at all for making a donation, and this is because you did not exceed the standard deduction threshold, which is now almost 16k if you're single and almost 32k married, you get to deduct those amounts from your taxable income no matter what. So the standard deduction, in a way, it's nice, because you don't have to keep receipts and do all that tracking for everything. So I've had that experience myself where, huh, feeling a little generous throughout the year, giving $1,500 here, $1,000 there. Oh, and then realizing that it does nothing for me on taxes, you have to give more to exceed the standard deduction amount and start itemizing them. And mortgage interest does go into that amount. Okay, it does go into the amount to try to get your total above the standard deduction threshold. So go ahead and give freely, but in a lot of cases, keep in mind that it often does nothing for your taxes, because you're taking that standard deduction if you indeed are. There's been another tip flation trend that's annoying, and that is increasingly when I give a donation online, I'm asked to if I want to leave a tip on top of the donation. That is so weird, a tip is for good service. I'm serving you by being generous enough to give a donation. Sheesh, a tip request on top of a donation. But please do give when you do, one thing that you might want to specify is that it is a one time donation, if that is your intent, or they will constantly follow up with you.    Keith Weinhold  12:06   Coming up next, I'm going to answer your listener questions. A member of Team GRE, who you haven't heard before, is going to come in to ask me your listener questions, and one of them is going to be among the most important topics that our show has never addressed, and it's about time. I'm Keith Weinhold. You're listening to get rich education.    Keith Weinhold  12:28   You know, most people think they're playing it safe with their liquid money, but they're actually losing savings accounts and bonds don't keep up when true inflation eats six or 7% of your wealth every single year I invest my liquidity with FFI freedom family investments in their flagship program. Why fixed 10 to 12% returns have been predictable and paid quarterly. There's real world security backed by needs based real estate like affordable housing, Senior Living and healthcare. Ask about the freedom flagship program when you speak to a freedom coach there, and that's just one part of their family of products, they've got workshops, webinars and seminars designed to educate you before you invest. Start with as little as 25k and finally, get your money working as hard as you do. Get started at Freedom, family investments.com/gre, or send a text now it's 1-937-795-8989, yep, text their freedom coach, directly again, 1-937-795-8989   Keith Weinhold  13:40   the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequel and even chat with President Caeli Ridge personally while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lending group.com that's Ridge lending group.com   Kristen Tate  14:14   this is author Kristin Tate. Listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream.   Keith Weinhold  14:32   Welcome back to get rich Education. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, they say that it takes a village to get some things done and well, it takes a team to prop up this slack jawed operation one GRE team member, capably behind the scenes for more than a year and a half now, is Brenda Almendariz, welcome in. Brenda, Hi, Keith, thanks. Rather than me asking the listener questions this time you. You get to do it, but before we do that, just tell us a bit about your real estate investing.    Brenda  15:07   Sure. So I started maybe learning a little bit about investing and kind of looking into other options to grow my wealth. And I came across the GRE podcast and a few others. So I think about 2018 I did a little bit of just learning and kind of educating myself. And then 2019 I bought my first turnkey property. Turned out well. And then 2020 I bought my second one. And then in 2021 I decided, okay, this is working really well. Maybe I'll do a house hack. I'll do something a little different, and in a year, then maybe I'll do something else. But I've been in my 2021 home now for about almost five years. I'm looking for the next one, hopefully within the next year. But yeah, it's been great. Turnkey. Just met real estate investment company here at my local REIA, and then I learned that I could actually connect with other companies across other places through GRE but yeah, it's been great.   Keith Weinhold  16:02   Brenda lives in Phoenix, just about as close to the center of Phoenix as you can possibly be. I sat down with Brenda for lunch the last time that I was in Phoenix, and like a lot of people, almost everybody that works here at GRE they started out as a listener before they ever worked here. And really, it's that same story with Brenda as well. So yeah, Brenda will want to ask us the first of what we have about four listener questions today   Brenda  16:31   we do, so I'll go over the first one here. Question is, I would love for you to revisit some of the non traditional example, coffee plantation, CBD manufacturing, teak plantation, Belize resort properties and syndication projects you've discussed on the GRE podcast just to see how they turned out. I'm sure some of them failed to deliver the expected returns, and it's the failures that many of us learn the most from   Keith Weinhold  17:02   Yeah, totally. Okay, so not so much a listener question here, but a comment to discuss more of these agricultural real estate investments or ones that are in syndications off of the investment type that you can't do yourself, is what we're talking about here, rather than direct ownership of residential rental property and an appeal to follow up down the road to see how they really turned out. And you know, Brenda, I'll address you because we don't have the listener name with this question. Most people in my position, if an investment has been discussed on the show, and then that investment didn't go as well as was hoped for, you know what? They never tell the audience about it. However, there's the Panama coffee farm investment. We first discussed that here way back in 2015 and we had a GRE field trip where I met a lot of you in person there in Panama. And as I often do when we discuss a particular investment here, I bought and still own Panama coffee farm parcels myself. That investment, it paid cash flow from the crop yields for a few years, and then it stopped. The good yields stopped due to covid disruption, and since then, there have also been erratic weather patterns like drought and precipitation of the wrong levels and at the wrong time of year, and there's been more of a prevalence of pests in disease like coffee leaf, rust and the operator. They have been communicative and forthcoming all the while they're still issuing the annual report that I read, and sometime after that, I think that a lot of investors were assured, because it sort of made national news, international news, that markets for both coffee and cacao have been suppressed, at least from the standpoint of there's not enough crop yield. I mean, that is a problem in a lot of places worldwide. Now I hope that turns around, and it very well may. In fact, we did something here that very few shows do. Back on episode 431, we had the Panama coffee farm CEO come back on the show to describe exactly what I just told you about there. And few shows are willing to do that. Some people just want you to think that every single investment that's discussed goes as well it was hoped for, or even better than expected. But that is not real world. You got to be authentic in real So, okay. Listener, comment, well, taken there. They appreciate that sort of follow up, and they would like more of that. All right, that's great. What's the next question? Brenda.   Brenda  19:40   Sure. So the next one comes to us from our audience over on YouTube. So in response to our real estate pays five ways in a slow market, YouTube video matrices wrote, There is no inflation profiting. You would have to be paying off the loan with an income that goes up with housing inflation. That's plausible if you are a wage earner, but if your source of income is rental properties, then there isn't a wage increase that reduces the effective loan amount. You are double dipping in the inflation profiting column by counting appreciation which you earn as a real estate investor and inflation profiting, which you earn only if your wages go up at the rate of housing inflation, and you use those wages to pay off the loan, which you don't   Keith Weinhold  20:33   Okay, again, somewhat of a statement here. I suppose there's a question implicit within that for matrices. I'm not sure how you say that name exactly. Wondering about inflation profiting. Are you counting it? Right? I don't know about that. The part about paying off the loan faster if you're a wage earner, I mean, that's plausible, but not if your income is from rental properties. I mean, see that's actually backwards, because your cash flow goes up faster than the rate of inflation due to your biggest payment, your principal and interest staying fixed, so your net rent income goes up even faster than the rate of inflation. So inflation profiting, therefore it's even better than how I've been presenting it and calculating it. Now with that understood matrices, here's one way for real estate investors to understand inflation profiting on your loan if you still have trouble getting with that. 30 years ago, in 1995 the US median home price was 130k with an 80% loan, your mortgage balance at origination would have been 104k and the monthly mortgage payment is 763 with the 8% market mortgage rate level that you would have gotten at that time. Now, even if we don't apply any principal pay down at all, your mortgage balance today is still just 104k and your payment is still just 736 bucks, and it is substantially easier to make that payment today, because your wages and salaries and rent incomes are multiples higher. When you originate a loan, the bank doesn't ask to be repaid in dollars or their equivalent. The loan documents only say dollars and dollars are worth less and less and less. So today, your median priced property is worth over 400k despite still having that tiny 104k loan balance. And of course, your tenant would have paid that down to zero, and we aren't even counting that part, I think, to really exaggerate the effect and help make the inflation profiting concept crystallize for you, matrices. If you go back 100 years, the median home cost was 11,600 bucks. An 80% loan would be just over 9k that you borrowed. Okay, so at a 7% interest rate, 30 year loan, the monthly payment would be 94 bucks, laughably small. That's less than the cost of a nice dinner out today. That's all you owe on a median priced property, which is over 400k today. So because it doesn't feel like you're tangibly walking away with anything when you sell a property, hopefully that helps make it real mitricas. And one last way to think about it is, let's just forget real estate for a moment. Would you loan your best friend 100k for 30 years interest free, even if we're somehow absolutely guaranteed that he would pay you back? Well, of course, he wouldn't do that, because inflation destroys the lender and benefits the borrower. So you would want to be the borrower in that case, because the borrower profits from inflation, profiting just like you're the borrower with income property. That's the position that you want to be in. But I'm glad we brought this up, because a lot of people have that question. That was a good one. Matrices, even though you seem to sort of be doubting if inflation profiting is a real thing with the way you approach the question, hey, I really appreciate it. Anyway, what's the next one? Brenda   Brenda  24:10   yep. So the next one we have is Mark. He wrote into our general inbox, and he says, I have been listening to your podcasts from the beginning, and I believe I have not missed a single show. Wow. Yeah, it would be hard to argue with your strategy of using debt to rapidly increase your returns and expand your rental real estate portfolio. This method is great for the accumulation phase of one's life. However, I believe that you have never addressed the next chapter of everyone's life, phase two. I am, of course, talking about preserving your wealth, which is phase two. Yeah, I only ask this because that is what stage of life I am in. For background, he has 15 rentals, seven mortgages. Age 62. Currently all managed by a property manager, and he is married and an empty nester. Please note, no matter how much money is made from rentals, he said, his wife's view is that it is work, and so she does not want any more homes or work. This would be a great idea for an upcoming show. Please consider thanks, Mark.   Keith Weinhold  25:20   Yeah. Great stuff, Mark. And before Brenda came on, we discussed which questions that she's going to choose. And I definitely wanted to have this one in there, because, I mean, this is one of the most important topics that's never been answered on the show, and it really needs to be answered today. The accumulation phase of Mark's life is done. He wants to know about how to approach the preservation stage. First of all, Mark, congratulations. You've listened to every GRE episode, 584, of them now, and you've clearly benefited from acting so good for you to be in this position. In fact, this show had its inception in 2014 and it doesn't even take these 1011, years to reach financial freedom, if you follow my plan. So you are there. All right, so, Mark, you've got 15 rentals, seven mortgages. You're age 62 they're currently managed by a property manager. You're married in an empty nester. I mean, you've made it, and you know that you've made it when you have enough income to support your desired lifestyle. That's what we're talking about here. Financially Free, beat step free and all of that, I'm going to speculate mark that if you had tried paying all cash for every property, you wouldn't have gotten very far. You wouldn't have made it to this point. You know why this question resonates so well with me, Mark, despite being quite a bit younger than you, I am at that stage as well. I definitely don't need to add more properties for the rest of my life. Now. I don't have kids yet either, so there's no clear air there. In fact, one reason that I hold on to my properties is to help educate our audience to be a real investor in the game and to be able to keep up with trends. You can just kind of tell when someone's not investing in real estate themselves. So if I talk it, I want to keep doing it now for you, Mark, it's not about rushing to pay off your seven mortgages, as you know from listening, that's usually not your best return on capital. If you've already made it, there is absolutely zero reason to add more properties, I would agree, especially if you know, in your wife's eyes, that creates a headache, and maybe yours as well, once you get to a certain point. So as far as this preservation stage, since you've moved away from the accumulation phase, the LLC is the favorite protection structure, not a C or an S Corp. And I have done shows on that with attorneys before. Since I'm not one of your 15 properties, if one or two are less profitable or for whatever reason, you just have difficulty getting those rented during vacancies, okay, you can sell those off if you don't want to do the 1031, exchange into more property, you can pay the tax. That's an option, but you will also have to pay depreciation recapture on those properties and mark. If there's one thing I wish I knew, it's that if you do have children or clear heirs, but the gold standard for passing along properties to heirs is a revocable living trust, and if you only remember one thing about that, a properly drafted living trust is the number one way to pass along rental properties smoothly. And why it's great is that it avoids probate. Probate is a court supervised process. It takes months or years of delay. So instead, with a revocable living trust, heirs get access to your properties almost immediately. Now you are age 62 hopefully this isn't happening anytime soon, but you do keep full control while you're alive, it's easy to update a revocable living trust, but the big one probably is that it prevents family disputes and it keeps everything private. That way there's no public probate record. And the bonus is, if you own properties in multiple states, a trust avoids multiple probates, that's huge. So those are some considerations. Mark as you've Congratulations again. Move from the accumulation phase to the preservation stage. It's a completely normal, natural process. You sure don't have to keep adding properties for ever and ever. Congrats. You made it. You did it.    Brenda  29:37   Great. We've got another one, Keith. This one is from Tim in Philomath, Oregon, and he says, I would be interested in the days ahead, if you would be able to help us understand why North Dakota is projected to grow so much.   Keith Weinhold  29:54   Okay, thanks, Tim in follow math, Oregon, another word I'm not sure how to pronounce. Now, yeah, you might think it's unusual that I would want to answer this question. For a low population state of under 1 million people, like North Dakota, from today to 2050 there's forecast to be 9% population growth nationally, but in North Dakota, it is 34% that is quite a surge, and that is per visual capitalist via the University of Virginia, but North Dakota's projected growth, it looks surprisingly strong on paper, especially for a cold, rural, low population state. But really, there are at least four major forces behind the fast 2025 to 2050, Outlook, and when you break them down, the growth actually makes sense. So I want to talk about this, because it's really a template for what makes for a growing place and a good future real estate market, no matter where it is. But in North Dakota, you've got this continued energy sector, strength, oil, gas and next generation energy. Part of what's driving the growth is something that's definitely not a new story. It is still the Bach and shale. It's still one of the top US oil fields. You got advances in drilling. That means more production with fewer rigs. That makes a sector more resilient. You've got global demand for liquid fuels projected to remain high through 2050 I know people like to talk about renewables, and there probably is a future there. But it's not like we're going to go all renewable right away. North Dakota is aggressively expanding carbon capture. So energy equals jobs. Jobs equals population retention and in migration, there's a national labor shortage in North Dakota. It's got this skilled worker hole. The US is going to face a major labor shortage through 2050 that's because of trends that you really can't change, like an aging population and low birth rates. That makes these high wage, high demand energy and engineering jobs stickier. North Dakota consistently leads in labor force participation, job availability, good starting wages for skilled trades, and they always seem to have a low unemployment rate, lower than the national average. So in other words, people move where the jobs are, even if it's cold. They really have one of the best economic outlooks in the country. There's a report called Rich states, poor states. In their latest one, they ranked North Dakota fifth nationwide in economic outlook, and that's above Texas and Florida and Tennessee, and that's because North Dakota has low taxes. They're business friendly, they're light on regulation. Businesses like that, their budgets are stable, and they've got strong public finances. So states with those fundamentals, they tend to grow pretty well over long horizons, and North Dakota has this demographic momentum. It's a younger state than all the surrounding states. They have a younger median age, high birth rates, so they've got this faster natural replacement rates, and they have really strong university systems, both und and North Dakota State, and what that does is that retains those graduates for jobs like energy and engineering and agriculture. So North Dakota benefits from this high stay rate, like a lot of people move for jobs, and they end up staying there, and their population growth seems fast, but the overall population small, so a net gain of 150,000 people, that really seems huge in percentage terms. It's steady rather than explosive growth. We're talking about annual gain. So really, a takeaway for investors is that North Dakota's growth is not a fluke. It's from strong economic policy, a big, durable energy engine, high earning jobs. You got this favorable business climate, and really unexpectedly young demographics. I read that the counties that will grow fastest are Cass Williams and stark and, you know, Brenda. If we learn about a reputable North Dakota property provider, maybe we'll talk about them here on the show. So if you the listener or anyone else know about one, write into us at get rich education, comm slash contact, and we'll check them out. And also, more broadly, if you want your listener question answered in the future, that's where to write to us as well, again, at get rich education.com/contact, thank thanks for the North Dakota question, Tim and Brenda, it's nice to have you here to ask the questions in a different voice.   Brenda  34:29   Thanks, Keith. Yeah, it's good to be on this side of the show instead of   Keith Weinhold  34:34   a listener. After all these years, there's one episode I'm sure you'll be listening to, and it's this one that you're on today.   Keith Weinhold  34:48   Yeah, much of our team here were GRE listeners before they ever worked here. We just made another hire two months ago. That woman worked for a payment processor. I said at the time, that sounds really boring. It definitely sounds more interesting to work at the GRE podcast. To review what you learned today, capital compounds labor doesn't though I promote being a giver, there are downsides to giving, but they're manageable. Inflation, profiting is the most often misunderstood of the five ways, and you will reach a tipping point where you've won in which you no longer have to add properties. That is transitioning from the accumulation phase to the preservation phase. That is one of the more important unaddressed things on the show until today, and finally, North Dakota's booming growth projections coming up soon on the show, I'll reveal GRE national home price appreciation forecast for next year, where you will learn the exact percent appreciation or decline expected in the future. Until then, check us out at get richeducation.com I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream.   Speaker 3  36:00   You nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of Get Rich Education LLC, exclusively.   Keith Weinhold  36:32   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building, GetRichEducation.com  

Are back taxes, IRS notices, or messy filings standing between you and your financial future?In this week's episode, Corwyn sits down with tax resolution expert Fabian Cruz to uncover how everyday people — investors and non-investors alike — can protect their income, avoid liens, eliminate tax debt, and take their life back through smart tax strategies.Fabian Cruz is the founder of CITO Tax Resolution, a firm dedicated to helping individuals and business owners resolve IRS and state tax issues. Inspired by helping his own parents overcome a devastating tax problem, Fabian has built a mission around one message: “You deserve your life back.Tax talk doesn't have to be intimidating — and Fabian proves it. He breaks down the real risks of unfiled taxes, explains how poor entity setup can trigger massive problems for real estate investors, and shares a powerful story of a client who owed $300,000 yet paid nothing after his team stepped in.Whether you flip properties, hold rentals, run a business, or just want peace of mind for your family, this episode gives you the tools to structure smarter, plan ahead, and protect the legacy you're building.Key Takeaways06:00  Why Fabian Started His Firm How a personal family crisis led to the creation of CDO Tax Resolution and the mission behind the tagline: “You deserve your life back.”10:00  The Hidden Dangers of Unfiled Taxes Understanding IRS penalties, liens, and how tax problems can block refinancing, dry up investment opportunities, and impact your credibility.12:00  The #1 Mistake Investors Make: Bad Entity Structure Why mixing personal and business finances is a huge red flag — and how proper LLC and holding company setup protects your assets.14:00  How a Farmer Beat a $300,000 Tax Debt A powerful real-life story showing how Fabian helped a business owner avoid collections entirely and protect his operations.16:00  Using Trusts to Protect Your Legacy How revocable living trusts allow families to avoid probate and ensure a smoother transfer of properties and businesses to the next generation.Planning for the Future: Asset Protection & Tax Mitigation From LLCs and S Corps to solo 401(k)s and self-directed IRAs — Fabian outlines the foundational tools business owners must use to stay compliant and save on taxes.Legacy Moment: Fabian reminds listeners that legacy isn't just about the assets you pass down — it's about creating systems that protect your family long after you're gone.Connect with Fabian:Website: https://citotax.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabianpcruz/?hl=enConnect with Corwyn:Contact Number: 843-619-3005Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/exitstrategiesradioshow/⁠FB Page:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/exitstrategiessc/⁠Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxoSuynJd5c4qQ_eDXLJaZA⁠Website:⁠ https://www.exitstrategiesradioshow.com⁠Linkedin:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmelette/⁠Shoutout to our Sponsor: Country Boy HomesDo you remember your grandma's front porch? You know that spot where stories were told, kisses were stolen, and sweet tea was always being sipped. Now imagine giving your family a place to make those same memories, but in a brand new, energy-efficient, and home that was built just for you. At Country Boy Homes, we help folks just like you find that forever feeling.Whether it's your first home, your next home, or your, we're done with rent forever, like,  seriously home, we specialize in affordable, durable, manufactured, and modular homes, the kind that make room for muddy boots, big dreams, and second helpings. Come see what coming home really feels like. Call 843-574-8979 today.Country Boy Homes, Built to Last, Priced for You.

In this coaching conversation, Loral walks Arthur through the fundamentals of building wealth using smart S Corp tax strategy. She explains why shifting from W-2 income to corporate income creates better deductions, bigger retirement contributions, and more long-term financial control. From setting up LLCs for rental properties, to hiring your kids legally, to restructuring income for healthcare savings, to offsetting capital gains with depreciation, this episode lays out exactly how S Corp tax strategy can change the direction of your wealth. If you want clarity on the right structure for your business and investments, this is required listening.Loral's Takeaways:Real Estate and Tax Strategies Discussion (00:00)Transitioning to S Corp and Tax Benefits (04:19)Health Insurance and Independent Contractor Benefits (05:41)Legal and Contractual Considerations (07:40)Tax Planning and Investment Strategies (08:41)Meet Loral Langemeier:Loral Langemeier is a money expert, sought-after speaker, entrepreneurial thought leader, and best-selling author of five books.Her goal: to change the conversations people have about money worldwide and empower people to become millionaires.The CEO and Founder of Live Out Loud, Inc. – a multinational organization — Loral relentlessly and candidly shares her best advice without hesitation or apology. What sets her apart from other wealth experts is her innate ability to recognize and acknowledge the skills & talents of people, inspiring them to generate wealth.She has created, nurtured, and perfected a 3-5 year strategy to make millions for the “Average Jill and Joe.” To date, she and her team have served thousands of individuals worldwide and created hundreds of millionaires through wealth-building education keynotes, workshops, products, events, programs, and coaching services.Loral is truly dedicated to helping men and women, from all walks of life, to become millionaires AND be able to enjoy time with their families.She is living proof that anyone can have the life of their dreams through hard work, persistence, and getting things done in the face of opposition. As a single mother of two children, she is redefining the possibility for women to have it all and raise their children in an entrepreneurial and financially literate environment. Links and Resources:Ask Loral App: https://apple.co/3eIgGcXLoral on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askloral/Loral on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/lorallive/videosLoral on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorallangemeier/Money Rules: https://integratedwealthsystems.com/money-rules/Millionaire Maker Store: https://millionairemakerstore.com/Real Money Talks Podcast: https://integratedwealthsystems.com/podcast/Integrated Wealth Systems: https://integratedwealthsystems.com/Affiliate Sign-Up:

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored episode. Not advice. Educational purposes only. Not an endorsement for or against. Results not vetted. Views of the guests do not represent those of the host or show.  

I'm sharing a powerful, eye-opening moment from a therapy session that totally flipped how I saw myself as a leader and a business owner. Spoiler: People-pleasing isn't a virtue—it's actually selfish.

I'm sharing a powerful, eye-opening moment from a therapy session that totally flipped how I saw myself as a leader and a business owner. Spoiler: People-pleasing isn't a virtue—it's actually selfish.

Send us a textYear-end is the last chance to lock in major tax savings for your business.In this episode, Mike walks through the exact steps business owners need to take now, from S Corp requirements and accountable plans to AGI phaseouts, QBI planning, and the Augusta Rule.You'll also learn how to hire your kids correctly, hit retirement deadlines, use timing strategies as a cash-basis filer, harvest tax losses, and document every move so you enter tax season clean, organized, and ready.

Most LLC owners are paying themselves the wrong way—and it's costing them thousands every year. In this episode, we break down exactly how to pay yourself the right way, avoid IRS trouble, and legally lower your taxes. You'll learn the difference between owner draws, guaranteed payments, and how an S-Corp election can unlock major tax savings. We also share real-life examples of small business owners who saved over $18,000 a year with smart tax strategies. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur or running a team, this episode gives you clear, actionable finance advice to keep more of what you earn. Listen now to make sure you're not one of the 90% doing it wrong.   Next Steps:

Profit First with Megan Schwan   Most owners chase revenue and wonder why cash keeps disappearing. In this episode, Rocky sits down with Megan Schwan—CEO of Sidekick Accounting and a certified Profit First Professional—to unpack the simple systems that turn chaos into cash: clean books, pricing discipline, expense sweeps, and a short list of actionable KPIs. If you want fewer surprises and fatter reserves, start here.   In This Episode, You'll Learn:  Why "good books" are your #1 tax saver—and the foundation for pricing and fraud control. How Profit First creates guardrails, gut-checks overspending, and builds real reserves. The expense analysis that finds instant profit (and all those "I thought I canceled" subs). The handful of KPIs to watch: break-even, month-end bank balance trend, gross & net margins, plus 1–2 lead metrics. Why owners must read the balance sheet (AR, debt, cash) to explain the "profit but no cash" mystery. S-Corp myths vs reality: costs, payroll, compliance, and when it doesn't save you a dime. The mindset gap: let data overrule fear and emotion—especially in weird markets.   Key Takeaways:  Clean books first; dashboards second. Messy inputs = misleading decisions. Profit First is a behavior system that forces lean ops and automatic reserves. Trim subscriptions and non-ROI spend quarterly. Every line needs a purpose. Track few, not many: break-even, margin, cash trend, and one lead indicator. Entity choice is strategy—don't elect S-Corp on hype; do the math.   Bio: Megan Schwan is the CEO and Founder of Sidekick Accounting Services, a national, virtual accounting firm working to change the statistic that 8 out of 10 small businesses fail. For over a decade, Megan and her team have educated 1000's of owners on their business accounting and taxes in order to create sustainable and successful businesses. Being in the accounting industry for over 2 decades, Megan has seen and experienced plenty of businesses' red flags and triumphs.   Links: Website: www.sidekick-accounting.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganmschwan/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mmschwan/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mompreneurof4/   Conclusion: Revenue is loud. Cash is quiet. Use Profit First to build guardrails, clean up the books so pricing and KPIs tell the truth, and revisit entity and expenses with a strategic eye. A 20-minute weekly review beats a 20-hour crisis. Start small; stay disciplined; let the numbers lead.   #ProfitFirst #CashFlow #Bookkeeping #SmallBusiness #KPIs #PricingStrategy #Entrepreneurship #CFO #TaxPlanning #BusinessSystems   Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available! Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page  Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/ My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/ Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.

On today's episode of the podcast I'm talking about terrible advice I see on the internet and how to avoid it. I'm only sharing 10 of the terrible pieces of advice I often see on the Internet, but I could have made this a multi-part episode. 1. Don't form an LLC until you hit $30,000 in revenue. - I hear lots of mythical revenue markers but there's no magic number because LLCs provide liability protection at any revenue. The more money you make, the more liability you're likely open to because you're more working with more clients which can lead to more problems. The longer you wait the more hassle it is to form an LLC. 2. Form an S Corp right away. - When you form an S Corp you are legally required to put yourself on payroll, pay yourself a reasonable recurring salary, and have profit leftover in your business which you can't do if you aren't making money when you start right away. 3. Just use LegalZoom. - I'm not a huge fan for many reasons including lack of added benefits. They ask you questions to fill out a form you can fill out for free yourself online. They charge you to get an EIN when you get your EIN for free on the IRS website. 4. Just do it yourself. - If you scroll through social media I frequently see people say "use LegalZoom" or "do it yourself" or "go work with a lawyer." I suggest somewhere in-between. The problem with doing it yourself is we've seen clients who did it incorrectly. Once you file, you need to maintain your LLC compliance requirements including back franchise taxes. I believe in a well-rounded approach of doing it yourself, with guidance which is why I started creating courses. 5. You don't need trademarks. - This is kind of like telling someone you don't need health insurance. You hope you'll never need to enforce it, but if you need to use it and don't have it, it's a problem. 6. Trademark everything. - It depends on who you are as a business owner and what you're launching. 7. Don't trust templates. - The person who writes the contract template understands your industry, your business, and these templates are typically based on contracts they've custom written for clients. 8. You don't need to do that. - This can refer to a lot of things, but I see it often with things like BOI (Beneficial Information Ownership reports), testimonial requirements, website compliance, etc. Too often people think these laws are for big corporations like Amazon or Target and not small businesses like us, but we see it happen to small businesses all the time. 9. Just write it off. - Not everything is a tax deduction! You need to be using it for business. And writing it off doesn't make it free. Focus on buying things that have a high ROI. 10. You can pay $0 in taxes. - Not every strategy is helpful, even if it's not fraudulent. You may end up owing more in the long run and all tips don't apply to all businesses.

In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes discuss the foundational steps of starting your own HVAC business with Robin Henry, Owner of Pinnacle Building Performance and Ian Schotanus, The HR Guy and Co-owner of The Big Picture Consulting. From forming an LLC to hiring your first employee and handling subcontractors, the conversation focuses on the gritty, real-world decisions entrepreneurs must make. The episode features firsthand accounts from Robin Henry and Ian Schotanus, delivering both practical and legal perspectives on launching and scaling an HVAC business.   Expect to Learn: The real-life journey of launching an HVAC business from scratch. Legal and tax differences between sole proprietorship, LLC, and S Corp. When and how to hire your first employee or consider using subcontractors. Practical field decisions like truck outfitting, insurance, and storage options. How administrative responsibilities grow and how to manage them efficiently. Timestamps: [00:00:00] - Introduction & Why Start an HVAC Business [00:03:37] - Legal & Tax Steps for Starting Out [00:05:51] - Risk Management & Insurance Must-Haves [00:08:45] - Field Startup Essentials: Tools, Truck, and Branding [00:12:08] - Storage Solutions & Work-Life Separation [00:16:26] - Navigating Local Licences and Utility Rebates [00:18:55] - Hiring Your First Employee vs. Using Subs Follow Guest Robin Henry on:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-henry-3a460482 Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/pinnaclebuildingperformance/?hl=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workhero__ Company's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pinnaclebp Company's Website: https://www.pinnaclebuildingperformance.com/about-us/   Follow Guest Ian Schotanus on:  Company's LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-big-picture-consulting Company's Website: https://thebigpictureconsulting.com/about-us Company's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebigpictureconsulting/   Follow the Hosts: Follow Furman Haynes on:  LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/workherohvac/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/WorkHero-61562122449748/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workhero__    Follow Gary McCreadie on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-mccreadie-38217a77/  Website: https://www.hvacknowitall.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/HVAC-Know-It-All-2/61569643061429/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvacknowitall1/   

Navigating the world of business taxes can feel like walking through a minefield of conflicting advice and flashy marketing promises. In this eye-opening episode, Preston and George Azar pull back the curtain on S-Corp elections, revealing the nuanced truth behind those tantalizing internet ads claiming massive tax savings. Support our show sponsors -> https://freelancetofounder.com/sponsors Submit your own question -> https://freelancetofounder.com/ask Connect with George -> ⁠https://brightbudget.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most business owners set up an LLC and think they're done—but the wrong tax structure could be draining $15,000 to $30,000 a year from your profits. In this episode, Tiffany Phillips explains how sole proprietorships, S-Corps, and C-Corps really work, and how each impacts your taxes. You'll learn how to legally pay less, avoid self-employment tax traps, and make smarter business structure decisions that protect both your assets and your wallet. If you've ever been confused about LLCs versus S-Corporations, or why your CPA hasn't mentioned changing your election, this episode will make it crystal clear.   Next Steps:

Before You Close Your Books This Year, Make These 3 Tax-Saving Moves When it comes to taxes, most entrepreneurs are winging it and paying the price. I'm joined by my friend and tax attorney, Braden Drake, who breaks down the must-know tax strategies that can save you thousands and help you feel confident about your business accounting. Whether you're already making six figures or simply want to feel prepared when it comes to bookkeeping, Braden is here to demystify LLC vs. S Corps, deductions, and the smartest year-end money moves you can make. In this episode, we tackle the common tax mistakes online business owners make, how to structure your business for long-term savings, and what you can do right now to set yourself up for a stress-free tax season. HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: 1️⃣ Stop Mixing Business & Personal Finances – One of the most common (and expensive) mistakes entrepreneurs make is skipping a separate business bank account. Keep your finances clean and organized to avoid audit headaches and missed deductions. 2️⃣ Understand the S Corp Advantage – Braden explains exactly how switching from an LLC to an S Corp (when your profit hits around $60K–$100K) can save you thousands each year and why getting this wrong could trigger IRS red flags. 3️⃣ Don't Spend Just to “Save” on Taxes – The smartest entrepreneurs don't buy their way into write-offs. Instead, they focus on year-end strategies that actually build wealth, like opening a retirement account, catching up on bookkeeping, and planning for profit with intention. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Get your copy of Unf*ck Your Biz: A Step-by-Step Framework to Get Your Legal and Tax Shit Legit Subscribe to Unf*ck Your Biz Check out Gusto Get your copy of Profit First by Mike Michalowicz MORE FROM BRADEN Learn more about Braden's offerings at notavglaw.comFollow Braden on Threads and Instagram: @notavglaw  MORE FROM ME Follow me on Instagram @amyporterfield SUBSCRIBE & REVIEWIf you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more entrepreneurs who need these insights.

Send us a textMost S Corp owners follow the right steps, but still pay more tax than they should. A business earning over 300K can lose thousands simply by underusing core strategies.In this live case study, Mike Jesowshek, CPA, reviews a seven-figure business with an S Corp structure, a salary in place, and a record year of profit. You will see why this owner paid 30K in taxes and how that number can be reduced.If you feel like your tax plan has stopped working, this breakdown gives you a clear blueprint for moving from basic strategies into advanced tax planning.

You've set up your LLC, you're running an established business, and things are moving along, but are your financial habits actually helping you grow and is your LLC protecting you the way you think it is?    In this episode, Danielle Hayden, reformed corporate CFO and CEO of Kickstart Accounting, Inc., breaks down the five hidden mistakes that hold LLC owners back and shows you how to build the right habits to protect your business, pay yourself confidently, and prepare to scale into an S Corp when the time is right. Key Takeaways:  Separate Your Business and Personal Finances: Mixing personal and business expenses can "pierce the corporate veil" and undo your legal protections. Keeping everything separate not only protects your assets, it also keeps your books clean and your numbers clear. Pay Yourself Intentionally with Owner's Draws: If you're not paying yourself regularly, it's easy to dip into business funds without realizing it. Taking consistent draws helps you stay disciplined and sets the foundation for switching to payroll when you become an S Corp.  Save for Taxes Every Single Month: You pay taxes on your profits, not just what you take home. Setting aside 25–30% of your net income for taxes keeps you from being blindsided at tax time. Review Your Numbers Monthly: If you're not looking at your profit, cash flow, and expenses every month, you're running blind. Regular reviews help you catch errors, make smart decisions, and identify when it's time to level up to S Corp status. Keep Educating Yourself: Knowledge is power—and profit. Understanding deductions, tax rules, and best practices can save you thousands and help you confidently step into your CEO role. Topics Discussed: (00:00) Intro: What an LLC Is and Why It Matters for Your Taxes  (02:32) Mistake 1: Co-Mingling Business and Personal Funds  (03:40) Mistake 2: Not Taking Owner's Draws (03:24) Mistake 3: Not Saving for Taxes (05:16) Promo Break: Kickstart's "Check Your Books" Service (07:34) Mistake 4: Ignoring Your Numbers or Not Regularly Reviewing Financials (08:29) Deciding When to Elect for S Corp Status (09:04) Mistake 5: Not Educating Yourself (09:55) Real Life Client Success Story (11:12) Action Step: Audit Your Current Habits (11:47) Outro: Like, Share and Subscribe!   Related Episodes: YouTube Playlist | Small Business Tax Tips: Deductions, Entity Types, 1099s, & IRS Strategies Ep. 189 – LLC vs. S Corp: Which Is Right for Your Business? Ep. 115 – Entrepreneurs: Should You Go S Corp? Pros & Cons + Expert Insight   Resources: Check Your Books | kickstartaccountinginc.com/checkyourbooks    Book a Call with Kickstart Accounting, Inc.: https://kickstartaccountinginc.com/book-a-call/    Connect with Kickstart Accounting, Inc.: Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/Kickstartaccounting YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@businessbythebooks  Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/kickstartaccountinginc

In this episode of The Liquidity Event, AJ and Shane cover everything from shattered mirrors to shattered housing markets. AJ shares an update on her book deadline and upcoming Thanksgiving travel while Shane recounts a chaotic morning involving a Roomba and a broken mirror. The duo unpack the hidden tax pitfalls of S-Corps in New York City, debate credit card rewards and travel perks, and react to the Frontier Airlines CEO telling customers to buy a backup ticket. They also dive into the strange slowdown in new home sales, the Trump administration's proposed 50-year mortgage, Elon Musk's massive pay package, and whether the AI boom is already bubbling over. Timestamps (00:00) Welcome, introductions, and AJ's end-of-year check-in (01:00) Shane's Roomba disaster and chaotic morning (02:30) AJ's book update and Thanksgiving travel plans (04:00) Delta, Marriott, and Chase credit card strategy for the holidays (08:45) Why S-Corps don't make sense in New York City (12:20) Frontier Airlines CEO tells customers to buy a backup ticket (15:15) AJ on the government shutdown and SNAP benefits (18:15) Housing market troubles and unsold new builds (23:10) The Trump administration's 50-year mortgage proposal (29:45) AI, crypto, and whether the boom is just another bubble  

Maximize Your Business Tax Savings with Expert Tips from Douglas Carpenter Books4hospitality.com About the Guest(s): Douglas Carpenter is a seasoned financial expert with over 40 years of experience in the industry. As a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Douglas started his career as the youngest registered stockbroker in America at the age of 17. He has worked at a top four accounting firm and held various consulting and chief financial officer roles. Currently, Douglas owns and operates Comprehensive Accounting Solutions, providing a full spectrum of accounting services, particularly for small businesses and the hospitality sector. Episode Summary: In this engaging episode of The Chris Voss Show, Chris talks with Douglas Carpenter, a renowned CPA and CFA, about smart financial strategies for businesses as the year-end approaches. Douglas shares his extensive knowledge on tax-saving tactics, business accounting, and financial planning, aiming to help business owners maximize their tax returns and keep more money in their pockets. As tax season looms on the horizon, Douglas's expert advice is especially pertinent. Throughout the conversation, Douglas delves into various strategies for minimizing tax liabilities, discussing everything from different business structures like S Corps and C Corps to the importance of understanding cash flow and business accounting. He offers insights into how businesses can leverage opportunities for tax deductions, highlighting the need for strategic financial planning throughout the year. The importance of having a knowledgeable tax advisor is also emphasized, with Douglas warning against the risks of poorly managed finances and tax filings. Key Takeaways: End-of-Year Tax Strategies: Business owners should focus on maximizing their tax efficiency before the end of the year, utilizing strategies such as HSA contributions, equipment purchases, and appropriate salary distributions. Business Structure Insights: Choosing the right business structure (e.g., S Corp, C Corp) is crucial for tax efficiency and should align with your overall financial strategy. Professional Financial Advice: Engage a qualified CPA for expert financial advice and ensure you are not overpaying on taxes. Relying on professional help can unveil potential savings. Importance of Documentation: Meticulous record-keeping and proper documentation of business expenses are essential and can lead to significant savings if managed correctly. Cash Flow Management: Douglas highlights the critical nature of cash flow management for businesses, asserting that understanding and predicting cash flow are crucial for sustaining and growing a business. Notable Quotes: "Billionaires do pay taxes. They don't overpay taxes. You shouldn't overpay your taxes either." "What are you going to do different next quarter that you didn't do this quarter?" "Fulfill your obligations, but don't pay more than you absolutely have to. There's a lot more that people leave on the table than they realize." "Don't cheat on your taxes. It's not worth the risk when you can save in legal ways." "Cash flow is the lifeline of any business. Knowing where your business stands today and where it's headed is crucial."

Most business owners are wasting thousands of dollars every year because they're set up under the wrong business structure. In this episode, we cut through the noise and show you the real truth about LLCs and S Corps. You'll learn when an S Corp actually saves you money—and when it backfires. We'll break down the math, explain how self-employment tax works, and share smart strategies that could mean thousands in tax savings. You'll also discover the hidden costs of switching too soon and how to know your true break-even point. If you've ever asked, “Should I become an S Corp?” this episode gives you the clear, direct answer. Don't let bad cpa advice or generic tax tips cost you thousands. Tune in now to learn how to make smarter money decisions and keep more of what you earn.   Next Steps:

Send us a textIf you've ever paid for business expenses out of pocket, like your phone bill, internet, or home office, and wondered if you can get reimbursed without paying more tax, this episode is for you.In this episode, you'll learn how an Accountable Plan lets business owners legally reimburse themselves and their employees tax-free. You'll also discover the 4 key rules every plan must follow to stay IRS-compliant, and the most common mistakes that lead to audit trouble.

In this episode, Erica welcomes Julie Maison, a Chief Communications Officer for nonprofits and churches. This episode is an open Q&A session where Erica answers questions many new business owners have, including accounting concepts like cash and accrual basis accounting, the differences between an LLC and S-Corp, and the importance of accurate bookkeeping. 00:00 Introduction 00:54 Meet Julie Maison: Communications Expert 02:08 Julie's Journey to Entrepreneurship 04:20 Navigating the Challenges of a New Business 09:55 Understanding Accounting Basics 10:58 Cash vs. Accrual Accounting Explained 17:32 Planning for Financial Success 19:35 Example of Setting Aside Money for Taxes 20:11 Owner's Distribution vs. Salary 23:51 Owner's Distribution Framework 25:43 Sole Proprietorship vs. S Corp 30:05 Strategic Cash Flow Planning 32:43 Common Financial Mistakes 37:28 Retirement Savings for Entrepreneurs EricaGoode.com ____________________ Resources Referenced: Ep4 - Ep7 Consultants & Money: Business Money 101 series Ep86 - Retirement Plans for Consultants ____________________ Connect with Julie | LinkedIn | Website Connect with Erica | LinkedIn | Website | Newsletter

Are you paying more in taxes than you should? Chances are, yes. Most business owners are losing thousands every year because their CPA only files returns instead of creating a smart tax strategy. In this episode, you'll learn five powerful tax strategies every LLC owner should know—ones that could legally save you $15,000 or more. From startup cost deductions and home office write-offs to vehicle expenses, marketing deductions, and the S-Corp election, we're breaking down exactly how to keep more of your hard-earned money. You'll discover why tax planning isn't just for the wealthy, and how simple steps can create immediate savings for your business. Stop leaving money on the table. Listen now to uncover the tax secrets your CPA isn't sharing—and start taking control of your business finances today.   Next Steps:

Send us a textA single medical bill can wipe out your profits. But health expenses don't have to drain your cash flow. In this episode, you'll learn three powerful ways to turn your medical costs into legitimate tax deductions. From self-employed health insurance and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to Section 105 reimbursement plans and employee health benefits, these strategies can help business owners save thousands while staying fully IRS-compliant.

Are you structuring your business the right way — or making costly mistakes that could be draining your profits? In this episode of the Main Street Business Podcast, Mat Sorensen and Mark J. Kohler team up to answer your questions on taxes, legal structures, and real-world strategies for small business success. Together, they uncover the truth about LLCs, S-Corps, and the $50K rule that determines when to make the switch.From transferring real estate into an LLC safely to understanding what truly qualifies as business income, this discussion covers the practical steps every entrepreneur should take to protect their assets, reduce taxes, and stay compliant. You'll also learn how to pay yourself properly, avoid due-on-sale issues, and maximize wealth through smart entity planning.If you're serious about building your business the right way and keeping more of what you earn, this is an episode you can't afford to miss!You'll learn:How to decide when it's time to convert your LLC to an S-Corp — and how the $50K rule really worksHow to transfer real estate into an LLC without triggering the due-on-sale clause or losing financing optionsThe difference between true business income and passive income (like royalties, rentals, and trading profits)How to pay yourself correctly as a business owner — and avoid IRS red flags with payroll, draws, and distributionsSimple bookkeeping and payroll strategies to stay compliant and ready for tax seasonHow to use smart entity structuring to protect your assets and save thousands in self-employment taxesPractical tips for maximizing retirement contributions through Solo 401(k)s and Mega Backdoor Roth strategiesGet a comprehensive tax consultation with one of our Main Street tax lawyers that can build a tax strategy plan with an affordable consultation that will leave you speechless!! Here's the link - https://kkoslawyers.com/services/comprehensive-bus-tax-consult/?utm_source=buzzsprout&utm_medium=description-link&utm_content=msbp597-smart-strategies-to-pay-yourself&utm_campaign=main-street-business-podcast Grab my eBook 30 Unique Strategies Every Business Owner Should Know! You don't want to miss this! Secure your tickets for the #1 Event For Small Business Owners On Main Street America: Main Street 360 Looking to connect with a rock star law firm? KKOS is only a click away! Are you ready to get certified in EVERY strategy I teach? Start your journey with a FREE 15-minute discovery call to explore the Main Street Tax Pro Certification. Check out our YOUTUBE Channel Here: https://www.youtube.com/markjkohler Craving more content? Check out my Instagram!