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Carlos opens this one by admitting taxes are his blind spot, so he brought in someone who has built a career on them. Rachel Phillips founded Fully Accountable, an accounting and CFO firm that served e-commerce brands exclusively. After BELAY acquired it, she stayed on and now runs the entire financial solutions division as Senior VP. Her core point: tax hacks are not something you find in a shoebox of receipts in April. They work because they are a plan you put in place inside your business strategy. This is part one of two, covering the first three hacks, the ones at the top of the stack that make everything downstream work. In part one: Why "just be an S Corp" is bad advice. An S Corp is a tax election, not a business structure, and most people passing the advice around cannot define it. Rachel walks the real options and explains why the C Corp still earns its place when you need to raise money or take on debt. How you get paid changes with your structure. Guaranteed payments versus a W-2 salary, and how the wrong entity can quietly put you out of compliance. When to actually build a tax plan. The profit and revenue marks Rachel uses, why inventory-heavy sellers should start earlier, and who belongs in the room. Your CPA and your CFO, not your bookkeeper, and not a business lawyer who does not do tax. Retirement plans as a retention tool. The SEP IRA most owners have never heard of, how matching turns into money you never paid tax on, and the question every employee asks: what happens to my balance if I leave in five years. The Augusta rule. Rent your own home to your own business up to 14 days a year, tax free to you and deductible to the business. Carlos asks the question everyone asks at the bar: can nine businesses each run it against the same house? Rachel shuts that down and explains the one narrow case where it works. Setting fair market value on your home without overthinking it, and why your mortgage payment has nothing to do with the number. The best months of the year to do this work, plus the retirement funding deadline that is not December 31. Part two lands next week and goes straight at the e-commerce specific hacks: Section 179 bonus depreciation, prepaid expenses, and Rachel's checklist of old faithfuls that everyone forgets. Our guest: Rachel Phillips is an entrepreneur, a lawyer by training, founder of Fully Accountable, and Senior VP of Financial Solutions at BELAY. She is most active on LinkedIn. Connect with BELAY: text WIZARDS to 55123 and they will send resources and connect you with their team. BELAY is a sponsor of the Wizards of Ecom community, and as our listeners know, we say no to far more partnerships than we say yes to. This is a conversation between two business owners, not tax advice. Limits and rules change year to year. Take anything here to your own CPA before you act on it.
Just when you thought America had invented every possible retirement account, along comes the Radish. Don and Tom dig into the proposed employer-funded savings plan, the man who helped create the 401(k), and whether workers really need another tax-advantaged vegetable in an already crowded garden.The practical answer is simpler: start saving now. A Roth IRA and one broad global stock ETF can do more good than waiting for the perfect account—or learning every acronym in the retirement alphabet.Listener questions cover diversifying beyond rental real estate, whether spreading accounts across custodians is useful cyber insurance, moving emergency cash from Ally to SGOV, Roth 401(k) matching, and Roth IRA withdrawal timing.00:37 Mountain music and backyard radishes02:40 The retirement-account alphabet04:36 What exactly is a Radish plan?09:04 Save now; simplify later11:53 Diversifying beyond rental real estate16:15 TSP, SEP IRA, and custodian cyber risk19:06 SGOV for an emergency fund21:26 Roth 401(k) matching and Roth IRA accessQuestions? Comments? Click!
How do you manage money more effectively? How can you stop being surprised by taxes? How do you turn your cashflow into something predictable? Kiera answers these questions and more, with three monthly habits you can build to create profitability. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: Kiera Dent- Dental A Team (00:01) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera. And today's topic is one of my favorite. It's money, taxes, and making a money-making machine. Yeah. Yay. Let's talk money and taxes. Because honestly, this is what everybody hates. And I'm not a CPA. I'm not a financial advisor. I'm none of those things. I'm just a girl who loves to help practices be more profitable. Help dentists like make and keep the money that they deserve, but doing it in an ethical way as a smart business owner. Because honestly, do you know how many people come to me and they're Kiera, I just want to become the CEO of my business because I don't get it, I don't know how. And I love Helping people become competent running their businesses through systems, team, vision, you name it. I love to do it with you. So what I found is like a lot of times doctors don't have a production problem. They have a money management problem because you don't freaking know how to do it. You learned how to drop that box. You learned how to make that. This one was funny, guys. Like, why in dental school did they tell you you're doing an I L F filling? Like, come on. Like I remember seeing that and I was like, wow, dentistry. Or like I love when there's new people and they're like, Yeah, doc, we need a B O. And I'm like, All right, or we could do like an OB, like it's fine, whatever. Or like I remember someone was like, What's a do? A DO I was like, my gosh, that's hilarious. So there's so many things like you've learned all that, but you didn't learn how to like manage your money and talk about it. So I have seen so many practices where they're a multi-million dollar office, but guess what? They're strapped for cash, they're not able to do these things. And the goal is not to like just produce more, it's to build a practice that creates consistent wealth for you. Now, team members listening, I want you to know you want your doctor. To be insanely wealthy. Like you do. You want the practice to be wealthy because you want it to be cash flowing positive. Because if it is, you're happy. It's more stable, it's more confident. And I'm not saying like, I want your doctor to be wealthy. I want them to do well. You do too. Because guess what? If they're doing great, that means you're doing great. So I want you guys to walk like, how do we manage money money monthly? How do we stop getting surprised by taxes? And this is Kiera's tactical way of doing it. Talk to your CPAs. I'm not able to be that person, but I'm gonna give you some quick tips that work really well. And then make sure your CPA validates and does it that's best for you. And then also, like, how can we turn this into predictable cash flow? Like that's what you're looking for. So let's do it. And to me, this is where I just see so many. We work with hundreds of offices across the nation. We're Dental A Team, we're experts in dental consulting. We work with dentists and teams. We either are virtual or in person, we're obsessed with making your life better. We call it the yes success model, where it's focused on you, your vision, your team, getting that organized, business fundamentals, earnings and profitability. And then system structure and scalability. Like, how do we take it and turn it into that? That's what you're looking for. You want to make more money, you want to have less time that's spent in the office, you want to have more efficiencies. Like, let's do that together. That's what we're about. And really, today I get jazzed about this because so many offices are like, Kiera, I don't know where my money went. Guess what? I was that way too. Like, truly, it's so obnoxious. Because I know you are producing it. You need to just make it. Like, and how scary. I think about poor dentists. Like, You go out, you do your fillings, you don't know if you're gonna get paid for it. You hope and pray that someone's collecting that money, but you will literally have no idea. Then the next thing is you get slapped with taxes, and you're like, my gosh, I have no money. Let's get you money. Like you went to dental school, you have so much debt on you, like you deserve to be a profitable business owner. So, like I said, just three things. Sorry about that. I'm just gonna yank this. Three things that you can do that are monthly habits to create profitability. You good with that? Let's get profitability. cash flow and financial confidence. Here we go. So number one, dun dun dun dun, it's super sexy and not. All you gotta do, you gotta review your numbers every single month. Not when you're nervous, but as a consistent thing. You can join me. I've talked about it so many times. I call it the MMs. It's morning money meditation. That's it. Just do it. Like roll over. I turn on the call map or I'm into Joe Dispenser right now. there was another one I was listening to for a hot minute. I think it was called I don't even remember. Was called. I can't even tell you guys. I don't remember. It was like this activations, I think is what it was called. That one was a fun one. It was like manifesting like multiple millions, like whatever you want do. but I meditate, I get my mind right, and then I look at my bank account. So join me on it. But I feel like a lot of times people just they don't know it, they don't get it, they just hope their CPA does it. my financial advisor will get it. I don't need to look at this. I'm just gonna do dentistry. Like, no, pull your head out of the sand. You are a business owner, you've got to look at it. So We review our numbers before there's a problem, not when something fills off. So things to be looking at on a constant basis. What is our collection and production ratio? And I'm talking production in net, not gross. We got to be able to make sure, like, I don't care. I know Delta Dental's terrible. Guess what? That's all you can collect. So stop feeding your ego. Let's feed the family. Let's look at real numbers. What is that percentage? It needs to be at 98%. Half of you have a money issue, not because you have a money issue, it's because your team's not collecting. Teams, collect the money. We did the work. Collect the money, fight with insurance, fight, fight, fight, get that money. Like you've got to. So we need to know what those two numbers are and you need to be at 98% collections. Okay. That's number one on your money. Number two is what's your overhead? Should be at 50% or less, 20% doctor pay. You gotta do this. What are we spending in those categories? So I like to look at our payroll percentage. I like to look at our supplies, labs. those are like the main big ticket items within that 50%. Doctor should pay should be sitting between 20 and 30%. All right, let's look at that. Then beyond that, there's also probably money sitting in your AR. We should never have more than one month's worth of AR sitting there. So if you're producing $200,000, your total AR should never be more than $200,000. That's just the way the game works. So those are things we're gonna look at. All right. You gotta look at did we hit our goals, production, collection? What's our overhead? Did we overspend? Why? What improved and what did it? So we're gonna look at our PL. So I look at. All of our team, all of our clients, they're on add it to analytics. So you usually have an online analytic. We build a KPI scorecard for all of our clients. Every client has it. So we're looking at what's our goal? What's our production? Is it red or green for that week or that month? Is it red or green for the collections? What's our collection percentage this month? What's our collection percentage year today? Because some months are gonna be low, some months are gonna be high. That's normal business. But we got to make sure we're collecting enough for our BAM, our bare ace minimum. And if not, we need to have savings for that. All right, so we have all that. Then we also have an overhead calculator. I love the overhead calculator. I'm obsessed with it. We finally nailed this overhead calculator. Like it is, it's dreamy. Because what we do, I like to see this. It's a rolling month. So for those of you watching, great. I'm gonna share a screen. For those of you who are listening to the podcast, I'll explain it. Don't worry. So on here we have a scorecard. So this is one of my favorites. It's the overhead one. So what we do is we have our goals. So we set in our goals. Like payrolls 30%, supplies are 5%, labs 7%, facility and equipment 8%, advertising 2%, less you're in growth mode, office supplies less than 1%, insurance half a percentage, professional services. We put in there your consulting fee. You're welcome. I want you to see that you can pay for consulting and be profitable. Bank charges and fees, I hope and pray they're less than 3%. They should be lower. And if not, you can get with Moolah. Phone internet utilities, less than 5% or 0.5, excuse me. And then other is usually 1%. All that totals up to 60%. That means our doctor pay is probably gonna be sitting in at 20% or 30%. How can we trim this? A lot of people can produce more and have less payroll. We can outsource different things. Could we get our supplies lower? Can we order things differently? Labs, like let's look at that facility and equipment. Can we get that lower? Can we reduce our rent? Advertising, office supplies, could we get that down to a half a percentage? Professional services, like what if we got it to 1%? Or one of the fastest, easiest ways is we boost our production. And it's gonna actually offset it and get it to a 50% overhead. Then what's amazing is we have our year to date. So what is it? What's our collection amount? We always want watch that. Year to date, and then we do a difference. So what's amazing is as you scroll through, we do January, February, March, April, we have our total overhead. What's our doctor W2? What's our doctor distribution, doctor salary? I want to see what percentage it is. This really quickly shows you what's my overhead, what's my doctorate, and then what's my EBITDA or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. What's our total expenses, not including debt services? What's that? We want that to be sitting at 80% or less. And it gives us a dollar amount. So we're able to see it month over month and then year to date where we sit. What's the net profit? So in this practice, because they're at 60%, their net profit can only be at 10% unless our doctor pays lower. I don't really care how you do it because distributions are distributions. So if you want to take the profit, you want to leave it in the business, you got to make sure that the practice is paying for your life. Then we have all of our debt services. This is usually where people get stuck on cash. You're stuck on cash. Because you have your profit, but then your profit doesn't pay for your debt services. And then after your debt services, those debt services a lot of times are not tax deductible. So then you're getting whipped on the other side with your taxes. It's really just this like yin and yang back and forth. Then we look at it. Now, taxes, we put it at 37%. Talks to your CPA. That's the highest tax bracket. You might not be there based on what your profitability is. But we have all this. So this way everything's dialed in. Every single month we're looking it over. I'm obsessed with this because I love it. I made my CPA make one of these. What's our difference? How is this? What's our year to date? We go over this every single freaking month. Give the PL. Let's fill this in. Let's teach you how to do it this way. The more intimate you are with the numbers. I know people are like, I don't want to fill this in. Can you do it for me? No. I'll teach you one time, but then you're gonna fill this in. Why? Because if you look at this every month, think you're gonna get better? Yes, because what you track and measure improves. Okay. So that's what we're looking at. When we talk about our numbers, when we talk about these different things. This is how you review your numbers monthly. I kid you not. Now, my gym trainer, I'm gonna talk about her a lot. You guys, I went on a really incredible gym training. All right. I decided when I turned 40, which I'm still like anybody who's got some good tips for like I'm halfway to 80. Do you guys realize that? Like, shoot, that's a moment, okay? Like, that's a moment that I'm still processing. Anyway, I decided I was going to be fit and 40. And I was like, I'm gonna be the best shape of my life. So my trainer and I have been working out with her for about two years. We set a goal. I hired this incredible photographer. His name is Kai York. He's out of Spain. Go check him out. His photography is absolutely incredible. And I was like, I'm gonna do this incredible fitness journey. And I'll tell you, she was like, Kiera, you've been working out for two years with me. She said, if you want to get to what you want, you've got to start tracking your metrics. And I was like, Yeah, yeah, yeah. Food, food, food. Daddy daddy da. I'm so busy, blah, blah, blah, blah. Then I was like, fine. So she made me do this like intake form again. And the intake form said, How committed are you? And I remember writing, I'm 100% committed. How committed are you? So I went back to the coach. He guys, I'm a little sassy. My coach and I have come to like this really good place with each other. we have a very great relationship, and I'm super thankful for her. And what was crazy is I went all in. I am on 80 days of tracking my macros 100%. I usually hit it right on track every single time. I'm not perfect, but I am consistent. I weigh in every single day that I'm home. So we weigh in, measure, do all the measurements every single day consistently. We were like three months into this journey. And I was a girl who was anorexic as a girl who was like never gonna get on a scale. I was like, I don't track it. And she said, Kiera, like we worked a lot on this of anorexia things. And if it ever got to a spot where I felt like it was trickling back. It was a no-go. But she helped me see that like I'm just using this information to be able to make changes in my life. I was using this information to see, okay, if I ate certain things, how does that impact my weight? I wasn't going after a certain number on the scale. Our ultimate goal, because my my vision is that when I'm 90, I can freaking run faster than my grandkids or people younger than me. I want to be this like freaking ripped 90-year-old lady with cotton candy pink hair. Like that's that's really the vision. I don't want to be frail. I don't want to be feeble. Yes, I'll sit there and like crochet and knit. I'm still gonna do like some like granny things. I wanna do that. That like feels exciting for me. But I want to be like so strong. So it wasn't about a number on the scale, it wasn't about a body fat percentage. It was truly I want to be in the best shape of my life that's physically strong. Like I wanna be strong. I want to be strong, like not skinny. Like I used to be going after being super skinny. now it's a how can I have like the strongest and take care of my body? The whole reason I bring this up is because when I track and measure, I got the results I wanted. The first time in my life, I've said, I want a six-pack, I want a six pack, but she's like, Kiera, you've got to track and you gotta measure and you've got to look at it. We use it as data and we make decisions based on that. I bring that up because I feel like your metrics and your numbers, looking at them monthly, looking at them daily, looking at them weekly are the same thing. We don't get obsessive. Like for me, I could have gotten very obsessive and gotten right back into habits of anorexia. That's not the path. The path is to be my strongest, most fit self for you. Your path is we're gonna be the most profitable fit practice that you can have. We gotta track it, we gotta measure it, and we gotta look at it constantly. But that way we make decisions based on it. So I want you looking at this. This is how you're going to be able to be financially free. This is how you're gonna have money. You're gonna be able to be like into that predictable money-making machine for you that's profitable. You're gonna have profitability, you're gonna have cash flow, and you're gonna have financial confidence. You've got to track and measure, otherwise it will never improve. And I'm just saying, like. So we have a KPI scorecard that's gonna track your collections, your production, your payroll, your overhead, your profitability, our AR. Then we're gonna have like if one of those is off, then we can dig deeper. But if you look at those at a high level, just like I'm tracking my metrics, I promise you you will improve. What gets measured, like improves. So let's do it. Let's do it together. and I believe your story tells, like your numbers will tell a story long before your bank account does. And it's a way for you to track and measure, it's a way for you to validate. so Put it on your calendar, have a nice little financial date with yourself. also have this in leadership. Our leadership team looks at our KPIs every single week. Every week, non-negotiable. That's what we do. And some people are like, well, I don't want my team to know numbers. Yeah, it freaks me out sometimes. But guess what? This is part of the game of business. And if I can't trust my leadership team to know my numbers, they might not be the right leadership team for me. Leadership team members, your doctors need to have profit. They've got to pay taxes on that. They got to be able to take care of themselves. And guess what? They work hard. Let them have big dreams and visions. Just like you have big dreams and visions. Let's make sure we make both come true. Kate, now number two. I'm off my rant. I hope you guys loved it because I loved it. Number two is we got to do whatever your CPA tells you. I'm not a CPA. I can't really like get into that lane. And I'm not trying to get into that lane. I'm just saying for me, taxes were my biggest enemy. At the end of the year, I had a huge tax bill that I had not been saving for. And I know my was like, but Kiera, it's great. You get all this money. And I'm like, yay, but I don't have that money. I spent it. Like, I don't know, people spend their paychecks. It's just like mystery. And I don't like living in this like, can I spend the money? Can I not spend the money? That never feels good to me. So what I decided to do with my CPA is we put it together and every single month I was like, this is a freaking equation, guys. Whatever my profit is, I need to just save that much money. Like that's it. Why do we like wait up for a quarter or wait up for six months or wait till the end of the year? And then I'm like, shoot, you want me to pay how much? Like, where's that money? To me, I'm very proactive. I hate being reactive. So I had my CPA work with me. You can talk to your CPA. They can do this for you. Say, I don't like the quarterlies. I like to save it. For me, I personally put mine over an ally, A-L-L-Y. I know their interest rates are not as good as they used to be, dang it. But I'm still making money on that. And then I've got the money set aside. So when they ask me for my quarterly, they ask me for my end of year. I'm not freaking out about this money, but non-negotiable for cure dent before the end of the month, every single month, that money moves. Non-negoti, I don't care what it is. I move away a distribution. So I have put money, it's profit first model. I do money for taxes. I do money for our BAM for our company to make sure we have that. And then I do our profit moves every single month, non-negotiable. I don't care if it's a good month. I don't care if it's a bad month. But what that does is it forces me to make sure our collections are in place. Do this. You guys are totally able to do this. Okay. So what happens is every single month, my CPA tells me, Kiera, this is where you were. This is your profit. This is how much money you need to put away for taxes. Is it technically retroactive? Yes. So in June, I'll be moving money for May. Okay. So some months you're going to have a really high month. Then you get September. That's really fun. You still got to find the money because guess what? It doesn't change. You have to go find that money. I move that money out of my bank account into a third party account. So it sits over an ally. It does accrue interest over there, but it sits there. I don't touch it. It only is paid for taxes and I have them labeled into buckets. So it's my taxes, what's my company? Bam. And it moves. This is a disciplined skill. You do not need to have this hard. For me, I also realized it was taxes, it was tithing or charitable contributions. And then like 401k. So when I used to do a SEP IRA, that was a fun throw because I had to pay that money too. Then I also have end of year bonuses. I hate doing this in December. Like I hated December. I used to dread December. I'd cry every December. Let's stop that. Whatever money you're paying out, if you know you're paying bonuses at the end of the year, let's figure out what it is divided by 12. Let's set that money aside every single month. That way you have it available. I will tell you this will reduce your financial stress faster than anything else. So let's just do it. And for me, taxes, it's just an operating expense. For me, like that's just part of doing business. I don't, it's not, it's not like money lost. It's just a line item. Like I just need to put it in the bank account. What I also love is because I save every single month. So I kid you not, this is what Care does. I'm happy to put you on my like, I don't really have a text thread, but pretend I do. If you want to be a part of it, great. By the end of the month, every month before the calendar flips to the next month, my money has moved. Non-negotiable, it will move. So I do have a doctor where we like text at the end of the month to make sure we're both moving money. and so what I do is I move it. What happens is at the end of the year, typically we're making expenses or doing corporate expenses, things like that, capital expenses, excuse me. And when that happens, from there, what we're able to do is we're then able to determine what our tax bill is going to be at the end of the year. Every year that I have done this, where I save every month, I do 37%, like or whatever your tax bracket is, talk to your CPA. At the end of the year, every year, I'm eight years strong on this. So I feel like it's a pretty good track record to be sharing information. Every single year, I've saved more money than I actually need to pay for taxes. How many of you have done that? Like, that's it, because I put it on my goalboard. I said, That's it. I'm gonna become a freaking tax expert. I read tax books, I like talked to my CPA. I was like, I am sick of crying in December. We're gonna resolve this forever. Now every single year I have more money than what I used to have. And I say that that's my tax refund. It's been a very long time since as a business owner actually get a tax refund, but that's the way I'm able to have a tax refund. And then I use that money for whatever because it's free. Like I don't have to be worried. I can spend it. And what we do is we make sure the business has enough to pay for my partial life. We have enough to save for taxes. And then whatever's left over to me, that's your like, it's your tax refund. Enjoy that, baby. Like have a good time. I also always have money for quarterlies. I have money set aside for that. So I've never stressed out. So when the CPA says carry you owe X amount, I'm like, yep, here we go. Off it goes. And I accrued interest on So I feel even happier because I've been accruing interest on that money and I've been saving it. So tax planning is cash flow planning because most of the time I've noticed that business owners get stuck on their taxes. It's cash flow and it's very stressful. So I genuinely believe like your IRS bill should never be your largest surprise. Like, guys, you can do this. So I set up a meeting with my financial my CPA and my financial advisors. I meet with them every single month. And then I do usually mid year. So it's coming up right now. I'll be meeting with my CPA. Where am I at? What have I paid? What do I still need to have? Where are we projected? Am I high? Am I low? What do we have that at? Every single month they tell me how much I need to save for taxes. Your CPA works for you. Make them work for you. So reserve it. Now, if we're behind, because a few years I've been behind. But guess what? If I'm doing that meeting in June or July, I have six months to make up that cash. Or if you guys have like some of you are paying back taxes and it just breaks my heart and I'm sorry. So what we do is we just pay a little extra every single month and we just set that. So whatever they tell me, tack on 10% of my debt, we're gonna pay that down, we're gonna pay that back. There's ways that you can do this, and I'm happy to work through any of it. This is what we talk about in our mastermind. Like, pick my brain because I got so sick of crying. Like I said, I'm not a CPA. Your CPAs tell you all that. I'll just tell you I'm a I'm an entrepreneur over here and a true business owner. It's had to figure out how to make money not be stressful and actually have a cash flow. All right. Number three is how do we make this like predictable cash flow for you? So I think for you, next is going to be like this is all dentistry. So how do we convert like production into profit? So being a good dentist. So we're gonna have strong case acceptance. Make sure patients are saying yes to your dentistry, collections percentage at 98%. Make sure overhead's where it needs to be. Let's make sure our schedule is scheduled efficiently. Let's make sure that we've got consistent patient and team retention. two practices honestly can collect the exact same amount. One's gonna have profit and wealth, the other one's gonna have stress and overhead. Like the difference is our systems and are we staying consistent? What's our morning huddle? Like I was just in a practice, they're doing so well. And I was like, hey, we're not talking a huddle about how we win. Like let's let's add that in. So they're prepping. I promise you their production's gonna go up every single time I'm in office, their production spikes. It's just that's a little Dental A Team magic because people get excited, their production goes up. But you've got to have those. Like you've got to have consistent systems. We've got to have consistent case acceptance, consistent schedules, consistent collections. Like those things have to be there. We have to control our overhead and see it. Consistency is not sexy, but it's how you get results. I hope you heard that. Consistency is not sexy, but it's how you get results. It's not perfection. I did not say you have be perfect. You guys, when I'm doing my cut, I was in the best shape of my life. I'm still so proud of myself. I wasn't perfect. You better believe I still ate Reese's Easter eggs, guys. I freaking love those. You want to make me happy? Ship me those. Please. Like, I love them. they have to be the big eggs, not the little ones. The peanut butter to chocolate ratio is very different. And I peel off all the chocolate. I just want the peanut butter. Like, I'm there for it. I still ate those. I wasn't perfect. At the end, I was perfect. I was literally just eating chicken, rice, and almonds. Like, ugh, chicken for breakfast. Yeah, that was the next level moment. but I was perfect for two weeks. But I was consistent. I wasn't perfect. You don't have to be perfect. You do need to be consistent. So having those systems, and I want you guys to just look to see in your practice where is one money, like where is it leaking in your practice? Is it in our case acceptance? Is it in our scheduling? Is it in our collections? Is it in us not looking at our overhead? And let's fix it this quarter. Let's set that as a quarterly rock. Let's get it fixed. So, as a quick review, I've ranted on this. I hope you guys loved it. But like truly, I want this to be like money and taxes. And how do you get out of the rut? And how do you stop crying? How do you actually have cash flow, not cash slow? Like, let's get the cash flow, guys. you gotta review your numbers monthly. I'd recommend it's actually weekly, but start with monthly. You gotta plan for taxes every single month. And then we gotta build systems that turn it production into profit. Like just focus on those ones that are gonna put money on your books. You've got to be able to have this financial confidence. Like it's not a hope, a wish, a prayer. It's by being consistent. It's about being stable. I know that I'm gonna always have money for taxes. Always. Like that's just a discipline. That's a standard, and I will not go below that. I will not ever go below. Like that's just my standard. We gotta cut, we gotta figure it out. And I love it because it forces me to innovate, forces me to squeeze the juice. Like I will pay myself. I'm not gonna sit here and not like you people just need to live below their means. Like, save 10%. I've always paid 10% to charitable contributions. I'll tell you if you don't do that, I'm not saying you gotta do charitable contributions, but they have shown that people that do save and don't live on everything that they spend. Actually, you're able to be like the most successful people. That was a great study. I didn't even know it. And I heard it and I was like, wow. But I think it's because it forces us to see that you don't have to live on every single penny that comes through. You're actually able to live below your means, set these as standards, make them and be disciplined. And if you're not great at this, reach out. I love to help people with this. Like you don't have to have this be unpredictable anymore. We can get it to where it's cash flow confident. And I want you to be confident. So reach out. I do believe that financial success is not good luck. It is just having systems and consistency. That's all it is. So reach out. I'd love to help you understand your numbers. I'd love to help you improve this. I'd love to have you have a practice that really does create genuine true wealth for you. I've got doctors that are asking me for a private mastermind where it's like, how do we wealth generate beyond? So first step is to stabilize, next step is to have structure, next step is to scale. So reach out. I'd love to help you. I'd love to help you guys create real wealth. Your practices should be assets, not liabilities. So let's get it to where it's cash flowing positive. again, it can really truly be yours. I went from crying all the time to feeling confident as a business owner and I love to share that with people. So reach out Hello@TheDentalATeam.com. And as always, thanks for listening, and I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team podcast.
It's Q&A Wednesday, and we're answering your live chat questions on today's biggest investing, market, and economic topics. With the S&P 500 near record highs after weeks of consolidation, investors are asking what comes next. Is this breakout sustainable, or are markets setting up for another bout of volatility? Lance Roberts & Danny Ratliff discuss market leadership, interest rates, inflation, AI, bonds, portfolio positioning, retirement planning, and whatever else is on your mind. 0:00 INTRO 1:01 - AMD, Eli Lilly Earnings & Markets' New High 2:49 - Strait of Hormuz/Iran & Headlines 4:24 - Economic Data Weakens - JOLTS report 5:11 - The Thing About Consolidations & Breakouts 7:54 - Interest rates about to trigger bond buy signal 10:00 - Coffee & Keeping Lance Around 10:51 - Market Behavior & Investment Sentiment 12:19 - Core CPI vs Fed Funds Rate: Is the Fed wrong or the bond market wrong? 15:47 - Using Stablecoin to purchase international stocks 18:05 - Options strategies on parabolic moves 19:00 - US Debt Clock composition & Gold Purchases 23:16 - Will Yield Curve Control be eventually implemented? 24:50 - Is this a good week to rebalance? 27:18 - Investing in broad-market ETF's via SEP IRA 31:27 - Preferred Bonds vs Corp Bonds, & 60/40 Allocations 34:15 - Why you need inflation (why we invest) 39:28 - Understanding what you're buying (bonds) 42:17 - Emerging Market equities concentrated in PVR, VALE? 42:45 - Off balance Sheet AI Debt 43:14 - US purchase of Yen - a form of yield curve control? 46:49 - Traditional Pension + SS = ratio for equities? 48:25 - Two Types of Debt Chief Investment Strategist, Lance Roberts, CIO, w Senior Investment Advisor, Danny Ratliff, CFP Produced by Brent Clanton, Executive Producer ------- Do you enjoy our content? Rate us on Google: https://bit.ly/4b9JtEo ------- Watch Today's Full Video on our YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/live/HeU8LWC2rfo?feature=share ------- Articles mentioned in this report: "Bonds In Your Portfolio: Why Ditching Them Is The Wrong Move" https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/bonds-in-your-portfolio-why-ditching-them-is-the-wrong-move/ "AI Bear Case: What Skeptics Get Right And Wrong" https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/ai-bear-case-what-skeptics-get-right-and-wrong/ "The Momentum Crash: Is It Over?" https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/the-momentum-crash-is-it-over/ -------- Watch today's "Before the Bell" premarket commentary, "New Highs, Now What?" https://youtu.be/K0SaWvIeYkQ ------- Watch our previous show, "The 60/40 Portfolio Is Not Dead" https://youtube.com/live/9KGokK9tGuA ------- Get more info & commentary: https://realinvestmentadvice.com/insights/real-investment-daily/ ------- * REGISTER for our next Dynamic Learning Series, "Savvy Social Security Planning: More Income, Less Worry," Thursday, August 6, 2026: https://streamyard.com/watch/tQ3PS8hd64mt --- Visit our Site: https://www.realinvestmentadvice.com Contact Us: 1-855-RIA-PLAN --- Subscribe to SimpleVisor : https://www.simplevisor.com/register-new --- Connect with us on social: https://twitter.com/RealInvAdvice https://twitter.com/LanceRoberts https://www.facebook.com/RealInvestmentAdvice/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/realinvestmentadvice/ #StockMarket #SP500 #Investing #Bonds #MarketOutlook FinancialPlanning #MarketOutlook
Caylee Robles is a retired CPA turned Florida real estate agent who spent five years earning her accounting credentials at the University of Wisconsin before walking away from Deloitte to chase real estate. After six months without a paycheck, a $90,000 wholesaling run, and two years of raiding her own tax account, she built a Profit First system that now pays her a salary every 1st and 15th and could carry her through six months of zero income.David Richter and Caylee dig into why agents stay trapped in feast or famine, why she deliberately chose the lower risk agent path over investing, and the exact account structure that let her double three years of income in a single year. If you're a real estate agent or investor whose commissions land straight in your personal checking account, this episode is your wake-up call.Timeline Summary[0:33] – David sets up the episode: thinking like a business owner and building systems that keep more of your money[1:15] – Caylee shares her backstory: decided at age eight to become an accountant, earned her CPA at the University of Wisconsin[2:39] – Within a month at her first accounting job she knew she hated it, searching real estate jobs every night during busy season[3:43] – Where her "do hard things" wiring came from: two parents in sales who worked 25 years before the payoff[6:07] – The three year transition out of accounting: Deloitte auditing, a real estate internship, and an Austin transfer that closed the door[7:42] – Underwriting $1 million plus luxury leased homes across the Caribbean, Mexico, and South Florida[8:08] – Joining New Western at the end of 2022: "you eat what you kill," 75 to 80 hour weeks, and two months with no income[9:39] – Six months without making a dollar, then $90,000 in three months wholesaling with her partner[10:10] – Setting up her LLC and Profit First accounts on Relay before the money ever showed up[11:49] – The two year struggle: pulling from her tax account to pay personal credit cards during the lean stretch[13:38] – The 2025 turning point: repeat client business and splits big enough that she never touches her owner's distribution account[16:38] – Her S corp structure: salary every 1st and 15th, SEP IRA contributions, and distributions on top[17:19] – In 2025 she doubled what she made in the three prior years combined, and 2026 has already matched it[21:25] – Why agent risk beats investor risk: her downside is time, while investors she works with have $300,000 on the line[23:21] – Diversifying beyond real estate: 401k, SEP IRA, joint investments, and a 3% interest rate home that becomes a rental[29:59] – Her one move to make this week: set it up as a business with an LLC and dedicated business accounts5 Key TakeawaysTreat Yourself Like a Business Owner — Whether you're an agent or an investor, you're self-employed, and that means acting like it. An LLC, a business checking account, and dedicated tax and owner's pay accounts come before anything else.Set Up the System Before the Money Arrives — Caylee opened her Profit First accounts while she was broke, so when the $90K hit there was already a place for every dollar. The foundation matters more than the timing.Risk Your Time, Not Your Money — She left investing for the agent side on purpose. A canceled listing costs her hours, while an overleveraged flip can cost an investor six figures at inspection.Automation Removes the Willpower Problem — Money hits her Relay account and splits instantly: credit cards paid, SEP IRA funded, salary scheduled. She only touches the system when she overspends.A Buffer Buys You the Power of No — With six months of runway in the business, a slow summer doesn't create panic. Financial cushion is what turns "what do I need to do" into "what do I want to do next."Links & ResourcesSimple CFO — https://simplecfo.comFollow Caylee Robles on Instagram — https://instagram.com/thedailycayleeRelay business banking — https://relayfi.comProfit First by Mike MichalowiczEnjoyed This Episode?If Caylee's story of going from raiding her tax account to a self-paying salary every two weeks hit close to home, don't keep it to yourself. Share this episode with an agent or investor whose commissions are still landing in their personal checking account. Then follow the show and leave a rating and review so more real estate professionals can find Profit First.
Suze Orman's Women & Money (And Everyone Smart Enough To Listen)
On this brand new Ask KT & Suze Anything, KT asks and Suze answers your questions about last week's SEP IRA and Solo 401k master class. Plus, helping your parents out, protecting your financial future against AI and so much more. Learn more about the Ultimate Scam Protection here: SuzeOrman.com Watch Suze’s YouTube Channel Jumpstart financial wellness for your employees: https://bit.ly/SecureSave Protect your financial future with the Must Have Docs: https://bit.ly/3Vq1V3G Help with the Must Have Docs: Email:support@musthavedocuments.zendesk.com Phone: 888-510-0510 Get your savings going with Alliant Credit Union: https://bit.ly/3rg0Yio Get Suze’s special offers for podcast listeners at suzeorman.com/offer Join Suze’s Women & Money Community for FREE and ASK SUZE your questions which may just end up on the podcast. Download the app by following one of these links: CLICK HERE FOR APPLE: https://apple.co/2KcAHbH CLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE PLAY: https://bit.ly/3curfMISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Suze Orman's Women & Money (And Everyone Smart Enough To Listen)
On this new Suze School, Suze teaches a lesson about the differences between a SEP IRA and a Solo Roth 401K. For those of you who are self-employed, know someone who is or think that you may become self-employed down the road, this is for you. Learn more about the Ultimate Scam Protection here: SuzeOrman.com Watch Suze’s YouTube Channel Jumpstart financial wellness for your employees: https://bit.ly/SecureSave Protect your financial future with the Must Have Docs: https://bit.ly/3Vq1V3G Help with the Must Have Docs: Email:support@musthavedocuments.zendesk.com Phone: 888-510-0510 Get your savings going with Alliant Credit Union: https://bit.ly/3rg0Yio Get Suze’s special offers for podcast listeners at suzeorman.com/offer Join Suze’s Women & Money Community for FREE and ASK SUZE your questions which may just end up on the podcast. Download the app by following one of these links: CLICK HERE FOR APPLE: https://apple.co/2KcAHbH CLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE PLAY: https://bit.ly/3curfMISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This is a free preview of a paid episode (57 min), exclusively available on our subscriber-only premium feed. Become a premium subscriber to tune into the full episode: https://cubicletoceo.co/podcast Questions about our premium podcast subscription? Send us a DM @cubicletoceo Reinvesting all your profits back into your own business can feel like the safest bet, but Nat Bullen offers a different perspective on why owning shares of other companies via the stock market is actually a more reliable investment. Nat is a coach, investor, and owner of Unapologetic Wealth, where she helps women in business make more money in their business and build wealth outside of it. Continuing our series on Revenue → Returns (How My Business Money Makes Me Money), Nat lays out her simple stock market playbook: a SEP IRA, a Roth IRA, and one brokerage account, funded on a regular basis instead of trying to time the market. Her argument is simple — the business you're pouring everything into can't be the only plan. At some point, your money needs to start working without you. Connect with Nat: Stock Market 101 Masterclass: https://unapologeticwealth.thrivecart.com/stock-market-101-masterclass/ http://www.unapologeticwealth.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ladylyricist06/ Birthright Podcast: https://unapologeticwealth.thrivecart.com/birthright-private-podcast/ IG: @unapologeticwealth If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us @cubicletoceo so we can repost you. Subscribe to our premium feed for case-study style interviews every Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1032. Do you have extra side hustle income that's pushing you into a higher tax bracket? In this episode, Laura answers a listener's question about whether new self-employment earnings mean it's time to switch from a Roth to a traditional 401(k) or IRA. You'll learn how to use retirement contributions to lower your taxable income today, the fundamental tax differences between these accounts, and how to choose the best strategy for your small business income. Key takeawaysTraditional retirement accounts allow tax-deductible contributions, but withdrawals in retirement are fully taxed.Roth retirement accounts don't have an upfront tax benefit, but allow your investment growth and future retirement withdrawals to be entirely tax-free.Choosing between a traditional and Roth account depends on guessing about your future tax rate, but could also be a preference for having taxable or tax-free income in retirement. If you believe your tax rate is lower today than it will be in retirement, choose a Roth. If your income increases so that your current tax rate is higher today than you expect in the future, choose a traditional retirement account. Using a hybrid approach and splitting retirement investments between traditional and Roth in the same year can be wise.When you have self-employment income, you qualify for small business plans, such as a solo 401(k) or a SEP-IRA.Discover more from Money Girl!FacebookNewsletterTranscripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.Email: Laura@LauraDAdams.com or leave a voicemail: (302) 364-0308. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this Episode of the Secure Your Retirement Podcast, Radon and Murs discuss the importance of choosing the right Self-Employed Retirement Accounts after transitioning from W-2 employment into the world of consulting, freelancing, or independent contracting. If you are earning 1099 income and wondering how to handle tax planning, build long-term wealth, and create a strategy for retiring comfortably, this episode breaks down the most effective small business retirement plans available today. From understanding tax deductible retirement contributions to comparing a Solo 401k, SEP IRA, Simple IRA, and even a Defined Benefit Plan, this episode helps self-employed professionals take control of their financial future and secure your retirement.Listen in to learn about the different retirement savings options available for entrepreneurs, consultants, and independent contractors who want to maximize savings while reducing taxes. Radon and Murs explain how proper tax strategies for self employed individuals can dramatically impact long-term wealth accumulation and why creating a solid Retirement Planning strategy is essential when managing 1099 retirement income. Whether you are new to self-employment or already generating significant income, this conversation provides practical insights into Financial planning for retirement, minimizing taxes through the self employment tax deduction, and creating a smart path to planning retirement successfully.In this episode, find out:How a Solo 401k, SEP IRA, and Simple IRA compare for self-employed professionalsWhy tax planning is critical when transitioning from W-2 income to 1099 consulting incomeThe benefits of Tax deductible retirement contributions and reducing taxable incomeWhen a Defined Benefit Plan may make sense for high-income business ownersKey strategies to help you plan for retirement and build long-term financial independenceTweetable Quotes:“When you flip over into the 1099 world, while you are receiving income from someone else, you're also your own employer.” – Radon Stancil“The benefit of retirement contributions for self-employed individuals is that you're not paying tax on those dollars today while building wealth for the future.” – Murs TariqResources:If you are in or nearing retirement and you want to gain clarity on what questions you should be asking, learn what the biggest retirement myths are, and identify what you can do to achieve peace of mind for your retirement, get started today by requesting our complimentary video course, Four Steps to Secure Your Retirement!To access the course, simply visit POMWealth.net/podcast.
1017. If you think that you must have a cushy job to access a retirement plan, you're mistaken. There are excellent retirement accounts for the self-employed or those running a small business. Laura reviews the rules, pros, and cons of different retirement plans you might choose based on your income, business size, and financial goals.Key Takeaways:Whether your employer doesn't offer a retirement plan or you're self-employed, you can save for retirement using one or more tax-advantaged accounts.Anyone with earned income qualifies for a traditional IRA, making it an excellent option for investing on a pre-tax basis.If you have earned income that's less than an annual threshold, you qualify for a Roth IRA, which gives you tax-free income in retirement.If you have income from a business with no employees, other than a spouse, you qualify for a solo 401(k), which offers the highest contribution limits.If you have income from a business with or without employees, you qualify for a SEP-IRA.Upcoming Wedding Series: We want your questions about wedding finances! Whether you're the bride, groom, or a guest, send us your questions about budgeting for the big day. Email: money@quickanddirtytips.com or leave a voicemail: (302) 364-0308.Discover more from Money Girl!FacebookNewsletterTranscripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com.Email: Laura@LauraDAdams.com or leave a voicemail: (302) 364-0308. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Think your Solo 401(k) is easy to manage because it's just you? Think again. In this episode of The Sentinel Show, Melissa Terito and Kasey Melancon tackle one of the retirement plan world's biggest traps: the deceptively "simple" Solo 401(k).Melissa and Kasey discuss why 75% of the Solo 401(k)s they see are set up incorrectly, often because business owners hired employees and didn't realize their "solo" plan just became a full-fledged 401(k) with all the compliance requirements attached. From the owner who crossed the $250,000 asset threshold three years ago and never filed a Form 5500, to the S-corp owner maxing out contributions based on their 1099 income instead of their actual W-2 wages, the hosts walk through common errors they encounter.The conversation covers when a Solo 401(k) might make sense versus a SEP IRA, why those two-page "fill in the blanks" plan documents can be problematic, what happens when document restatements get overlooked, and why even owner-only plans benefit from proper administration. Melissa breaks down the math on contribution limits, explaining the potential difference between Solo 401(k) and SEP contributions for someone with $100K in W-2 wages.Whether you're a business owner with a Solo 401(k), a financial advisor working with solo practitioners, or someone navigating retirement plan administration, this episode explores the compliance pitfalls that often go unnoticed until it's too late.Because as Melissa says, the easiest things can get the most messed up. And $250,000 comes faster than you think.
Tax filing reports what already happened. Tax planning is what puts you back in control.If you just finished paying your 2025 taxes and you're wondering how the bill got that big, this week's Money On Tap is for you.Ben Brayshaw and Dan Michelon walk through the year-round tax strategies most investors — and most financial advisors — are quietly missing. From bracket management and income engineering to real estate depreciation, solo 401(k) contributions, charitable trusts, and the often-overlooked Augusta Rule, this is a working playbook for keeping more of what you earn.What you'll learn:Why tax planning beats tax filing every year — and what most advisors skipHow to engineer your income to stay in a lower bracket without changing your lifestyleThe difference between one-off Roth conversions and a real 10-year Roth strategyReal estate deductions, cost segregation, and the Augusta Rule explainedSolo 401(k) vs SEP IRA — and why business owners routinely leave $30K+ on the tableCharitable remainder trusts: the tax strategy almost nobody talks aboutWhy today's 37% top federal bracket is historically low — and what that means for your retirement planPlus Money In The News:Google's $10M commitment to train American manufacturing workers on AIThe cost to raise a child in the US now tops $300,000South Hadley, MA rejects a 50% property tax hike by a 2-to-1 voteRead the companion blog: brayshawfinancial.com/blogSchedule a free consultation: app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsultaFull Money On Tap episode library: brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tapContact UsPhone: 855-226-8551Email: info@yourmoneyontap.comOffice: 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110Web: brayshawfinancial.comWhat is the "picks and shovels" approach to space investing? The picks-and-shovels approach focuses on the suppliers, infrastructure providers, and service companies that support a fast-growing industry — rather than betting on a single headline name. In space, that means owning the makers of satellites, components, ground networks, robotics, and data services that profit no matter which rocket company ultimately wins.
Roxy Butner joins the show to break down practical retirement saving strategies—especially for entrepreneurs who struggle to pay themselves first. The conversation covers foundational options like IRAs and Roth IRAs, then moves into more powerful tools such as Solo 401(k)s, SEP IRAs, and SIMPLE IRAs for business owners. They highlight the enormous impact of starting early through compounding, common planning mistakes (like neglecting retirement and estate planning), and current client concerns around market volatility and geopolitical risk. Listener questions tackle HSA asset allocation and whether bonds belong in a portfolio nearing withdrawal, along with a comparison between money market funds and bond funds. The episode reinforces a core theme: ignore the noise, build a plan, and stick to it.0:09 Show intro and Roxy joins; focus on practical, common-sense advice0:50 Entrepreneurs and the challenge of saving vs reinvesting in business1:14 Getting started: traditional IRA basics and tax deferral2:41 Roth IRA advantages and contribution limits3:41 Retirement options for self-employed: overview4:20 Solo 401(k): high contribution potential and dual-role benefits5:17 SEP IRA: flexible contributions for variable income6:40 Contribution discipline and “pay yourself first” strategy7:44 SIMPLE IRA for small businesses with employees8:22 The power of compounding and starting early9:12 Early vs late investor example—time beats total contributions10:29 Common mistakes: not planning early, ignoring estate planning12:00 Tax season behaviors and last-minute contributions13:15 Listener question: HSA allocation—100% equity vs adding bonds14:03 Suggested shift toward 80/20 or modest fixed income allocation15:34 Risk considerations and need for stability nearing withdrawals16:00 Listener question: money market vs bond fund performance16:51 Apples-to-apples comparison and limits of historical data17:57 Role of bonds vs money markets in long-term portfolios18:49 Client fears: market drops and volatility concerns19:49 Geopolitical risk and sticking to a long-term plan20:17 Importance of real financial planning vs guessing returns21:57 What listeners get from a free advisor consultation23:16 How to connect with an advisor and submit questionsQuestions? Comments? Click!
Tax season doesn't have to be a scramble, but for most business owners, it is. In this episode, Brian Thompson offers a simple, practical system for taking the stress and surprise out of taxes by shifting from a once-a-year reaction to a year-round strategy. If last episode left you wondering whether you missed something, this one is your action plan. Start With a Mindset Shift Before getting into tactics, Brian makes an important reframe: taxes are not a once-a-year event. They are a year-round strategy. This matters especially for mission-driven business owners who are growing quickly, navigating variable income, and making values-based decisions with their money. The goal is to build a system that supports your business all year long, not just get through the filing season. A Simple Four-Step System to Prepare for Next Year's Taxes Once the mindset shift is in place, Brian walks through four focused areas that make the biggest difference in tax planning. Know your numbers If you don't know your revenue, expenses, or profit, everything else becomes a guess. Get your bookkeeping in order and review your numbers monthly, not just at tax time. Monthly profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and reconciliation reports give you the clarity to estimate taxes accurately, spot opportunities earlier, and make better decisions overall. Build a tax habit For self-employed business owners, making estimated tax payments is non-negotiable, and yet it's one of the biggest sources of stress. Brian's recommendation is to set aside a percentage of income every single month rather than scrambling quarterly to find the money. Start with 15% of gross revenue and adjust up or down based on your profit margin. The key is consistency, ideally in a separate account that's ready when you need it. Plan around the big levers A few tax strategies tend to move the needle most for small business owners. Brian highlights SALT deductions, which may now offer new planning opportunities with recent changes and could make itemizing worthwhile if you're paying state and local taxes, mortgage interest, or making charitable contributions. Retirement contributions through a solo 401k or SEP IRA are among the biggest benefits available to solo entrepreneurs, reducing taxable income while building wealth at the same time. Health insurance and HSA contributions deserve attention too. The HSA stands out as one of Brian's favorite savings vehicles, offering a triple tax benefit: a deduction on contributions, tax-free growth, and tax-free withdrawals for medical expenses. Schedule a mid-year tax check-in Schedule a check-in around June or July and ask three questions: How is my income tracking? Am I on pace with my tax payments? Are there opportunities I should act on now? Waiting until February, March, or April means there's very little you can do about the numbers at that point. One mid-year meeting can prevent surprises, penalties, and missed opportunities. Your Action Step Pick one of these four areas to improve on this month, just one. Maybe it's cleaning up your books, opening a dedicated tax savings account, or putting a mid-year check-in on the calendar. Small, consistent improvements are what actually reduce stress over time and build a financial system that supports your business, your growth, and your life. If you found this episode helpful, share it with another business owner who's tired of feeling surprised at tax time. Resources + Links Mid-year check-in episodes: How To Do A Mid-Year Money Check Master Your Mid-Year Business Review In 3 Easy Steps Guide for Your Midyear Business Review Newsletter Sign Up Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Forbes Follow & review the podcast: on Spotify and Apple Podcasts About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP®, is a tax attorney and Certified Financial Planner® who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.
Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on Social Security claiming strategies, financial education electives for a college student, a listener PSA on podcast word counts, inheritance planning, and SEP IRA conversions. (11:15) A listener planning to delay Social Security to 70 asks whether proposed benefit caps should change that strategy. He also asks Chris for financial education course recommendations for his son at CSU. (35:45) The guys address a question from someone who discovered SSA shows zero earnings on their work record for a year they actually worked, following an overpayment dispute, and whether submitting a W-2 can correct the record and trigger retroactive back pay. (43:45) Jim and Chris share a PSA on podcast word counts, with a speaker-by-speaker breakdown to crown the King and Prince of Word Count. (49:30) A listener wants to create four separate Roth IRA accounts, each with one of their four adult children named as beneficiary, with the idea that any lifetime gifts to that child come out of their future inherited share. They ask whether this approach is more complicated than it needs to be. (1:09:30) George asks whether the money his son placed in a traditional SEP IRA can be converted to Roth, and how the IRS would treat it. The post Social Security, Inheritance Strategy, SEP IRA Conversions: Q&A#2615 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.
This episode is brought to us by Louis Jadot, a thoughtful way to elevate date night without overspending.On this week's Ask Farnoosh, we're getting real about last-minute tax strategy, including why filing an extension might actually be one of the smartest financial moves you can make. (Hint: if you're self-employed, it could buy you months of extra time to fund a SEP IRA and lower your tax bill.)We'll also break down how to think about your tax refund: how to use it wisely, where to prioritize, and why it's not a bonus… it's a second chance.And then, we zoom out to something a lot of us are quietly feeling: it's getting really expensive just to have a social life.Dating. Relationships. Even grabbing dinner with friends.New data from Louis Jadot reveals that 56% of Americans say rising costs are changing how often they go on dates, and more than 1 in 4 have stopped dating altogether to save money.Welcome to the era of loveflation.In this episode, we unpack what that means for your wallet and your relationships, how to stay connected without overspending, how to navigate who pays on a date, and how to align your financial values with your personal life.Plus, at the end: my honest take on who should pay on the first date, and how to handle it without making things awkward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
If you're a side hustler or solopreneur, taxes can go from simple to overwhelming real fast and the truth is, many entrepreneurs are quietly losing thousands of dollars just by not knowing what they don't know. In this episode, I sat down with CPA and TurboTax Expert Lisa Greene-Lewis to break down the most common tax mistakes side hustlers make, from choosing the wrong business structure too early to missing out on key deductions and failing to stay organized throughout the year. We also unpack what actually makes taxes more complex as your business grows and how to stay ahead of it before tax season hits.This conversation is all about helping you feel more confident, more prepared, and more in control of your finances. Because the goal is not just to make money in your business but to keep more of it.Main TakeawaysLack of consistent tracking is the biggest mistake that leads to overpaying taxesMany solopreneurs miss deductions simply because they are unaware of what qualifiesStaying organized year-round is the key to reducing stress and maximizing savingsHighlights Include00:00 – Introduction to tax season for solopreneurs02:00 – Lisa's journey into tax expertise and entrepreneurship05:20 – LLC vs S corp: what you actually need to know08:20 – When taxes start to feel complicated09:30 – Why tracking income and expenses is critical11:40 – Common deductions people miss13:00 – Home office deduction explained14:20 – Section 179 and equipment write-offs15:10 – What you can't deduct (clothes, hair, makeup)16:40 – Business credit card interest deduction17:20 – Employing your kids as a tax strategy18:00 – SEP IRA and retirement savings for entrepreneurs19:00 – Qualified Business Income deduction20:10 – Key tax law updates and 1099-K changes23:20 – How to stay organized with QuickBooks25:40 – How TurboTax experts support business owners27:10 – Lisa's personal system for staying organized Links Mentioned in This EpisodeTurboTax: https://turbotax.com/business QuickBooks: https://quickbooks.intuit.comWatch & ListenWatch this episode on YouTube and listen on all podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/side-hustle-pro/id1126021323Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/13qDj08lBR4ymzGhXIKy8tYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sidehustleproAnnouncementsIf you're ready to build a podcast that becomes your exit plan from your 9-to-5, sign up for my next live class: Start the Podcast That Builds Your Exit PlanSave your seat here. Social MediaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-greene-lewis-7721b815a Website: https://turbotax.com/business Side Hustle Pro – @sidehustlepro#SideHustlePro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. Tax season is here, and for professional baseball players, the stakes couldn't be higher. This timely episode welcomes BIP Wealth tax advisor Allie Powell and baseball division member John Hester to break down everything ball players—and their families—need to know about taxes in 2026. From the landmark changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBB) to SEP IRA strategies for college athletes earning NIL money, this episode is a must-listen for current and future MLB draft picks, minor leaguers, and their families. • What the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBB) means for baseball players' taxes • The major SALT (State and Local Tax) deduction change from $10,000 to $40,000 • How to optimize W-2 income vs. 1099 endorsement/NIL income • Why a SEP IRA is a game-changer for college athletes with NIL deals • Understanding estimated tax payments and the IRS Safe Harbor rule • Tax planning strategies for MLB draft signing bonuses • The power of donor-advised funds for charitable giving deductions • Why compound growth in tax-deferred accounts over 40 years is "incredible" To contact the hosts, send an email to jhester@bipwealth.com, kschmidt@bipwealth.com, cmurray@bipwealth.com, or jhermida@bipwealth.com
Say the word "taxes" out loud. Did your shoulders just clench? Yeah. That's not an accident. In this episode, I sit down with Hannah Cole — artist, tax expert, author of Taxes for Humans, and founder of Sunlight Tax — to talk about why the tax industry profits from keeping you afraid, and what you can actually do about it. Hannah breaks down the three main IRA options available to self-employed women in plain, clear language that finally makes it click. She talks about why creatives, women, and anyone who doesn't fit the traditional financial mold has been left out of this conversation on purpose — and how that changes when you have access to someone who sounds like your best friend instead of a shaming accountant. This is one of those conversations that will make you exhale. Because the tax system isn't as scary as you've been led to believe. And the tools available to you are far more powerful than most people realize. If you've ever felt like money — or taxes — weren't meant for someone like you, this episode is going to change that. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why the tax industry's marketing mechanism is fear — and how to stop falling for it Why nobody gets a tax education in this country (and why that's not your fault) The real difference between a Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, and SEP IRA in plain language Why creativity is a synonym for resourcefulness when it comes to money How to start thinking of money and taxes as a tool that works for you instead of against you FREE GIFT FROM HANNAH COLE Download Hannah's Free Visual Guide to Tax Deductions here: https://www.sunlighttax.com/deductionsguide CONNECT WITH HANNAH COLE Website: https://www.sunlighttax.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunlighttax LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-cole-3775561/ ABOUT HANNAH COLE Hannah Cole is an artist, tax expert, author of Taxes for Humans [link: https://amzn.to/4a2Mu9m ], and founder of Sunlight Tax. She specializes in educating entrepreneurs and creative professionals in taxes and financial empowerment. A long-time working artist with a high-level exhibition history, Hannah is a frequent speaker on stages and podcasts, a money columnist for the art blog Hyperallergic, and the host of a global top 2% podcast, the Sunlight Tax Podcast. Her company, Sunlight Tax, specializes in friendly, informative tax education for self-employed people with big visions, and engaging, savvy tax education workshops for creative groups. READY TO BUILD YOUR CONFIDENCE? Book a free 15-min call with Sarah to talk about where you are in your business and see if working together feels right. Schedule here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=13047670&appointmentType=34706781 FREE GIFT FROM SARAH Get Sarah's Freedom Calculator and discover how much your business needs to make to finally be free. Download at https://sarahwalton.com/freedom LEARN FROM SARAH Explore Sarah's online courses and free resources to start building your business with confidence. Online Courses: https://sarahwalton.com/online-courses Free Resources: https://sarahwalton.com/free-resources CONNECT WITH SARAH Website: https://sarahwalton.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSarahWalton Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesarahwalton ABOUT SARAH WALTON Sarah Walton is a business coach, podcast host, and mentor who helps women entrepreneurs build businesses they love. She's the creator of the Abundance Academy, Effortless Sales, and the Game On Girlfriend® podcast. Sarah's mission is to put more money in the hands of more women while teaching authentic, heart-centered business strategies. RELATED GAME ON GIRLFRIEND® EPISODES YOU'LL LOVE Episode 230: You Deserve the Money with Bookkeeper Ashley Chamberlain — https://sarahwalton.com/bookkeeping-for-women/ Episode 227: How to Clear a Money Fog with Mikelann Valterra — https://sarahwalton.com/clear-money-fog/ Episode 95: When Your Life Falls Apart Because of Money with Michelle Arpin Begina — https://sarahwalton.com/michelle/ LOVE THE SHOW? LEAVE US A REVIEW! Thank you so much for listening. I'm honored that you're here and would be grateful if you could leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, and clicking "Write a review." Your reviews help other women entrepreneurs find the show and get the support they need to build businesses they love. Thank you for being part of the Game On Girlfriend® community! (If you're not sure how to leave a review, you can watch this quick tutorial.)
Most pelvic rehab business owners work incredibly hard… and then accidentally leave money sitting on the table.In this episode, we walk through five financial advantages that smart business owners use to build stability, reduce taxes, and create long-term wealth — without doing anything risky or complicated.This isn't about fancy investing strategies or crypto speculation. It's about boring, high-leverage fundamentals that add up dramatically over time.
Your parents have supported your goals and dreams your whole life, and now that they are growing older, you want to help care for them. The predicament many physicians face is how to balance giving money to their parents and save enough for retirement. Nate Reineke and Chelsea Jones discuss some changes you can make to accomplish this goal and how trade-offs are inevitable. We also answer your colleagues' questions. Cardiologist in Texas says, “I am a W2 employee but I have $100k of additional 1099 income. Should I open a SEP IRA or a Solo 401k?” Dermatologist In Florida asks, “My spouse makes $500k/year. Is it worth it for me to take a job that makes $80k/year while my children are pre-teen?” A Urologist in New York wonders, “If I am going to be in a high tax bracket in retirement, and I'm in a high tax bracket now, should I put money in a Roth or taxable account instead of making pre-tax contributions?” Are you ready to turn worries about taxes and investing into all the money you need for college and retirement? It's time to make a plan and get on track. To find out if we're a match visit physicianfamily.com and click get started or, you can ask a question of your own by emailing podcast@physicianfamily.com. See marketing disclosures at physicianfamily.com/disclosures
Learn how to plan for self-employment taxes and understand how savings interest can affect your tax bill. How can sports betting apps affect your finances? How do you set up taxes for 1099 contract work? Hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola discuss self-employment taxes to help you prepare for tax season and avoid surprises. But first, senior news writer Anna Helhoski joins them to discuss the rise of sports betting and prediction markets. They break down how legal sports betting expanded after a 2018 Supreme Court decision, how app-based betting and prop bets make it easy to wager in real time, and the growing concerns around addiction risk, regulation, and the nonstop flood of betting ads. Then, Sean and Elizabeth dig into tax prep for contract work, including how business structure can affect self-employment taxes, ways to pay during the year through quarterly estimated payments or adjusting W-2 withholding, and how to stay organized with bookkeeping, deductible expenses, and forms like 1099-NEC. They also cover what to expect tax-wise with a Roth IRA and why high-yield savings account interest is typically taxed as ordinary income (often reported on Form 1099-INT). Use NerdWallet's free calculator to estimate your self-employment tax: https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/calculators/self-employment-tax-calculator Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: self-employment taxes, 1099 contractor taxes, estimated taxes, quarterly estimated tax payments, Form 1099-NEC, Schedule C, Schedule SE, sole proprietor taxes, S corp vs LLC taxes, S corp reasonable salary, self-employment tax rate 15.3%, net earnings self-employment tax, W-2 withholding for side hustle, Form 1040-ES, bookkeeping for freelancers, deductible business expenses, home office deduction, business bank account, separate business and personal finances, business credit card for expenses, tax deadline for S corp, first time penalty abatement, IRS penalty abatement, Roth IRA taxes, Roth IRA income limits 2026, Roth IRA phase-out, traditional IRA tax deduction, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, tax forms for freelancers, Form 1099-INT, high-yield savings account taxes, sports betting taxes, sports betting apps, DraftKings, FanDuel, prediction markets, Kalshi, and Polymarket. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If you're a physician with 1099 income, locums work, or a small private practice, choosing between a Solo 401(k) and a SEP IRA can have a huge impact on how much you're able to save for retirement.In this episode, we compare Solo 401(k)s and SEP IRAs in plain language and walk through real physician examples to show how contribution limits change based on income type, age, and whether a spouse works in the business.In this episode, you'll learn:The key differences between a Solo 401(k) and a SEP IRAWhy SEP IRAs are simple—but often limiting for physiciansHow Solo 401(k)s allow higher contributions, especially after age 50When a SEP IRA might make senseHow spouse employees and side income affect retirement planningPhysician scenarios covered:A high-income independent contractor physicianA W-2 physician with locums side incomeA physician-owned practice with a spouse as the only employeeWe compare contribution limits at age 45 and age 55 and explain why the Solo 401(k) often allows physicians to save tens of thousands more per year than a SEP IRA.Key takeaway:For many physicians, the Solo 401(k) offers more flexibility, higher contribution limits, and better long-term tax planning than a SEP IRA—but the right choice depends on how your income is structured.Please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite Podcasting platform. Get 12 Financial Mistakes that Keep Physicians from Building Wealth at https://www.growyourwealthymindset.com/12financialmistakes If you want to start your path to financial freedom, start with the Financial Freedom Workbook. Download your free copy today at https://www.GrowYourWealthyMindset.com/fiworkbook Dr. Elisa Chiang is a physician and money coach who helps other doctors reach their financial goals by mastering their money mindset through personalized 1:1 coaching . You can learn more about Elisa at her website or follow her on social media. Website: https://ww.GrowYourWealthyMindset.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/GrowYourWealthyMindset Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ElisaChiang https://www.facebook.com/GrowYourWealthyMindset YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/WealthyMindsetMD Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/ElisaChiang Disclaimer: The content provided in the Grow Your Wealthy Mind...
A listener recently wrote in with a common and important retirement planning question: If I'm already maxing out my 401(k), can I also contribute to a traditional IRA in the same year? The short answer is yes—but whether it makes sense, and how much benefit you receive, depends on your income, tax situation, and long-term goals. In this episode, I break down how traditional IRA contributions work alongside employer-sponsored retirement plans, when those contributions are deductible, and what options are available if your income is too high for a deduction. We also explore alternative strategies, including Roth IRA contributions and backdoor Roth conversions, so you can decide how best to use your annual IRA "coupon." This episode is especially helpful if you're trying to balance tax savings today with tax flexibility in retirement and want to avoid common mistakes that can complicate your plan later. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [00:00] Whether you can contribute to a 401(k) and IRA in the same tax year [01:55] The tax-deferral benefits of contributing to a traditional IRA [03:55] When a traditional IRA contribution is tax deductible [05:00] Income limits that affect IRA deductions [07:00] Using non-deductible IRA contributions correctly [10:00] Roth IRA contribution limits and income phaseouts [11:45] How a backdoor Roth IRA strategy works [13:30] Choosing the right IRA strategy for your situation Why a Traditional IRA Can Still Make Sense Even if you are already maxing out your 401(k), contributing to a traditional IRA can provide additional tax advantages. The primary benefit is tax deferral. Dividends, interest, and capital gains generated inside an IRA are not taxed in the year they occur. Instead, taxes are deferred until you withdraw the money, potentially years or even decades later. This can be especially powerful if you do not need the money right away. With required minimum distributions now starting at age 73—and increasing to age 75 for those born in 1960 or later—many investors have a long runway for tax-deferred growth. When IRA Contributions Are Tax Deductible Whether your traditional IRA contribution is deductible depends on two main factors: whether you or your spouse are covered by an employer-sponsored retirement plan, and your adjusted gross income (AGI). Coverage includes plans such as a 401(k), 403(b), 457, SIMPLE IRA, SEP IRA, or pension plan. For 2026, married couples filing jointly can fully deduct a traditional IRA contribution if their AGI is below $129,000, with deductions phasing out completely by $149,000. For single filers, the full deduction applies below $81,000 and phases out by $91,000. If neither spouse is covered by a workplace plan, the contribution is fully deductible regardless of income. Options If You Can't Deduct a Traditional IRA If your income is too high to deduct a traditional IRA contribution, you still have options. One approach is making a non-deductible IRA contribution. While this does not provide a tax deduction upfront, your investments can still grow tax deferred. However, this strategy requires careful recordkeeping to properly track taxable and non-taxable portions when withdrawals begin. Another option is contributing to a Roth IRA, if your income falls within Roth contribution limits. Roth IRAs offer tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals, making them attractive for long-term planning. For those whose income exceeds Roth limits, a backdoor Roth IRA may be an option, provided there are no other pre-tax IRA balances that would trigger pro-rata taxation. Resources Mentioned Retirement Readiness Review Subscribe to the Retire with Ryan YouTube Channel Download my entire book for FREE Connect With Morrissey Wealth Management www.MorrisseyWealthManagement.com/contact Subscribe to Retire With Ryan
Friday - Clark Stinks day! Christa shares Clark Stinks posts with Clark. Submit yours at Clark.com/ClarkStinks. Also in this episode, Clark shares a narrow set of strategies for becoming a landlord successfully in today's fraught housing market. To determine if a property is a viable investment, know the classic 1% rule. Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2 Investment Real Estate: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: How To Sell, Cancel or Get Rid of Your Timeshare How To Make Your Venmo Transactions Private Homeowners Insurance Archives - Clark Howard Teslarati: Tesla partners with Lemonade for new insurance program 10 Things Homeowners Insurance Doesn't Always Cover How To Freeze and Unfreeze Your Credit With Experian, Equifax and TransUnion Should You Invest in a Rental Home? Here's Clark's 1% Rule What Is a Solo 401(k) and How Does It Work? Roth vs. Traditional 401(k): What's the Difference? What Is a SEP IRA and Who Is Eligible? What Is the Highest Credit Score? Clark.com resources: Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com / Ask Clark Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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.
Start your 2026 investing strategy with smarter moves, fewer fees, and less stress when markets get rocky. How should you invest in 2026 if tech stocks keep dominating the market? What's a smart checklist for leveling up your investing this year? Hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola discuss diversification and investing tools to help you grow your wealth with a plan you can stick to. Then investing writer Alana Benson joins them to unpack what 2025's market swings can teach you, how to diversify beyond mega-cap tech stocks (including options like equal-weight funds), and how to choose the right account and platform while keeping fees and taxes in mind. Check out NerdWallet's Best-Of Awards: https://nerdwallet.com/awards Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: stock market 2026, how to start investing, passive investing, index funds, S&P 500, Magnificent 7, AI stock bubble, rebalancing portfolio, asset allocation, stocks vs bonds allocation, long-term investing, market volatility, timing the market, brokerage account, best brokerage for beginners, best investing app, best robo-advisor, Fidelity investing, Interactive Brokers, Wealthfront robo advisor, ETFs, target date fund, robo-advisor, IRA contribution limit 2026, Roth IRA, traditional IRA, SEP IRA, 401k match, 529 plan, college savings plan, and retirement investing. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jim and Chris discuss listener emails on Social Security spousal eligibility and claiming coordination, a listener PSA on Social Security proof of marriage requirements, RMD planning while still working, money market earnings in brokerage accounts, and using QLACs for long-term care planning.(16:15) Georgette asks whether the repeal of WEP and GPO affects her eligibility for a spousal benefit if her ex-husband worked for the federal government and she did not pay into Social Security. (26:45) A listener asks how Social Security works when one spouse lacks enough work credits for their own benefit and only qualifies for a spousal benefit, including whether both spouses must claim at full retirement age to access that benefit.(42:00) The guys address a PSA on why Social Security may already have proof of marriage on file for one spouse due to a name change but still requires documentation from the other spouse when benefits are claimed.(49:30) Jim and Chris discuss whether maximizing pre-tax retirement contributions and rolling a SEP IRA into a 403(b) can reduce or eliminate RMDs under the still-working exception.(1:06:45) A listener questions the statement that Money Market earnings are minimal, pointing to current yields in a fund they hold.(1:12:00) The guys respond to feedback on whether a QLAC could be an effective way to address long-term care planning when self-funding alone does not feel sufficient. The post Social Security, RMDs, Money Market Earnings, QLACs: Q&A #2551 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.
Tax stress doesn't start in April—it starts when we ignore the basics. We sit down with Rose, best-selling author of Add a Zero, to turn anxiety into a simple, repeatable system that keeps your books clean and your tax bill smaller. From hiring an affordable bookkeeper to building monthly routines, we walk through the exact steps that make compliance easy and strategy possible.We dig into the power of clean data: connecting your accounts to QuickBooks, letting a pro categorize your transactions, and answering a short monthly list of questions so your P&L stays accurate. Then we layer in automation using project tools like Asana—recurring tasks for contractor 1099s, retirement contributions before the cutoff, and a post-filing strategy session with your CPA. The result is less guesswork, fewer surprises, and more time to focus on work that grows the business.Rose breaks down the tax-savvy retirement options many entrepreneurs skip. Learn how a solo 401k can combine employee and profit-sharing contributions toward a high annual limit, why a SEP IRA might fit certain team setups, and how a defined benefit pension plan can unlock six-figure, tax-deductible contributions for high earners. We also cover structure choices, salary versus distributions, and the low-hanging savings a good accountant will spot when you bring organized numbers and smart questions.If you're ready to stop scrambling and start saving, this conversation gives you the playbook: simple systems, clear roles for your bookkeeper and CPA, and proven strategies to keep more of what you earn. Subscribe, share with a founder friend, and leave a review with the tax question you want us to tackle next.Read more HERESupport the show
What if a single decision could save a business owner thousands in taxes every year?On Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth, guest host Samuel Russell sits down with Rob Brand, tax strategist at Comprehensive Business Services in Newark, Delaware, for an eye-opening conversation on tax structure, S Corporation strategy, retirement planning, and what business owners get wrong about their numbers. Rob breaks down how S Corporations really work, why most LLC owners are paying more than they should, how retirement accounts like SEP IRAs and self-directed IRAs can be used for real estate investing, and the huge difference proactive tax planning makes. He also talks about the ideal client he helps, the biggest mistakes he sees business owners make, and when to start planning for an exit. This episode is packed with simple explanations, clear examples, and strategies business owners can use immediately.───────────────────────────────Key Takeaways→ Why S Corporation election can dramatically reduce self-employment taxes for LLC owners→ How reasonable compensation works and why it matters for compliance and planning→ The retirement accounts business owners should know, including SEP IRA and defined benefit plans→ How self-directed IRAs allow business owners to buy and sell real estate tax-sheltered→ Why proactive planning beats tax-season panic every time→ The number one mistake business owners make when trying to grow Featured Quote from Rob Brand“Tax savings are all about strategy and looking forward. If you walk into your tax appointment in February asking what you can fix from last year, the answer is nothing. The runway is already gone.”───────────────────────────────If you're a business owner wondering whether you're paying more taxes than necessary, now is the time to talk to a professional. Connect with Rob Brand at CBS Tax ProPhone: 302 353 0084Website: https://www.cbstaxpro.com/And be sure to subscribe to Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth, hosted by Gary Heldt, for more insight, strategy, and real-world conversations that help business owners succeed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What if a single decision could save a business owner thousands in taxes every year?On Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth, guest host Samuel Russell sits down with Rob Brand, tax strategist at Comprehensive Business Services in Newark, Delaware, for an eye-opening conversation on tax structure, S Corporation strategy, retirement planning, and what business owners get wrong about their numbers. Rob breaks down how S Corporations really work, why most LLC owners are paying more than they should, how retirement accounts like SEP IRAs and self-directed IRAs can be used for real estate investing, and the huge difference proactive tax planning makes. He also talks about the ideal client he helps, the biggest mistakes he sees business owners make, and when to start planning for an exit. This episode is packed with simple explanations, clear examples, and strategies business owners can use immediately.───────────────────────────────Key Takeaways→ Why S Corporation election can dramatically reduce self-employment taxes for LLC owners→ How reasonable compensation works and why it matters for compliance and planning→ The retirement accounts business owners should know, including SEP IRA and defined benefit plans→ How self-directed IRAs allow business owners to buy and sell real estate tax-sheltered→ Why proactive planning beats tax-season panic every time→ The number one mistake business owners make when trying to grow Featured Quote from Rob Brand“Tax savings are all about strategy and looking forward. If you walk into your tax appointment in February asking what you can fix from last year, the answer is nothing. The runway is already gone.”───────────────────────────────If you're a business owner wondering whether you're paying more taxes than necessary, now is the time to talk to a professional. Connect with Rob Brand at CBS Tax ProPhone: 302 353 0084Website: https://www.cbstaxpro.com/And be sure to subscribe to Grow Your Business and Grow Your Wealth, hosted by Gary Heldt, for more insight, strategy, and real-world conversations that help business owners succeed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Gregory Ricks is joined by Wes Blanchard of WJ Blanchard Law, LLC, to discuss the importance of estate planning, emphasizing the need for immediate action. Then, Gregory dives into year-end retirement account planning, including IRA contribution corrections, RMDs, and SEP IRA contributions, stressing the need for timely action to avoid penalties.For financial news talk radio, tune into "Winning at Life with Gregory Ricks" on Saturday Mornings on:WRNO-News Talk 99.5 FM New Orleans - 10 am - 1 pmWBUV-News Talk 104.9 FM Biloxi - 10 am - 1 pmORFor financial news talk ON DEMAND, tune into the Ask Gregory Podcast for more financial topics that may interest you! Visit: https://gregoryricks.com/podcast/Download the Winning at Life app to never miss a replay!Investment Advisory products and services made available through AE Wealth Management, LLC or registered investment advisor, insurance products are offered through the insurance business Gregory Ricks and Associates, Incorporated AE wealth management does not offer insurance products, the insurance products offered by Gregory Ricks and Associates incorporated are not subject to investment advisor requirements. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal, any references to protection, safety or lifetime income generally refer to fixed insurance products, never securities or investments. Insurance guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims paying ability of the issuing Carrier. This radio show was intended for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be used as the sole basis for a financial decision, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the particular needs of an individual situation. Gregory Ricks and Associates is not permitted to offer and no statement made during the show shall constitute tax or legal advice. Our firm is not affiliated with or endorsed by the US government or any governmental agency. The Information and opinions contained herein provided by third parties have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed by Gregory Ricks and Associates. Please remember that converting an employer plan account to a Roth IRA is a taxable event. Increased taxable income from the Roth IRA conversion may have several consequences, including, but not limited to a need for additional tax withholding or estimated tax payments, the loss of certain tax deductions and credits and higher taxes on Social Security benefits and higher Medicare premiums. Be sure to consult with a qualified tax advisor before making any decisions regarding your IRA. Neither AE Wealth Management nor advisors providing investment advisory services through AE Wealth Management recommend or facilitate the buying or selling of cryptocurrencies. Third parties and guests of the show are not affiliated with nor do their opinions reflect those of Gregory Ricks and associates or AE wealth management. Ae Wealth Management provides services without regard to political affiliation. And the views of individual advisors are not necessarily the views of AE Wealth Management.
Heading into tax season unprepared can be costly—missed deductions, lost paperwork, and sometimes, a surprise check to the IRS. But it doesn't have to be that way! In this episode, Danielle Hayden, reformed corporate CFO and founder of Kickstart Accounting, Inc., shares the ultimate year-end checklist every business owner needs to save on taxes, protect their business, and walk confidently into tax season. From organizing your paperwork to making smart tax moves and maximizing personal financial strategies, Danielle gives you practical steps you can take before December 31st that can make a big difference in the new year. Key Takeaways: Get Your Paperwork in Order: Before December 31st, ensure all your partnership agreements, legal documents, and W9s are signed, stored, and ready. It'll save you major headaches during tax season. Use the January 1st Advantage: The first of the year is the best time to make big structural changes, like starting an LLC, switching payroll providers, or filing for S Corp status. This avoids partial-year filings and confusion. Pay Your Kids (Properly!): You can pay your children for legitimate work in your business and enjoy tax advantages while teaching them financial responsibility. Take Advantage of Accountable Plans: Reimburse yourself consistently for things like your home office and cell phone. It's an important benefit that shouldn't be skipped, even in slower years. Review Personal Tax Opportunities: Before year-end, check your 529 plans, HSA, and FSA balances and make contributions to maximize your deductions and savings. Max Out Retirement Contributions: Don't forget to fund your retirement plan! Whether it's a 401(k), SEP IRA, or solo 401(k), you're building wealth beyond your business. Meet with Your Tax Accountant Early: Schedule a pre-tax-season check-in to confirm your estimated payments, review your strategy, and avoid surprise penalties. Don't Spend Money Just to Save on Taxes: Avoid the trap of prepaying expenses or buying things you don't need. Focus on building a healthy, sustainable, profitable business instead. Topics Discussed: (00:00) Intro + Critical Paperwork to Get In Order for Year-End (02:24) Setting Up or Switching Your Business Structure for 1/1: LLC, Payroll, S Corp Election (05:02) Paying Your Kids the Correct Way for Tax Benefits (06:36) Accountable Plan Reimbursements (07:24) Collecting W9s from Contractors (08:13) Personal Tax Strategies: 529 Plans, HSAs, FSAs, and Health Insurance (11:13) Retirement Contributions and Your Different Options (12:31) Meeting with Your Tax Accountant (13:28) Smart Tax Planning Strategies to Avoid IRS Penalties and Spending Profit When You Don't Need To (15:36) Itemized Deductions, Charitable Contributions, and the Big Beautiful Bill's Effect on Depreciating Equipment (17:17) Outro: Kickstart's Free Year-End Tax Checklist, Like, Share and Subscribe! Resources: Free Download | Ultimate Year-End Tax Checklist Related Episodes: Entrepreneurs: Should You Go S-Corp? Pros & Cons + Expert Insight – Ep 115 Can You Legally Hire Your Children?: How to Pay Your Kids, Get Tax Advantages, & Create Generational Wealth – Ep 137 Beyond the Business: Preparing for a Secure Retirement – Ep 188 KSA Tax Partners | https://ksataxpartners.com/ 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
Take control of your retirement with our Solo 401(k) Special, starting at $895. The offer ends on October 17, 2025! Learn more: https://kkoslawyers.com/solo-401k-special-2025/?utm_source=buzzsprout&utm_medium=description-link&utm_content=596-solo-401k-p2-maintain&utm_campaign=main-street-business-podcastAre you taking full advantage of one of the best retirement strategies available to entrepreneurs and small business owners? In this episode of the Main Street Business Podcast, Mark J. Kohler and Mat Sorensen dive deep into how to set up, maintain, and maximize your Solo 401(k) — giving you the tools to make the most of this powerful retirement plan.The Solo 401(k) offers higher contribution limits, flexible investment options, and unique tax advantages that make it one of the most attractive plans for the self-employed. Mark and Mat break down everything you need to know about eligibility, plan setup, ongoing compliance, and strategies to ensure your plan is working for you. They'll also cover common mistakes, key rules to remember, and proven ways to grow your wealth through real estate, small business investments, and alternative assets inside your Solo 401(k).Whether you're new to retirement planning or already have a Solo 401(k) in place, this episode provides practical steps to help you stay compliant, maximize contributions, and take full advantage of the tax-saving opportunities available. By the end, you'll understand why the Solo 401(k) is often a smarter choice than a SEP IRA or other retirement plans — and how to ensure yours is structured correctly.If you're serious about saving taxes, building wealth, and taking control of your financial future, this is an episode you don't want to miss!You'll learn:How to determine if you qualify for a Solo 401(k) — even if you have part-time employees or a small side businessThe key rules for full-time and part-time employees, and how to stay compliant as your business growsSmart strategies for setting optimal salary levels for yourself and your spouse to maximize contributions and minimize taxesThe different contribution options (traditional, Roth, and employer match) and how to combine them for greater flexibilityHow to roll over or restate an existing 401(k) into a self-directed plan that lets you invest in what you know bestGet 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=596-solo-401k-p2-maintain 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!
Join Elevated GP: www.theelevatedgp.com https://gouluru.com/ Net32.com Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram Episode Description Taxes are one of the biggest expenses a dentist will ever face—but most aren't taught how to navigate them. In this episode of Dental Digest Podcast, host Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with dental CPA Travis Slade of Allure Dental Accounting to unpack how dentists can stop leaving money on the table and start keeping more of what they earn. Whether you're an associate paid as a 1099 or W2, or a practice owner managing overhead, this episode gives you the clarity you need on entity structures, deductions, and retirement strategies. Travis breaks down: The real difference between 1099 vs W2 compensation—and why it matters for your taxes. What an LLC actually does (and doesn't do) for dentists, and when an S-corp makes sense. The write-offs you should be taking (CE, insurance, supplies, even your dental school kit) vs. the ones that could get you into trouble. How to avoid red flags that increase audit risk, and what happens if the IRS does come knocking. Practical guidance on automobile deductions, home office use, travel expenses, and meals. The power of a SEP IRA and other retirement accounts for lowering your tax bill while building long-term wealth. Travis' advice is built on years of working almost exclusively with dentists, which means you'll hear exactly what's “ordinary and necessary” in the eyes of the IRS for your profession. You'll walk away with actionable insights to protect yourself legally, maximize deductions ethically, and structure your finances to support both your practice and your future. If you've ever wondered whether you're missing deductions, overpaying in taxes, or confused about what entity type to choose—this episode is a must-listen.
Learn how to prepare for a government shutdown and where to put $600 a month after building your emergency fund. What happens in a federal government shutdown? Where should you put $600/month after funding an emergency cushion? Hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola discuss the looming shutdown before answering a listener's question about where to allocate their extra income. They begin with senior news writer Anna Helhoski, breaking down how a lapse in government funding could affect benefits, travel, parks, mail, and taxes, and how to keep your own plan steady. Then, Elizabeth and Sean answer a listener's question about how to think about allocating $600/month. They discuss automating IRA/solo 401(k)/SEP IRA contributions, using diversified index or mutual funds and a taxable brokerage, balancing a home down payment with retirement via time horizons and DTI/credit score, and what to look for in funds. They also explore how habit-building and automation can help you grow retirement savings while still working toward a down payment. Get matched with a financial advisor for free: https://www.nerdwallet.com/l/advisor-match-financial Are you on track to save enough for retirement? Use NerdWallet's free calculator to check your progress, see how much retirement income you'll have and estimate how much more you should save: https://www.nerdwallet.com/calculator/retirement-calculator Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: Social Security during shutdown, TSA delays shutdown, Medicare during shutdown, Medicaid during shutdown, WIC benefits shutdown, IRS refund delays, FAFSA processing delay, federal employees furlough, furloughed vs essential workers, continuing resolution, national park closures shutdown, food safety inspections shutdown, EPA inspections shutdown, FDA inspections shutdown, NIH grants shutdown, unemployment benefits shutdown, debt-to-income ratio mortgage, mortgage approval process, credit score mortgage requirement, down payment savings strategy, closing costs when buying a home, emergency savings for home repairs, retirement calculator, 15 percent retirement savings rule, ETF vs mutual fund, S&P 500 index fund, expense ratio explained, index fund performance history, index fund tracking error, taxable brokerage account basics, diversification in investing, automate retirement contributions, solo 401k contribution limit, and SEP IRA contribution limit. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Send us a textWe walk through our sequence for retirement contributions! Here's how we invest our money as accountants!• Start with any employer matching funds available - it's free money and an immediate 100% return• Max out a Roth IRA if eligible ($7,000 limit for 2025, $8,000 if over 50)• Aim to save 15% of income for retirement (12-20% range is generally recommended)• Business owners should consider a Solo 401(k) rather than SEP IRA when operating as an S-corp• Solo 401(k)s allow both employee contributions (up to $23-24k) and employer contributions (25% of salary)• Once all tax-advantaged accounts are maxed, use a taxable brokerage account for additional savings• Coordinate retirement planning between your CPA and financial advisor, especially when changing salary levelsEmail us at carson@sansconcierge.net for accounting help or to schedule a monthly accounting call where we can help with bookkeeping, tax planning, and business decisions.Support the showCreate a STAN Store - Click here to try it out!Here's where you can find us! Follow along on Instagram for lots of free content for business owners daily!Shop our business guides!Our Instagram PageOur family page
Unlock Your Retirement Potential: The Ultimate Guide to Self-Directed IRAs!
Before Amazon was Amazon, some people took a huge risk and bought stock in the company. Luckily, that risk paid off for them! Now, history is repeating itself with some AI stocks where they could be the next Amazon, or they could completely fail. So, how should physicians who want to invest in AI take an appropriate level of risk? Nate Renieke and Kyle Hoelzle answer exactly that and break down how you can make riskier investments and still be on track for retirement. We discuss how investing “extra” money allows doctors to invest in the “hot” new things, if they want to, while still saving enough to retire without regrets. We also answer your colleagues' questions. A Family Medicine doctor in Oregon says, My wife is retiring soon at 50, and she is wondering if it makes sense to do Roth conversions in her 401(k) plan? A Dermatologist in Texas asks, I have accumulated several million dollars, and according to your plan, I could retire today. My portfolio is made up mostly of stocks, but is it a good idea to adjust it so I own more bonds? An Emergency Med Doc in North Carolina was told by their CPA to not be in a solo 401(k) and instead be in a SEP IRA. They want to know what we think of that advice. Are you ready to turn worries about taxes and investing into all the money you need for college and retirement? It's time to make a plan and get on track. To find out if we're a match, visit physicianfamily.com and click get started or, you can ask a question of your own by emailing podcast@physicianfamily.com. See marketing disclosures at physicianfamily.com/disclosures
Associates on Fire: A Financial Podcast for the Associate Dentist
In this episode of The Dental Boardroom Podcast, host Wes Read, CPA CFP®, shares key financial and tax strategies for dental practice owners. He covers retirement plans (401(k), SEP IRA, Simple IRA, defined benefit/cash balance plans) and explains how to maximize contributions while managing employee costs and staying compliant. Roth IRAs and backdoor Roth conversions are also discussed for tax-free growth.Wes advises a disciplined investment approach, highlights the risks of speculative investments, and explains how to evaluate debt, use tax deductions, and leverage payroll strategies for family members. He also explores fringe benefits, state-level tax breaks, and practical ways to improve practice profitability, like raising fees and moving toward fee-for-service models.Finally, he emphasizes automating savings, debt payments, and retirement contributions to secure long-term financial success. This episode gives practice owners practical tools to reduce taxes, boost cash flow, and grow wealth inside and outside their practice.Key PointsUnderstand the differences and trade-offs among 401(k), SEP IRA, Simple IRA, and defined benefit/cash balance plans.Use Roth IRAs and backdoor Roth conversions to secure tax-free retirement growth.Avoid risky, illiquid investments inside retirement accounts—stick to disciplined, diversified portfolios.Evaluate debt payoff vs. investing by considering interest rates, volatility, and financial goals.Use payroll strategies (kids, spouses) to reduce taxable income and build long-term wealth.Document home office deductions and leverage allowable fringe benefits cautiously.Maximize savings with state-level pass-through entity tax deductions.Regularly raise UCR fees and consider transitioning to fee-for-service to boost profitability.Automate savings and contributions to build financial resilience and consistency.Resources Mentioned
If you're self-employed or running a small business, saving for retirement doesn't have to be complicated. One of the most powerful but often overlooked tools available is the SEP IRA—a plan designed to help business owners put away significantly more than a traditional IRA, while also providing tax benefits. Jeremiah and Nic walk through the ins and outs of SEP IRAs. You'll learn how they work, who qualifies, and why flexibility makes them a great option for many entrepreneurs. From contribution rules (up to 25% of wages, capped at $69,000) to employee eligibility requirements, they break down what business owners need to know—whether you're trying to reduce taxable income, reward loyal employees, or simply build your own retirement nest egg. You'll also hear why SEP IRAs can be easier to manage than a 401(k) and how employees benefit from immediate vesting and full control over their investments. Is a SEP right for you? Listen, Watch, Subscribe, Ask! https://www.therealmoneypros.com Hosts: Jeremiah Bates & Nic Daniels
This episode features a large news slate: Meta soars on revenue beat, TFed holds rates amid dissent, and GDP grows more than expected. Roundtable: SEP IRA https://www.instagram.com/delano.saporu/?hl=en. Connect with me here also: https://newstreetadvisorsgroup.com/social/. Want to support the show? Feel free to do so here! https://anchor.fm/delano-saporu4/support. Thank you for listening.
In this episode, I answer some of the most common financial questions submitted by you as we approach nearly 100,000 downloads. Some of the topics covered:Roth vs. Traditional IRAs: Which option is best for you based on your current and future tax brackets?SEP IRA vs. Solo 401k: Discover why a Solo 401k might be the better choice for solo business ownersTax Reduction Strategies for W-2 Employees: Learn effective ways to lower your lifetime tax billPaying Off Your Mortgage: Should you pay off that 4.5% mortgage or invest instead?-------✅ Financial planning for 30-50 year old entrepreneurs: https://www.allstreetwealth.com✅ My personal blog & newsletter: https://www.thomaskopelman.comDisclaimer: None of this should be seen as financial advice. It is just for informational purposes.
In this part 2 of his conversation with Kiera, Morgan Hamon, co-founder and president of EAG Dental Advisors, talks about the action items doctors must commit to to stay financially savvy. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: Kiera Dent (00:01) Hello, Dental A Team listeners, this is Kiera, and this is part two with me and Morgan Hamon as part of EAG Dentist Advisors, where we're actually gonna talk into the tax psychology and the tax strategies and the tax tips. And I really just feel like this episode is so powerful. And as always, thanks for listening, and I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team Podcast. Morgan Hamon (00:22) But no, you got to do the stuff. So if your accountant tells you, look, take a board meeting, document it properly, there's a proper way to do it, you got to do it. That's how we say the proper legal avoidance. your account comes to you and says, look, it's time to be an S-Corp, Kiera Dent (00:30) Mm-hmm. Morgan Hamon (00:39) because the profit is appropriate, you gotta follow the instruction. There's a procedure there and it's gonna save a lot of money on self-employment payroll tax if it's done correctly. You gotta listen, but you gotta engage. There's action items. And so we, ⁓ every September, I made a checklist. You know, again, Navy guy, right? I got a checklist. Log in, do the checklist. I call it our business tax savings maximizer. That's the flashiest, catchiest name I could think of. But like, log in and do it. That's the secret. Kiera Dent (00:58) I love it. you Morgan Hamon (01:08) So, you know, for those listeners that waiting for the secret, that's it, right? We got to capture expenses as business deductions and there is action items for the doctor. It requires that engagement. And to circle back to where what you said earlier, like you can't come into the office and just fix it for them. They've got responsibilities on things to do too and that's the same with tax policy. Kiera Dent (01:31) I thought that was such a beautiful way. And as you were going through the phases of grief, I'm like, oh yeah, I definitely lived all of those. And I think it does feel like a kick in the gut. like, this is worse than finding out like coal in your stocking Christmas morning. Like it's way worse. Like it feels awful. And you're in total denial that like, how is this even real? Like I live in America. Like, how is this real? I didn't know. And I mean, then you put on your state tax on there. And I'm like, for people who are in California, Morgan Hamon (01:39) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm Mm-hmm. Kiera Dent (02:00) Like more than 50 % of your income could be going to tax pending upon your tax bracket. But I think Morgan is one of those things of also seeing, I know people don't want to hear, I'm going to be very unpopular right here and it's okay. It will like, you'll be in denial, you'll hate it. And then you'll be like, yeah, that's actually a really good point. Cause that's how I did it. Like taxes are a blessing though. Like we, we are so blessed to live in the country we are to be able to set the pricing that we want, to be able to do the work that we want to do that. like, I don't want to pay more taxes. Morgan Hamon (02:12) you Mm-hmm. Kiera Dent (02:28) but I can see me paying taxes as like my opportunity to be here and to be a business owner. And I think that's an amazing thing that we do get to have access to. But like you said, shoot guys, this is where the discipline comes in. This is where the engagement comes in. This is where the ownership comes in. I remember where I should like, I'll send you a picture. My husband and made this like vision board together, cause every December I would cry over taxes. And one of my goals, literally has like, it's a sign that says tax expert ahead. Morgan Hamon (02:33) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Kiera Dent (02:57) And I put that on my vision board because I'm I'm sick of this stupid stuff. I'm sick of Morgan telling me I owe this much money when I'm like, how is it even possible? I was like, I'm going to freaking figure this out. And I realized like, it's actually not that hard of a math equation. It's like, what is my profit that I get that month? What's my tax bracket? And let me go save that. Morgan Hamon (03:00) Thank you. Mm-hmm. Kiera Dent (03:16) pay your quarterly tax payments. And then what I love is when, cause I put myself in the highest tax bracket, some years I'm going to be a little bit higher, some years I'm going be a little bit lower, like it's going to flush out. But if I'm saving my max amount that I would be having to pay in taxes every single month, I'm like, it's not that hard. Like you literally just take it, put it in a savings account, I put it in a high yield, so I'm even making money on it there. What's amazing is at the end of the year, I get my W2, Morgan Hamon (03:32) Mm-hmm. Kiera Dent (03:41) like refund, if you will, because we realize I have over-saved throughout the year. I also put in there like buckets, because I realized for me, Morgan, it wasn't just the tax that was hitting me. It was the SEP IRA that I had to pay. It was charitable contributions I was paying. It was end of year bonuses. And all of that, it's not taxes. I think you get hit with all of those at the end of the year. It's like you're trying to put these, then you've got your Roth IRA that you're trying to like put those in. And it's like all these things are money and it's all accumulating at one time. Morgan Hamon (03:43) Mm-hmm. Okay. Kiera Dent (04:11) versus figuring out how much you really are gonna pay, breaking it down into buckets, saving for it, and then I love it. My money at the end of the year, whatever I don't pay in taxes, because yeah, it's a big number, whatever, you're just going to pay it. That's part of having an amazing, thriving business. But then my slush because I over-saved, that becomes my refund, that becomes Keira's money of like, sweet, what are we gonna do on this because I've already paid tax. Now I can take that. Morgan Hamon (04:14) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Kiera Dent (04:37) Now I can go buy the things I want to buy. can put it in retire. I can put it wherever I want it to go. ⁓ but I have it to our peace of mind. When I get my, like this year, my CPA can be like, wow, Kara, you like, you have this. And I was like, rock on. Like you're not stressed about it, but that takes discipline every month. I'm literally like, Hey, how much do we have put that profit over in our savings every quarter? You're making those quarterly payments. ⁓ it is being strategic. is like. Morgan Hamon (04:52) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Kiera Dent (05:06) You were on a call the other day with some of our doctors and like, so Kiera, how like there are you when you do your meetings at your house? And I'm like, I crossed my T's down my eyes. I don't like this game. Like I do Airbnb. I look at all my rental comps around me. I saved that every year. It's in a folder. All the things are in the calendar with me and the other people. I have an agenda. I send that over to my CPA. I just don't like to play in the game of gray. But I think those are the pieces that help you. And then you just maximize. Morgan Hamon (05:16) Thank you. Mm-hmm. Kiera Dent (05:34) But Morgan, I don't know. think I've just learned that's also part of the success tax of being successful. Like this is what it is. And I think that being a business owner, the discipline of saving your money and not spending it all because we think like, should get this cause I'm a high earner. No, like there's still tax games that we play. There's different ways to minimize it. But realizing like I need to be disciplined here. I think if you can be disciplined there, it also stems to your team. It stems to your leadership. It stems to your physical health. Morgan Hamon (05:39) It is. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Kiera Dent (06:04) It stems through so many other areas in your life that I think like talk about a blessing of taxes that we actually get this benefit. Morgan Hamon (06:07) Yes. It, I agree. And you do have to be, you do have to be disciplined. I know. I know. I also, I'll share a personal, I'll share a personal experience and kind of how I view tax because I very happily write those checks. You know, I write the same ones as our doctors do, but so back when I got out of the Navy, my family and I, so my parents, my brother and myself, we all chipped in and bought a real estate company. Kiera Dent (06:13) Even though I hate it, Morgan, don't take me wrong. I still hate taxes. Morgan, tell me the secrets. Morgan Hamon (06:36) back in 2005, real estate was happening. It was all in, all chips on the table. Well, guess what? 2009, everyone remember what happened in 2009? So, I mean, it was bad. It was horrific. 2009, my tax bill was zero. Zero. But do you think I was coming home saying, honey, look at this, zero, woohoo, check this out. I got no tax. Kiera Dent (07:04) day. Morgan Hamon (07:05) No, I'm sitting in a room and looking at the wall like how am going to face my kids telling them dad can't keep a roof over their head? How did my life get this screwed up? I paid no income tax, but those are not good times. That's not a period. And so right after that is when my dad and I started HD Accounting Group. But those days were like not my fondest memories even though I had zero tax liability. Fast forward a bunch of years, I've enjoyed a lot of success and I write some big checks to the government and I don't care. My life is so much better. got kids college paid for, no debt. My life is good. And yeah, they are some big checks. I mean, let's face it, they're not my favorite things to write. Nobody likes it. But my life is just exponentially better. So when you're paying tax, you're making good money. I don't know, maybe boil it down to that. Kiera Dent (07:55) I would agree with you. which thank you for sharing because I think we, I agree. I don't want to have a year where I'm paying $0 to taxes. Cause that means that when you said zero and I'm like, we had a bad year. That's like a real bad year. Like as a business owner, you start to realize like that actually is not a good year. ⁓ But I think for that, ⁓ it's the discipline. And I found for me what's cut the stress out as an employer and as a business owner, not CPA, that's Morgan the world. That's not my world is when I have Morgan Hamon (08:09) That's... ⁓ And now... Kiera Dent (08:28) money and I'm disciplined and I save it because you still have profit afterwards. So it's not like you're not taking anything home every month. You're just being disciplined that that money for tax you save then I have the money and I'm like the pain I think comes from not having the money and the fear of where am I going to come up with the six figures when I've already spent it. I think that's more of why people hate taxes just like people hate root canals. They don't actually hate the root canal. They hate the pain leading up to it. We hate the pain of not having the money set aside. Morgan Hamon (08:33) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yes Well. Exactly. And let's tie this real specifically to the world you and I serve, our dentists. What really creates a lot of confusion and adds to the emotion is that, most of our clients have a practice note, a big one. And they don't always realize, look, when you make your loan payment, that is not a tax deduction, right? Kiera Dent (09:22) not just Morgan Hamon (09:22) When you borrow the money, we deduct everything you're going to buy, but then over time when you pay that back, you don't get it deducted again. So if your debt service on your practice loan is $100,000 a year, which we see often, you're paying income tax on it. So if you made $500,000 and $100,000 went back to the bank, you're living on $400,000 but paying tax on $500,000. And that is That can be shocking and that's why you'll hear, and that applies to just both financial accounting and tax, that question of, my accountant said I made this much money. That can't possibly be the case. I just logged into the bank. What are they talking about? It's that debt service. That money's gone, but it's not a deduction. The other thing that makes it, any tax planning for dentist challenging is just the volatility in the month to month profit. And I think there's a misperception out there, hey, look, my accountant is keeping my books up to date every month, right? And so if we get to the end of, let's say the end of September, and we can, hey, September 30, this is the exact profit, that does not equate to a granular, precise tax calculation because we have to, all your tax rate is dependent on total annual household income. If there's four months in the year that haven't happened yet, we gotta, Kiera Dent (10:16) Amen. Morgan Hamon (10:46) We got to estimate and it's subject to change. Maybe they were struggling in May and they said, you know, I'm calling Kiera, fine, I'm going to do it. We're going to get this thing figured out. And so then by November, they're killing it and everything's up 30%, 40%. Well, guess what's also going to be up? Your estimated payments are going to be higher, right? And so it's volatile. and it's not an exact science. with any tax planning, those quarter estimated payments are trying to keep you in the hunt. And you alluded to that by having your buckets. Just realize there will be a settle up at the end of the year when it all fleshes out, because all we can do is estimate along the way. Try to keep it as close as we can. But I'm with you. I make those payments quarterly. I don't put my head in the sand because it'll just get bigger. Kiera Dent (11:33) Well, I'm curious, Morgan, this is like Kara's nerdy side of me that I don't understand. So help me. And I hope this comes across respectful of the CPA world. To me, I feel like why don't CPAs at the end of every month, you know my profit, you know what I did that month. So yes, there's the estimated, but why not just give me like, the only thing I've thought of is maybe my tax bracket could change, but I'm like, why not estimate every month approximately what I need to save for taxes? Morgan Hamon (11:43) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Kiera Dent (12:03) So I can at least put that away monthly. Help me understand the psychology of that, because I don't. Morgan Hamon (12:06) So, oh, trust me, we've thought about this every which way. And I'm never done. I tweak our tax planning process every year. So to your point, like you could look at last year's tax return. So there's two figures to look at. There's your marginal tax rate, which is your whatever bracket, your highest, so the highest of 37. But then there's what's called an effective, and that's just the average, right? If you look at total income and total tax, what's the average? So you could look at your last year's tax return and maybe your combined federal and state income tax was, call it 30%. So you could say, whatever my profit is times 0.3 is what I had to put away. So you could do that, but that's inherently going to be inaccurate. because you will not have the same effective tax rate this year unless you have like a carbon copy and it'll be different. A lot of volatility. The other thing, it's a very equipment heavy industry as you know, and people do go buy equipment. And so if we, if say an accountant says, put whatever your profit is times 0.3, put that away, but then they get in and maybe they really do. Maybe their practice was... ⁓ Kiera Dent (13:20) Mm-hmm. Morgan Hamon (13:31) you know, plum for eight ops, but they're equipped for five and it's time to fit those other three. Well, that's some really nice tax deductions there, like dollar for dollar. Well, that's really going to come down. And so that estimate's going to be out the window, like really quickly. You know, we've had times where I think of this story, something you don't tell stories. We had a client, this was a few years back, where they sent us an invoice. I can't remember what they bought. Kiera Dent (13:38) and Morgan Hamon (14:00) It was big, right? It was $120,000. They sent an invoice, not an email like I'm thinking about this. They sent an invoice. So we booked it. 120K deduction, did the tax plan, the works. Well, it comes time to do the tax return. And we're saying, hey, we keep asking for the loan paperwork on this claim. We don't get it. So finally, hey, look, we really want to get this tax return done. Can you send us that loan paperwork? And he's like, oh, I changed my mind. I didn't buy that. And we're like, oh, let's put 120K of income back on top. You owe, I think it was like 40,000. And they're like, how can this be? I'm like, you sent us an invoice. Think how mad you'd be if we hadn't booked it. And I just tell that kind of story. Like equipment purchases in Q4, it's all out the window at that Kiera Dent (14:37) Bye. Yeah. Yeah! Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Morgan Hamon (14:58) So it's very volatile. So to kind of circle all way back to the beginning, just for some basic tax planning, I knew for me, like federal and effective, it's like 35%. And I just planned for that. And then there's a settle up. And if I owe a bit, it's because we killed it. And I need to actually celebrate that and not be cranky about it. And if I get some money back, maybe, Kiera Dent (15:13) Mm-hmm. you Morgan Hamon (15:27) Maybe it just didn't end up as good as I thought or whatever. We're accountants. We don't have like, Xerox machines to write off. I got like a laptop. So, I mean, we're kind of limited on that. So, ⁓ those are some limitations inherent in tax planning for specific for the dental industry, the volatility and month-to-month profit and the high amount of equipment that's involved, which involves some instantaneous significant tax deductions. Kiera Dent (15:32) Right. and Sure, no, that makes sense. And I think for me, it's always like, okay, there's profit, there's expenses. ⁓ If I'm gonna go use that money for expenses, then I'm going to take my tax amount. So obviously it's going to reduce my tax bill by that dollar amount. I can actually pull portions out of that money I've saved to pay for my equipment potentially if I need to. But just curious on that, because I've always, I'm like, it's a simple equation. Here's my profit. This is how much my tax bracket probably is. But also maybe you guys don't want them saving more than they need to because then people get angry. Morgan Hamon (16:01) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. The truth. Yeah. Well, people, it can get emotional either way, right? If they get a big refund, they're like, wait a minute, I could have had this in my high yield savings account. So we really do try to keep it as close as we can given the constraints of this kind three-dimensional moving target. What I have told doctors in the past, if we think about, let's say they've got an S-Corp, so on a reasonable W2, we got some holding through that W2, but they should still be taking the majority of the money home via profit distribution, okay? Kiera Dent (16:26) that Exactly. Morgan Hamon (16:53) Have a look at last year's tax return. If you don't know how to find it, let us know. Keep it simple. If it's 30 % or 20, it's 28 points, okay, round it to 30. What I think every business owner should do, okay, at the end of the month or quarter, however often you want to do it, you look at how much money has accumulated in the operating account, what is my chosen desired minimum cash reserve, and whatever has accumulated, distribute it. Kiera Dent (17:06) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Morgan Hamon (17:24) And take, let's say there's $20,000 extra in there, right? And let's just say your effective rate's a third of that. Well, take six or 7,000 and just put it in, like you said, Kiera, your savings bucket. And then save that so then when your accountant says, hey, it's time for your Q3 payment, you tap that money. And I think that's just a simple thing that... Kiera Dent (17:42) Mm-hmm. Morgan Hamon (17:53) habit you could get into, for me personally in our business, we always did that quarterly. And we'd take a distribution quarterly and I would just lop off the top, put it away and treat it like I had never had this and I would send it right off to the government. And that way I wasn't playing catch up so much. In the accounting world, I don't quite have the volatility that dentists have, but it's still, that habit pattern. It's that discipline of doing it. Kiera Dent (18:20) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. No, that's super helpful. And Morgan, this is why I love to talk about it. Because it's like, hey, how can I refine? As we were talking about on that leadership, how can I refine? How can I make this just a little bit better? How can I learn a little bit more of the nuggets? How can I be smarter on my prep work for me emotionally? Because some people are just fine. They'll just like, I have a million buckets. I love my buckets. I love to know what this money is saved for. Morgan Hamon (18:42) Hehehe. Kiera Dent (18:45) My financial advisor teases me, my CPA teases me. I'm okay with it because I'm like, sweet, I know how much money I've got here. I know what I can buy here. My husband loves like just one big fund. And I'm like, but then how do know how much I can spend? Like I don't want to overspend or underspend. So everyone's different. So things are just going through it. Things are the psychology of it, the tax planning pieces, how the leadership and profitability connect to each other. Morgan, you guys are such an incredible CPA firm. I love that you're specifically only dentists. I tried to have you guys work with me you said, no, I'm not a dentist. So Morgan Hamon (18:51) Mm-hmm. You huh. Kiera Dent (19:14) I love that you are so niche. It was great, I loved it. But if people are curious, how do they work with you? What are kind of the broad services that people could see working with you guys that you guys do and how they can connect with you? Morgan Hamon (19:24) So our mission has always been and will continue to be supporting doctors by providing them the monthly accounting for their practice, providing practice profitability analysis reports and specific advising and tax planning ⁓ just for doctors. ⁓ If you want to check us out, is EAGDentalAdvisors.com is our website. ⁓ Or just email me reach out to me Morgan.Hamon@EisnerAmper.com My business partner Cortney and I we do all initial consultations personally It's always been that way I love to meet new doctors learn about their situation tell them about what we do See if you see if it could be a good fit, but that's how folks would could go out and find us Kiera Dent (20:09) Well guys, we have a lot of clients that work with Morgan. I think he's incredible. I love what you guys are doing. Morgan, it was always a fun time. Thanks for kicking it off with Top Gun, ending with like tack strategy. Thanks for sharing some of the tips. But truly super honored to work with you and love what you guys are doing for dentists out there. Morgan Hamon (20:19) Alright. Kiera, I always enjoy our visits and look forward to each one. So I appreciate you having me. I really enjoyed it. Kiera Dent (20:31) course. And for all of you listening, thank you for listening and I'll catch you next time on The Dental A Team podcast.
Today, Clark discusses a disturbing trend underway involving retirement accounts, and explains the best way to use a 401(k). Also, Clark explores the significance of small business in building wealth and influencing the overall economy, including the opportunities provided for workers now facing uncertainty. Steady Retirement Saving: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Small Business: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Clark.com - INVEST & RETIRE The Only Two Exceptions to Clark Howard's Annuity Rule Immediate Payout Annuity: What Is It and Do You Need It? How to Start Investing: 10 Steps for Beginners 3 Big Retirement Account Changes You Haven't Heard About What Is a SEP IRA and Who Is Eligible? What Is a Solo 401(k) and How Does It Work? How To Buy Term Life Insurance in 7 Easy Steps Homeowners Insurance Archives - Clark Howard How to Shop for Lower Car Insurance How To Send a ‘Drop Dead' Letter to a Collection Agency Clark.com resources Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com / Ask Clark Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In a new Smart Planning segment, a registered investment advisor tackles retirement goals and savings questions with a listener. How can you gift savings bonds? When is it time to stop saving for retirement early? Hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola offer tips for “spring cleaning” your finances, including refreshing your budget, resetting your financial goals, updating your insurance and estate plans, and getting back on track if emotional spending crept up earlier this year. Then, they debut Smart Planning, a new segment where a registered financial advisor helps a listener tackle real-life money questions. In this session, Certified Financial Planner Barbara Ginty, host of the Future Rich podcast, talks with listener Kay about navigating the transition from saving to spending. They dive into how to know when you've saved enough to scale back at work, how to plan for rising medical costs in retirement, and how to gift savings bonds the right way. If you've ever wondered what financial freedom could look like after decades of diligent saving, this conversation is packed with insight. Inspired to navigate your finances with an advisor? Use NerdWallet Advisors Match to find vetted professionals today at https://www.nerdwalletadvisors.com/match Track your budget and credit score on the NerdWallet app, and let the Nerds guide you toward your financial goals: https://www.nerdwallet.com/p/mobile-app In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: updating financial goals, savings bonds, how to gift savings bonds, budgeting tools, emotional spending, estate planning checklist, updating beneficiaries, Roth IRA contributions, SEP IRA contributions, dollar-cost averaging investing, semi-retirement planning, when to stop saving for retirement, how much to save for retirement by 55, Medicare vs Medicare Advantage, retirement healthcare costs, setting up travel insurance, travel insurance for seniors, Roth vs traditional IRA in retirement, retirement income planning, safe withdrawal rate, 4% rule retirement, and required minimum distributions.. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend.
Laura reviews the differences between two popular retirement accounts for business owners, a solo 401(k) and SEP-IRA.Money Girl is hosted by Laura Adams. A transcript is available at Simplecast.Have a money question? Send an email to money@quickanddirtytips.com or leave a voicemail at (302) 364-0308.Find Money Girl on Facebook and Twitter, or subscribe to the newsletter for more personal finance tips.Money Girl is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips.Links:https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/money-girl-newsletterhttps://www.facebook.com/MoneyGirlQDThttps://twitter.com/LauraAdamshttps://lauradadams.com/
The murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson has created a lot of argument and discussion about healthcare and health insurance. Clark addresses the problems and challenges we face with the U.S. healthcare system including lack of choice, hidden pricing, and consumers being squeezed on cost and denied care. Also - Clark discusses new statistics on how long it is taking many workers to find a new job, and how you should prepare. American Healthcare: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Employment Update: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: After a shocking shooting, Americans vent feelings about health insurance National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Home NAELA How Much Money Do I Need in My Emergency Fund? How Much Do You Need To Save a Month To Get $10,000? 17 of the Best High-Yield Online Savings Accounts in December 2024 Is Robinhood Gold Worth It? How To Open a Roth IRA What Is a SIMPLE IRA and How Does It Work? What Is a SEP IRA and Who Is Eligible? Clark.com resources Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices