The Fractional Family Office: Your Financial ‘Dream Team’
Like life itself, the most important thing in financial management is who you trust enough to accompany you on your journey.
That’s why a great team makes all the difference. But finding the right people can seem like an impossible task.
Who can help you save money with advanced tax strategies?
Who can help you grow your money with elite investments?
Who can help you keep your money safe using the legal structures it takes to protect everything you’ve worked for?
And even if you’re fortunate enough to find these unicorns, how do you know if they have your best interests at heart?
Billionaires do this by hiring a "Family Office,” a staff dedicated to building and protecting their wealth. They have attorneys, CPAs, coaches and a host of other specialized services watching their back at every turn.
Now here’s the good news: In 2025, the Family Office concept is available to those of us who aren’t billionaires. This means you can have vetted professionals on staff and a network of providers vetted to handle all of your tax and investing needs no matter who you are, where you're located, or what investing you're doing.
Let’s take a closer look.
Start With Your Executive Team
You need proactive guidance to achieve your financial goals. Chances are you’ve worked with financial advisors and accountants before, but the likelihood of them being truly proactive in their approach is low.
In cases like these, you are the one doing the research, looking into tax strategies, reading articles about estate planning ….
A good fractional Family Office will take this work off your shoulders.
You’ll start by putting a strategic level Certified Public Accountant (CPA) on your team, someone who has the skills to take your tax burden as low as 0-10%. This partnership will be key for your wealth plan to be successful. The right CPA is someone who can implement the right tax strategies for you and give you proactive advice about saving money by improving your tax strategy.
Next, you’re going to grow your money with elite investments. This means hiring a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and plugging into a deal network. To achieve a target 20-30% ROI, first you're going to hire the CFO to help you model investments.
You also need access to a deal network of high performing investments. The CFO is going to talk to you about blended ROI. This isn't just normal ROI like your financial advisor would talk to you about. And it's not just tax savings like a regular CPA would talk to you about. This is both of those combined.
The CFO is also going to guide you on how to protect your income through tax shelters or tax advantaged investments.
Finally, your executive team will be rounded out with a chief legal officer, basically an asset protection attorney. This will help you keep your money through legal structures that protect your wealth. This person will identify all the risk factors that you might be exposed to and help you mitigate them. They do this by creating the right entity structure and by providing ongoing estate planning and maintenance.
A Fractional Family Office Can Keep You Compliant
It's important that you get the right structure in place before you make investments in non-traditional assets. For example, Royal Legal Solutions helps investors use an LLC that is 100% owned by your IRA to incorporate cryptocurrency into their retirement accounts. This gives your crypto investments you the same tax-advantaged status as the IRA.
If you don't have a LLC (limited liability company) and a Self-Directed IRA structure set up already, your Family Office team can help.
They will also review your investment options and business structures to ensure they are up-to-date, compliant, and bulletproof against whatever the future holds. The right team will help you to ensure ongoing compliance with your state and local laws and tax requirements.
Your ‘Dream Team’ should give you actionable steps to take, making sure your asset protection plans are up-to-date and your financial dreams are closer to becoming a reality.
Private Foundations: A Practical Guide To Tax Savings
Private foundations enjoy tax-exempt status, but they are still subject to unique and sometimes complex tax rules under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). From filing requirements to avoiding costly penalties, here's a streamlined overview of what private foundations need to know.
Understanding Governance and Deductions
Private foundations are governed by strict rules not applicable to public charities. In addition to normal “fiduciary” duties, they face penalties, often in the form of taxes in these areas:
Self-dealing: Prohibited transactions between the foundation and “disqualified persons” such as major donors or trustees.
Excess business holdings: Foundations cannot own too much of a business enterprise.
Jeopardy investments: Investments that risk the foundation’s ability to carry out its mission.
Taxable expenditures: Payments not aligned with charitable purposes, such as political lobbying or unapproved grants.
Net investment income: A 1.39% tax on income such as dividends, interest, and capital gains.
Contributions to private foundations are tax-deductible but may be subject to limits (typically 30% of adjusted gross income for individuals).
Identifying Unrelated Business Income (UBI)
UBI arises when a foundation earns income from a trade or business that is regularly carried on and not substantially related to its exempt purpose. Passive income (e.g., dividends, royalties) is generally excluded—unless it’s debt-financed.
If UBI exceeds $1,000, the foundation must file Form 990-T. Tax is assessed at standard corporate rates, and estimated taxes may be required if expected liability exceeds $500.
Careful tracking of expenses related to UBI is critical for reducing tax liability. Expenses must be directly tied to the unrelated business and reasonably allocated.
Calculating the Net Investment Income Tax
Private foundations are subject to a 1.39% tax on net investment income. This includes:
Interest (except tax-exempt)
Dividends
Rents and royalties
Capital gains
Income from limited partnerships
Deductions may include necessary expenses incurred to generate or manage investment income. However, previously paid excise taxes cannot be deducted.
Meeting the Annual Distribution Requirement
Nonoperating foundations must distribute at least 5% of their average annual noncharitable-use assets. Qualifying distributions include grants to 501(c)(3) public charities and certain administrative expenses.
Failure to meet the minimum distribution requirement results in a 30% excise tax on undistributed income, with a 100% tax imposed on persistent shortfalls.
Maintaining Expenditure Responsibility
When making grants, especially to foreign or nonqualified organizations, a private foundation must follow IRS expenditure responsibility rules. This includes:
Conducting a pre-grant inquiry.
Establishing a written grant agreement.
Requiring periodic reports from the grantee.
Reporting to the IRS annually via Form 990-PF.
Investigating any misuse of funds.
Failure to comply may result in excise taxes and jeopardize the foundation’s tax-exempt status.
Recognizing Operating Foundations
Unlike nonoperating foundations, operating foundations directly conduct charitable activities. While they share many tax rules with nonoperating foundations, key distinctions include:
Donations qualify for higher charitable deduction limits (up to 60% of AGI).
They are exempt from annual distribution excise taxes.
They must meet both an income test and one of three operational tests (assets, endowment, or support) in three out of four years.
Operating foundations are less common and typically more complex to manage.
Avoiding Self-Dealing Pitfalls
Self-dealing rules prevent transactions between the foundation and disqualified persons. Common violations include:
Paying personal travel expenses.
Renting property from a family member.
Awarding scholarships to relatives.
Penalties include a 10% excise tax on the self-dealer and a 5% tax on any foundation manager who knowingly participated. If not corrected, second-tier penalties of up to 200% may apply.
Applying for Tax-Exempt Status and Filing Requirements
To qualify for exemption under IRC Section 501(c)(3), an organization must legally form as a nonprofit corporation or trust and include clauses in its governing documents that support a charitable purpose.
Once established, the foundation must apply to the IRS using Form 1023 or the simplified 1023-EZ. If the application is submitted within 27 months of formation, the organization will be treated as exempt retroactively from its formation date.
Annually, all private foundations—regardless of income or activity—must file IRS Form 990-PF. Failure to file on time can result in daily penalties.
Final Thoughts
Private foundations play a vital role in philanthropy but must navigate a landscape of regulatory requirements and potential tax pitfalls. Understanding these obligations—from filing and reporting to expenditure rules and excise taxes—is essential to maintaining tax-exempt status and fulfilling charitable missions effectively.
Can My Husband and I Own Our Business Together as a Sole Proprietorship?
There are some cases where a couple who run a business together wouldn’t be interested in creating a formal business entity.
The question then becomes: can that business, being run by a married couple, be considered a sole proprietorship?
The answer is yes. The IRS allows a lone exemption for married couples who want to structure their business as a sole proprietorship.
Before going into details on that, there are typically four different kinds of business structures that the IRS recognizes. Those include:
Sole proprietorships
Partnerships
Limited Liability Companies
Corporations
In order for the business you run with your spouse to qualify as a sole proprietorship, the following conditions must be met:
There must be no other employees actively engaged with the business. This includes children or other relatives.
Both spouses must materially participate in the running the business.
With those requirements met, each spouse would be required to file their own Schedule C, reporting their individual share (usually an even split) of the business’s income. Each spouse in the husband-and-wife business (sole proprietor or partnership or other) would also need to file a separate self-employment tax form.
Should My Spouse and I Run Our Business as a Sole Proprietorship?
This, of course, is a separate issue entirely. The big advantage of a sole proprietorship is that it’s one of the easiest business structures to establish. The major disadvantage of this structure is that you and your spouse are 100% liable if the business fails. Sole proprietorships offer no protection from creditors.
Another option that many married couples employ is a partnership. For tax purposes, it can be easier to file since there is only one form involved. On the other hand, the business will be required to obtain a tax identification number. Partnerships might also be subject to state and federal regulations. The major upside, however, is that partnerships offer more opportunities for growth.
There are no regulations that state that if you start a business as a joint venture LLC, which for tax purposes is considered a sole proprietorship, you cannot later change the structure of the business to a partnership, LLC, or anything else. For many married couples, having the option to start as a sole proprietorship affords them the opportunity to hit the ground running. It’s a simple and effective means of getting their business started without needing to file numerous petitions with state and federal agencies.
What makes sense for your business in the early days, however, may not make sense down the road.
3 Key Tax Benefits of Using an LLC Structure
Limited Liability Companies have many useful properties for investors. Most of my clients approach me about forming Traditional LLCs or Series LLCs for asset protection, but often are completely unaware of the potential tax benefits their entity may provide.
Today, let’s talk a bit about the tactics you can use to minimizing your tax liabilities. Specifically, we will be taking a closer look at the tax benefits of an LLC structure.
Tax Status Flexibility
One of the appealing tax benefits of LLCs is that you get to choose the manner in which it is taxed. But owners of Series LLCs don’t have to miss out on the fun. In fact, if you own a Series LLC, you can tax each Series differently if you desire. What exactly does that mean? Let’s take a closer look at how LLCs are taxed.
You may make your pick from any of the following three tax status elections when forming an LLC (or Series within a Series LLC):
Disregarded Entity. A pass-through entity, also commonly referred to as a flow-through entity allows taxes to be passed onto your personal tax return. Learn much more about the benefits of pass-through tax treatment for real estate investors from our previous article on the subject. Single-member LLCs and married couple LLCs are typically treated this way automatically in most jurisdictions.
Partnership. Partnership taxation is the default status of multi-member LLCs, but they may choose to change to S-Corporation or Disregarded Entity status. In entities taxed as partnerships, each member receives a Schedule K-1 and reports their share of the profits and losses. This information, along with a completed Form 1065 for partnership taxation, will be attached to members’ tax returns. In this way, the company isn’t billed, but the members each pay their fair share of the taxes.
S-Corporation. This status makes sense for anyone who would benefit from the lower tax rate on the entity’s first $75,000 in income. It’s treated more like a corporation, albeit with different provisions than the more complex C-Corporation. It also comes with a super sexy form called Form 8332. Filling it out might not be a blast, but the savings sure can be for certain investors.
Note that there is an exception to the flexibility norm. Single-member LLCs are more limited and may be forced to file as a sole proprietorship, then report income or losses on their personal returns. It is also important to be aware that the above are simply tax classifications rather than different types of entities. It can be easy to get the impression that an S-Corporation is an entity when indeed it is a tax status, as a C-Corporation is an entity.
Which tax option will be best for you? As with most answers in the financial realm, you’ll find that it depends on your individual circumstances, status, and ambitions in the real estate business. Only a qualified attorney and CPA should be trusted to give tax advice.
Deductions and Credits Galore For Those Willing to Look
If you’re serious about lowering your tax bill you know the power of deductions. So we recommend that you deduct, deduct, deduct everything that you can. No business expense is too small or inexpensive. See if you qualify for fuel deductions, and take a good written record of everything you really need for work and its cost. It may seem silly if you’re looking at many small receipts or expenses, but the old adage about how they tend to add up is true.
The fact that you may not be aware of deduction and credit opportunities is yet another good reason to have a solid CPA and attorney on your real estate dream team. These pros will often point out savings options you didn’t even know you were missing out on. So go forth and deduct shamelessly. It’s a win-win for both client and CPA.
Personal Assets May Be Leased to the LLC
If a valuable assets drag you into a higher tax bracket, an LLC offers a handysolution. You may be able to minimize this situation by leasing the asset to yourself (specifically, your LLC) with a formal leasing agreement. Such arrangements lower taxable income and often allow for deductions.
For example, a home office is an item you lean on come Tax Season when you’re deduction hunting. Learn more details about the home office deduction and who can qualify from our previous educational resource on the subject. Home offices may not only be deducted from your taxes, but also leased back to your LLC. When that leasing agreement goes through, you can write it off and claim it as a business expense. The fact that this type of business expense
Optimize Your LLC Tax Strategy With The Pros at Royal Legal Solutions
Between the asset protection and tax benefits, LLCs may begin to seem like a no-brainer. But to get the right entity that will do the best possible job for you, you may need Our crack team of attorneys and the CPAs we work with can assist you through any tax concerns you may have. As investors ourselves, we may have some more tips that you haven’t yet learned to exploit. Which ones will apply to you will depend on your personal circumstances.
If you are wondering how Royal Legal Solutions can help you save on your taxes, our consultants are happy to explain your options to you, answer your questions, and when you’re ready, set up your personalized consultation. We look forward to helping you keep more of your income where it belongs: in your bank account.
Find out about the tax savings strategies that you can implement as a real estate investor or entrepreneur by taking our Tax Discovery quiz. We'll use this information to prepare to have a productive conversation. At the end of the quiz, you'll have an opportunity to schedule your consultation. TAKE THE TAX DISCOVERY QUIZ
Short-Term Rental Cost Segregation Study Helps With 2025 Taxes
Rental Property Depreciation is a killer strategy for reducing taxes.
And short-term-rental (STR) owners need a cost segregation study to reclassify parts of their property from a standard 39-year life to shorter lifespans (say, 5 or 15 years.)
Even as bonus depreciation phases out to 0 percent by 2027, a cost segregation study can still maximize your property’s depreciation benefits.
Let’s take a closer look.
How to Use Rental Property Depreciation to Your Advantage
Rental property depreciation can be a game-changer when it comes to reducing taxes for your short-term rental (STR) business.
By leveraging strategies like accelerated depreciation, you can take larger deductions in the early years of owning a property, freeing up cash flow and lowering your tax bill. Here’s how it works and why it’s worth considering.
What Is Accelerated Depreciation?
Accelerated depreciation allows assets to lose value more quickly in the earlier years of ownership, rather than spreading the deductions evenly over the property’s lifespan.
Why does this matter?
Bigger tax savings earlier on: You can claim larger deductions in the first few years the property is in service.
Lower taxable income: Reducing your reported profit means you may qualify for a lower tax bracket.
Improved cash flow: With a lower tax bill, you can reinvest savings into your business or other opportunities.
How Does A Cost Segregation Study Fit In?
The IRS typically allows residential rental properties to depreciate over 27.5 years and commercial properties over 39 years. However, not every part of a property needs to follow this timeline.
Look at it this way. When you buy or construct a property, it includes more than just the building itself. Think about:
Plumbing fixtures
Carpeting
Sidewalks
Fencing
If purchased separately, these items could be depreciated over 5, 7, or 15 years. A cost segregation study helps identify these shorter-life assets and accelerates their depreciation, giving you more tax savings upfront.
How Does a Cost Segregation Study Work?
A cost segregation study breaks down the purchase price or construction cost of your property into categories with different depreciation schedules. Here’s the process:
Identify short-life components: Examples include electrical outlets for appliances (5 years) or landscaping improvements (15 years).
Reallocate costs: On average, 20-40% of a property’s components can qualify for accelerated depreciation.
Calculate tax savings: By writing off these assets sooner, you significantly reduce your taxable income in the early years.
What’s Involved in a Cost Segregation Study?
A high-quality cost segregation study includes:
Review of property records: Cost details, blueprints, and other documentation.
On-site inspection: To identify and assess qualifying components.
Comprehensive reporting: Detailed findings with a breakdown of depreciation categories. If records are incomplete, professionals can still estimate values based on the property inspection.
When Should You Conduct a Cost Segregation Study?
Timing matters!
Best time: The year a property is purchased, remodeled, or constructed.
Planning ahead: If you’re building or renovating, consider a study before finalizing the infrastructure. For STR investors, acting early ensures you maximize your deductions as soon as the property is in service.
How Much Can You Save?
Let’s crunch the numbers with an example:
Imagine you own a short-term rental valued at $800,000.
Without cost segregation:
Depreciate over 39 years: $20,512 per year
Tax savings (at 37% rate): About $4,600/year
With cost segregation:
$100,000 of electrical fixtures (5 years)
$100,000 of plumbing fixtures (7 years)
$100,000 for parking, landscaping and storm sewers (15 years)
Now, instead of a flat $800,000 depreciating over 39 years, you allocate $300,000 for accelerated depreciation. This leads to significantly larger tax savings in the first year and beyond.
DIY Cost Segregation Studies—Are They Worth It?
While you can identify some short-life assets on your own, working with a tax professional ensures you get the full benefit of a cost segregation study.
There are two main approaches:
“Rule of thumb” method: Estimates based on similar properties; less reliable and higher risk.
Engineering approach: A detailed review using actual cost records; more accurate and preferred by the IRS. A professional specializing in cost segregation will typically use the engineering approach, reducing your audit risk and maximizing your tax savings.
Bonus Depreciation is Phasing Out: Act Now to Maximize Savings
Rental property depreciation, especially when paired with a cost segregation study, is a powerful tool for STR investors. By accelerating depreciation on certain components, you can:
Free up cash flow
Lower your taxable income
Reap significant tax savings in the early years of ownership
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Under current law, bonus depreciation is being phased out:
2024: Reduced to 60%
2025: Drops to 40%
2026: Down to 20%
2027 and beyond: Completely eliminated (0%)
If you’re an investor looking to take advantage of this tax-saving strategy, now is the time. The sooner you act, the greater your potential savings before bonus depreciation disappears entirely.
Want to unlock these benefits? Reach out to a tax professional to see if a cost segregation study is right for your property. The savings could be substantial, so don’t miss this window of opportunity to optimize your cash flow and reduce your tax burden!
BONUS: 12 Common Questions About Cost Segregation Studies
1. What Is a Cost Segregation Study?
Every property is made up of a variety of assets, and each one has a different expected useful life. For instance, tile flooring is much more durable than carpet, right?
Tax law accounts for these differences and guides how capital expenditures should be depreciated. Using the Modified Asset Cost Recovery System (MACRS):
Residential real property is typically depreciated over 27.5 years.
Nonresidential real property is depreciated over 39 years.
Without a cost segregation study, all assets in a property would default to these timelines, even though it doesn’t make sense for shorter-lived components like carpet. Cost segregation adjusts this, giving you more accurate depreciation timelines—and better tax savings.
2. How Are Building Assets Categorized for Depreciation?
A cost segregation study breaks down a property into individual components, assigns costs to each using IRS-approved pricing guides, and places them into different categories based on their depreciation timelines. Here are some common categories:
15-Year Assets: Land improvements like parking lots, landscaping, drainage systems, outdoor pools, and sidewalks. By moving these assets into shorter-lived categories, they depreciate faster, which means more tax savings upfront and better cash flow.
3. Is Cost Segregation Worth It For Rental Property Investors?
Yes, cost segregation can offer a significant return on investment! While the cost of the study depends on the size and complexity of the property, the benefits often far outweigh the expense. Beyond accelerated depreciation, cost segregation can:
Provide data for future tax strategies.
Be updated if new tax laws or opportunities arise. To get a clearer picture of potential savings, many providers offer free estimates after reviewing your property details.
4. What Types of Real Estate Qualify for Cost Segregation?
Cost segregation isn’t just for office buildings or hotels—it can be applied to nearly all types of commercial and residential real estate, including short-term rentals. Popular property types include:
Garden-style apartment complexes
Manufacturing facilities
Auto dealerships
Self-storage facilities
5. Does Cost Segregation Create New Deductions?
No, cost segregation doesn’t create new deductions. Instead, it accelerates existing deductions by shifting them to earlier years of ownership. This lets you take advantage of the time value of money by getting tax savings sooner.
6. Can I Do a Cost Segregation Study Myself?
While cost segregation may seem straightforward, a quality study requires expertise. A professional will conduct a detailed forensic analysis of the property, breaking out assets, assigning costs, and ensuring compliance with IRS rules. This level of precision is key to maximizing your tax savings and minimizing audit risks.
7. When Is the Best Time to Perform a Cost Segregation Study?
The best time to perform a cost segregation study is right after a property is purchased or constructed. This ensures the study accurately reflects the assets in place when the property is first put into service, maximizing your tax benefits from day one.
8. How Far Back Can You Do a Cost Segregation Study?
You can conduct a “look-back” cost segregation study for properties purchased in previous years. This allows you to claim missed depreciation without amending past tax returns by filing Form 3115 to catch up on deductions.
9. Can Cost Segregation Studies Be Used as a Planning Tool?
Absolutely! Cost segregation can be integrated into your tax planning strategy before a property is purchased or constructed. For example, you can:
Design buildouts to maximize assets eligible for accelerated depreciation.
Incorporate energy-efficient features to qualify for additional credits like IRC Sec. 179D or Sec. 45L.
Align depreciation deductions with cash flow needs. The data from a cost segregation study can also set you up for future tax benefits, such as partial asset dispositions or tracking capital improvements.
10. How Does Bonus Depreciation Relate to Cost Segregation?
Bonus depreciation allows you to take an additional write-off for assets with a class life of less than 20 years. It’s a powerful tool that complements cost segregation, as the study identifies assets eligible for bonus depreciation. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the bonus depreciation rate was 100% for assets placed in service between 2017 and 2022. This rate dropped to 80% in 2023 and will phase out entirely by 2027. Despite the reduction, cost segregation still provides significant tax benefits.
11. Is Cost Segregation Useful for Renovation Projects?
Yes! While cost segregation is commonly used for newly purchased or constructed properties, it’s also valuable for properties undergoing major renovations. By quantifying and categorizing assets before they’re retired, you can take advantage of the partial asset disposition (PAD) election to write off the remaining value of disposed assets. Renovated assets classified as Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) may also qualify for accelerated depreciation or bonus depreciation.
12. What Is Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) and How Is It Connected to Cost Segregation?
QIP refers to interior improvements made to nonresidential buildings after they’ve been placed in service, excluding structural changes, expansions, or upgrades like elevators. Thanks to the CARES Act, QIP now has a 15-year recovery period, making it eligible for bonus depreciation. Cost segregation helps identify and categorize QIP assets, ensuring they are accurately valued for depreciation purposes. This is especially beneficial for landlords providing tenant buildout allowances, allowing for faster tax savings on these investments.
Deductions for 2025 (Tax Year 2024): A Beginner's Guide
You’ve worked hard to get where you are, and one thing you’ve no doubt learned along the way is that tax season is usually the biggest pain when you’re managing your accounts.
And if you’re not familiar with the deductions you may qualify for that pain is even worse.
Don’t pull your hair out over the confusing (and ever-changing) tax code— just need some help from the right advisors. Then you can lower your overall tax bill and keep more of your hard-earned money.
In this guide, we’ll break down the essentials of tax deductions for tax year 2024 (what you’ll file in 2025). Whether you’re an individual filer, a small business owner, or someone looking to maximize advanced tax-saving strategies, this article will provide you with the tools you need to take control of your taxes.
We’ll start with standard deductions, the simplest way to lower your taxable income. Then, we’ll explore business deductions, which can help entrepreneurs and freelancers save big. Finally, we’ll dive into advanced deductions, perfect for those looking to optimize their finances with more complex tax strategies.
Let’s get started on your path to smarter tax filing in 2025!
Standard Deductions
As usual, taxpayers, including business owners, can choose between standard deductions and itemized deductions when filing their 2024 income taxes.
(The standard deduction or itemized deductions differ from self-employed business expense deductions. To maximize your deductions across all income types, we highly recommend you get the tax advice you need for your specific situation.)
Many prefer the standard deduction offered by the IRS due to its simplicity. This fixed amount reduces taxable income and varies based on your filing status. The IRS has increased the standard deduction to account for annual inflation. The standard deduction for married couples filing jointly for tax year 2024 rose to $29,200, an increase of $1,500 from tax year 2023.
For single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately, the standard deduction rises to $14,600, an increase of $750 from 2023. For heads of households, the standard deduction is $21,900, an increase of $1,100.
The standard deduction amounts for tax year 2024 (taxes filed in 2025) and for tax year 2025 (taxes filed in 2026) are as follows:
Filing status
2024 standard deduction
2025 standard deduction
Single
$14,600
$15,000
Head of household
$21,900
$22,500
Married filing jointly
$29,200
$30,000
Married filing separately
$14,600
$15,000
Business Deductions
The more tax deductions your business claims, the lower your taxable profit—and that means more money in your pocket.
But knowing what’s deductible and following IRS rules is key. Also, you and your CPA need to know the difference between credits and deductions for businesses and how to claim them on your tax return.
In simple terms, a deduction is an amount you subtract from your income when you file so you don’t pay tax on it. A credit is an amount you subtract from the tax you owe. Here are credits you can claim when you file your taxes this year.
As for business deductions, claiming as many of them as you're entitled to can make a big difference for your bottom line.
So, the question now becomes …
What Deductions Can Your Small Business Claim?
When totaling up your business expenses, remember these common deductions:
Auto Expenses
If you use a car for business, you can deduct costs like gas, maintenance, and even depreciation. There are two ways to calculate this:
Actual Expense Method: Track and deduct all business-related car expenses, including depreciation.
Standard Mileage Rate: Deduct a set amount for every mile driven (67 cents per mile for 2024) plus business-related tolls and parking fees.
Startup Costs
Getting your business off the ground? You can deduct up to $5,000 in startup expenses the first year. The rest must be spread out over 15 years.
Legal and Professional Fees
Fees for lawyers, tax pros, or consultants are deductible. If the service benefits future years, spread the deduction across the life of the benefit.
Insurance
You can deduct premiums for business-related insurance, including:
Employee health insurance
Liability insurance
Property insurance (fire, theft, flood)
Business interruption insurance
Travel
Business trips? Deduct airfare, car expenses, lodging, meals, and even laundry. If you mix business with pleasure, only the business-related costs are deductible.
Interest
If you borrow for your business, the interest is tax-deductible. But if your profits exceed $25 million, only 30% of interest expenses are deductible under current laws.
Taxes
Yep, what you paid in taxes can reduce your tax burden. Certain taxes are deductible, like:
Sales tax on business supplies
Property taxes on business locations
Employer-paid payroll taxes
However, federal income taxes on business profits are not deductible.
Education
Training and education expenses that improve your current business skills are deductible. Just make sure it’s related to your existing work—not a new career.
Advertising and Promotion
Deduct the cost of promoting your business, such as business cards, websites, or even sponsoring local events—if there's a clear link to your business.
20% Pass-Through Deduction
If you run a pass-through business (like a sole proprietorship, partnership, or LLC), you may qualify to deduct up to 20% of your net income. This deduction lasts through 2025.
Employee Expenses
Employee salaries, payroll taxes, and benefits like health insurance are fully deductible.
Independent Contractors
The cost of hiring independent contractors, such as bookkeepers or cleaners, is deductible too.
Home Office
If you work from home, you can deduct a portion of your home expenses, like rent, utilities, and maintenance. The space must be used exclusively for business.
Don’t Miss These Additional Write-Offs
Here are some easy-to-overlook deductions:
Bank fees
Business association dues
Office supplies
Parking fees
Business gifts (up to $25 per gift)
Trade shows and seminars
Maximizing deductions takes careful planning, but it’s worth it. When in doubt, consult a tax professional to ensure you’re getting every tax break your business deserves.
Advanced Deductions
When it comes to working with a tax professional this year, Don’t leave money on the table by working with someone who doesn’t understand advanced strategies for reducing your tax burden.
Many CPAs don’t understand that it's possible to save outside the standard deductions. What are we talking about?
The IRS also provides tax incentives for business investments in fixed assets through Section 179 and Bonus Depreciation deductions. Let’s take a closer look at these.
These two deductions are often applied for manufacturing and real estate companies, but they can be creatively applied to many other businesses as well.
Bonus depreciation requires applying the deduction across all assets within a particular asset class, whereas Section 179 allows for more selective application on an asset-by-asset basis.
Both deductions must be taken in the tax year when the asset is placed into service. However, Section 179 allows flexibility to defer part of the expense, while bonus depreciation requires a set percentage to be applied.
Understanding the differences between these deductions helps optimize tax benefits. Let’s take a look.
Section 179
Section 179 gets its name from section 179 of the Internal Revenue Code. It allows business owners to write off the full cost of eligible property in the year it is purchased and put into use instead of deducting the depreciation over time.
Note: You cannot take a 179 deduction on property purchased in a previous year, even if this is the first year you used the property for business purposes.
Section 179 Eligibility
Property eligible for the Section 179 deduction is usually tangible personal property (usually equipment or office furniture) purchased for use in your business. If you use property for both personal and business purposes, you can only use a Section 179 deduction if the asset is used at least 51 percent of the time for business.
Section 179 Deduction Limitations
The total amount of purchases you can write off changes every time Congress updates IRC section 179 of the tax code. For tax years beginning in 2024, the maximum section 179 expense deduction is $1,220,000.
Section 179 + S Corp
Using a Section 179 tax deduction with your S Corp means you can deduct the full purchase amount of business equipment from your personal taxable income. Since an S Corp is a pass-through entity, when a Section 179 deduction is personally allocated to you from an S Corp or partnership, the income and expense are “passed through” to you, and you claim it on your individual tax return.
This means any income you earn from your S Corporation will be reduced by your Section 179 deductions, and you’ll only have to pay taxes on the reduced amount.
Bonus Depreciation
If you can't write off an asset immediately, you have to depreciate it. You deduct a percentage of the value each year until you've written off the entire cost.
It's also possible that you can take off extra for expenses that exceed the Section 179 limit, the first year as "bonus depreciation."
Starting in 2024, bonus depreciation rates decreased to 60 percent.
Bonus Depreciation Eligibility
Eligible assets extend to farm buildings and land improvements with a useful life of 1-20 years, including certain real estate improvements.
Bonus Depreciation Deduction Limitations
Unlike Section 179, there’s no business income limit, so it's usable even when reporting a business loss.
Combining Section 179 and Bonus Depreciation
You can use both Section 179 and bonus depreciation, especially when near the Section 179 deduction limits. However, state regulations may differ from federal rules, so be mindful of potential complications when filing state tax returns.
By strategically using Section 179 and bonus depreciation, business owners can effectively manage their tax liabilities while maximizing deductions on qualifying assets.
Income and Expense Evaluation: Use Section 179 if you have enough business income; otherwise, bonus depreciation is more suitable.
Consider Fixed Asset Purchases: If total fixed asset additions exceed Section 179 limits, bonus depreciation may be the better choice.
Tax Bracket Planning: Analyze current and future tax brackets to decide between accelerated or straight-line depreciation.
What’s New for Advanced Deductions … According to the Internal Revenue Service
Section 179 deduction dollar limits. For tax years beginning in 2024, the maximum section 179 expense deduction is $1,220,000. This limit is reduced by the amount by which the cost of section 179 property placed in service during the tax year exceeds $3,050,000.Also, the maximum section 179 expense deduction for sport utility vehicles placed in service in tax years beginning in 2024 is $30,500.
Phase down of special depreciation allowance. The special depreciation allowance is 60% for certain qualified property acquired after September 27, 2017, and placed in service after December 31, 2023, and before January 1, 2025 (other than certain property with a long production period and certain aircraft). Property with a long production period and certain aircraft placed in service after December 31, 2023 and before January 1, 2025 is eligible for a special depreciation allowance of 80% of the depreciable basis of the property. The special depreciation allowance is also 60% for certain specified plants bearing fruits and nuts planted or grafted after December 31, 2023 and before January 1, 2025.
Remember: Staying informed about the latest tax changes is crucial to avoid costly mistakes. The choices you make for your business this year will directly impact your tax obligations next year.
The right tax professionals can help you navigate complex regulations, maximize tax benefits, and align with current tax laws.
Lower level CPAs may not even know it's possible to save outside the standard deductions, and even more competent CPAs tend to only know about S-Corporations and real estate investing.
What you want is a CPA who earns a high income, just like you, and who has found a way to pay nearly $0 in tax by leveraging advanced strategies. It's even better if they have an MBA and can perform Chief Financial Officer functions. When you work with a CPA at that level, you’ll find lots of ways to save on tax, even if you're a W2 employee (or active 1099) with zero investment experience.
In turn, that improves your cash flow and gives you more cash to reinvest in your business's success and in your long-term strategy for building generational wealth.
2025 IRS Code Updates: Opportunities for the 2024 Tax Year
Let's face it, paying taxes stinks.
No one likes to think about tax code updates, but the fact is the 2025 tax season is here, things have changed, and you can’t avoid it!
Failing to plan is planning to fail is a cliche, sure, but it’s the truth. If you don’t work with someone who is familiar with the tax code updates, you’ll leave money on the table now that tax season is rearing its ugly head again.
There were several tax code updates for the 2024 tax year that W2 (or active 1099) workers and business owners need to know about .
To help you navigate the murky waters of the 2025 tax season, we compiled a list of the four most important tax code updates from that session.
Work with your CPA who knows about advanced strategies. Someone with an MBA who can perform Chief Financial Officer functions. With their help and the information below, you’ll navigate complex tax decisions and make building your financial future seem easy.
#1 Tax Code Updates On Income Brackets
How much you pay in taxes depends on your income and your filing status ( whether you’re single, married, or filing jointly).
Your income isn’t taxed at a single, flat rate. Instead, it’s divided into tax brackets. You may pay several different tax rates on various parts of your earnings.
The 2024 tax brackets apply to income earned last year (what you’ll report on tax returns filed in 2025):
Tax rate
Single Taxable Income
Married Filing Jointly Taxable Income
Married Filing Separately Taxable Income
Head of Household Taxable Income
10%
Up to $11,600
Up to $23,200
Up to $11,600
Up to $16,550
12%
$11,601 to $47,150
$23,201 to $94,300
$11,601 to $47,150
$16,551 to $63,100
22%
$47,151 to $100,525
$94,301 to $201,050
$47,151 to $100,525
$63,101 to $100,500
24%
$100,526 to $191,950
$201,051 to $383,900
$100,526 to $191,950
$100,501 to $191,950
32%
$191,951 to $243,725
$383,901 to $487,450
$191,951 to $243,725
$191,951 to $243,700
35%
$243,726 to $609,350
$487,451 to $731,200
$243,726 to $365,600
$243,701 to $609,350
37%
$609,351 or more
$731,201 or more
$365,601 or more
$609,351 or more
#2 Standard Deductions Increase For Everyone
The standard deduction allows you to save money on taxes by reducing your taxable income. The standard deduction for married couples filing jointly for tax year 2024 increased to $29,200, $1,500 more than tax year 2023.
For single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately, the standard deduction is $14,600 for 2024, an increase of $750 from the previous year.
For heads of households, the standard deduction will be $21,900 for tax year 2024, an increase of $1,100.
You can also leverage standard deductions by paying your children to work for you (up to the standard deduction amount). Here are some general rules that you should follow if you have children who can work for you:
Children have to be doing work for you.
Pay your children in a way that is commensurate with their age and the tasks they are doing.
Although technically, you don't have to file a tax return for less than $12,950 in wages. It's probably a good idea to do so just so that you have proof that you paid your children in case you get audited.
#3 Safeguard Your Health And Money With HSA Contributions
You can reduce your taxable income by contributing to a health savings account. This account helps you pay for medical expenses.
The deductible contribution increased to $3,650 from $3,600 for a single person. For families, the HSA deductible went to $7,200 from $7,300.
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are a smart way to save money for medical expenses. Why? Because the money you put in—and use for qualified medical costs—is tax-free.
Before contributing to an HSA, you must meet these requirements:
You’re enrolled in an HSA-eligible health plan.
For 2024, this means:
A deductible of at least $1,600 (self-only) or $3,200 (family)
An out-of-pocket max no higher than $8,050 (self-only) or $16,100 (family)
You don’t have conflicting coverage.
This includes non-HSA-eligible health plans or a full-purpose health care Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
You’re not enrolled in Medicare.
You’re not claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return.
One more “catch”: You can’t contribute unlimited amounts. The IRS sets a cap on how much you can contribute to your HSA. This limit includes contributions made by both you and your employer.
For example, if your 2024 HSA limit is $4,150 and your employer adds $1,000, you can only contribute $3,150. However, if you’re 55 or older, you can also make an extra $1,000 catch-up contribution.
2024 HSA Contribution Limits
Self-only coverage: $4,150
Family coverage: $8,300
Catch-up contribution (age 55+): Add $1,000
Here’s what determines how much you can contribute:
Whether you have self-only or family health coverage
Your age (55 or older? You get that catch-up boost!)
#4 Tax Code Updates Means More Money For Your Family
The 2024 lifetime estate and gift tax exemption surged from $12.92 million to $13.61 million (double for married couples). This shields most people from having to pay federal gift tax.
But if you DO have to pay … For 2024, the annual gift tax limit is $18,000. ( up $1,000 from 2023 since the gift tax is one of many tax amounts adjusted annually for inflation.)
That means you can give your child $18,000 (or $36,000 for couples) to each child, grandchild, or person without filing taxes on the gift.
Key Takeaways
No one wants to think about paying taxes before taxes are due. But, you should plan to keep more money in your pocket and out of Uncle Sam's coffers.
To hold onto your nest, you must stay abreast of the tax code updates that may affect you in 2025.
Some critical updates that may affect you as a real estate investor include the changes to:
Tax brackets
Standard deductions
HSA contributions
Lifetime estate and gift tax exemption
Tax, Investing, and Legal Strategies for Medical Professionals
High-earning medical professionals eventually learn a hard lesson:
The more they earn, the more they pay in income taxes.
And since physicians and other medical professionals rank among some of the highest-paid individuals in the United States, they need tax planning and investment strategies that will protect their assets and build real generational wealth they can pass to their children and grandchildren.
Hard-working doctors and other healthcare pros can take advantage of all the tax deductions, tax credits and tax exemptions that Congress and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) make possible to reduce their taxable income.
But there are also lesser-known strategies which, when leveraged correctly, can reduce your tax burden and deliver a sound financial plan that gives you what we call “time freedom.”
Here I’ll introduce some of the tax, investing and legal strategies our medical professional clients use.
Tax Strategies for Medical Professionals
As a busy healthcare professional, you work hard to provide quality care to your patients, juggle administrative work, and balance your work with life and demands at home.
That’s why working to optimize your tax situation is probably not at the top of your priorities.
Deep down, however, you know that tax planning should be a key component of your wealth management strategy.
If you are employed by a hospital, a private practice, or a government healthcare department, you’re probably a W2 worker. W2 employees are taxed on gross income first, meaning the IRS takes their cut before you receive your paycheck.
But if you’re a business owner or investor (with the correct structures in place), you can pay the IRS quarterly on your net income after expenses.
To put it another way, when investing through a properly structured entity, your investment income gets the same tax treatment as a business. This allows you to use your money before deducting taxes.
If you’re like most of our clients, you've been told there isn't much you can do to lower your taxes beyond taking deductions or using retirement vehicles like 401ks and IRAs.
This simply isn’t true.
That’s why finding the right CPA to work with is so crucial. You need someone who knows what they’re talking about. It's important to understand there are different tiers of CPAs:
Many CPAs don’t understand that it's possible to save outside the standard deductions. A high-level CPA is someone who earns a high income themselves, someone who has personally found a way to pay nearly $0 in tax by leveraging advanced strategies.
The right CPA helps our medical professional clients achieve and maintain tax rates in the 0-10% range. This accelerates your overall cash flow and net worth.
If you find a CPA with an MBA and who can perform Chief Financial Officer functions, even better— these folks will be able to help you navigate complex tax decisions and make it seem easy.
When you work with that level of CPA, you'll start to find creative (but completely legal) ways to save taxes, even if you're a medical professional with zero investment experience. And that savings can be invested in equally creative, equally overlooked ways.
Such as …
Investing Strategies For Medical Professionals
The median wage for medical professionals (everything from dental hygienists, physicians and surgeons, to registered nurses) was $80,820 in 2023—much higher than the median annual wage (for all occupations) of $48,060. (Source)
However, at a certain point these high-salary professionals realize they need to take steps to shelter their income from overtaxation. And while saving money on tax is important, but the real magic happens once our medical professionals start re-investing those tax savings into tax advantaged deals.
These include:
Private Foundations
A Private Foundation is a self-funded nonprofit organization that shelters income, allowing you to bypass traditional capital gains tax and take advantage of a much lower excise tax rate.
When using the Private Foundation for income sheltering and high-performance investments, the compounding effect can lead to much better returns than traditional investing.
The Private Foundation can even replace your W2 income with a director’s salary for managing the Foundation.
Depreciation Deals
Bonus depreciation is a tax incentive designed to stimulate business investment by allowing investors to accelerate the depreciation of qualifying assets, such as equipment, rather than write them off over the useful life of the asset. This strategy can reduce a company's income tax, which in turn reduces its tax liability.
Medical professionals can claim accelerated bonus depreciation as a limited partner when investing passively into a real estate syndication. As a limited partner (LP) passive investor, you get a share of the returns based on how much you invest.
Similarly, you get a share of the tax benefits as well, as documented by the Schedule K-1 you would receive each year. The K-1 shows your income for a particular asset. In many cases, particularly in the first year of the investment, that K-1 can show a loss instead of an income.
The magic of the K-1 is that it includes accelerated and bonus depreciation. In other words, even while you’re receiving cash flow distributions, the K-1 can show a paper loss, which in most cases means you can defer or reduce taxes owed on the cash flow you’ve received.
Cash Flow Deals
These deals don't offer tax benefits, but can generate so much income that they outperform potential tax savings. Investments in this category include things like algorithmic trading. You can invest in cash flow deals through a tax shelter, such as your Private Foundation, to get the initial tax savings as well as tax advantaged portfolio growth.
Legal Strategies For Medical Professionals
Estate planning is something everybody needs to do at some point. Lawsuits can happen to anyone, and high-net-worth medical professionals are especially at risk. All it takes is a car accident, an injury on your property, a contractual disagreement—and once somebody knows what you own, they can hire a good attorney to force you to settle out of court.
The way you protect yourself is to set up asset protection. Holding companies can shield anything of value, such as real estate properties and investments. Operating companies can be established for business activities like collecting rent, paying contractors, and signing contracts.
Trusts are a way to guarantee anonymity across all of your entities and assets. They allow you to look like a beggar on paper and transfer your assets anonymously to your heirs, taking the target off your back.
Here are a couple of other legal structures we help our clients set up:
S Corporations
Independent doctors or physicians can create S Corporations to handle their taxes. Unlike regular corporations (where profits get taxed twice), S corporations pass their income, losses, and deductions directly to their owners. An S Corp, or S corporation, is a “pass-through” entity, which means that the profits and losses of the business are passed through to the individual owners and are taxed at the owners’ personal income tax rates.
Instead of paying corporate taxes, each owner reports their share of the business’s money on their personal tax returns, paying taxes at their individual rates.
Solo 401(K)
What about retirement?
If you are a medical practitioner who works as an independent contractor, The Solo 401(k) is an ideal retirement plan because it lowers your taxable income and enables you to build up retirement funds through high contribution limits and almost limitless investment capability.
The Solo 401(k) is a qualified retirement plan, just like hospital-sponsored plans. You can contribute to the plan on a tax-deferred basis. You can also contribute Roth funds to the plan and invest tax-free. With some of the highest contribution limits, the Solo 401(K) lets medical professionals lower their taxable income and grow their retirement quickly.
To Wrap It Up …
Even medical professionals with no investments need entity structuring. Here is what a full legal diagram could look like, which includes asset protection structures, estate planning, and tax shelters.
As you accelerate your tax and investing approach, it's important to add in measures to prevent a catastrophic reset. We can show you how to save $20k or more in taxes during the first year, but you will want to set up additional tax and legal structures over time to continue to reduce your taxes down to the 0-10% range.
Without entities, this would be impossible.
It's also important to protect yourself from catastrophic events, no matter how unlikely, so that you don't have any major setbacks on your journey to time and financial freedom.
Tax, Investing, and Legal Strategies for Tech Professionals
Tech industry professionals thrive on innovation, cutting-edge technology, and rapid growth.
However, navigating the world of personal finance requires a different set of skills.
Whether they're W2 employees or entrepreneurs, experienced tech professionals can earn lucrative compensation packages, which unfortunately means significant tax liabilities. That’s why they have to optimize tax strategies and get professional help navigating complex tax laws.
Or if they own a business or have exited a business, our capital gains page can help (if they made a ton of money in their exit and are looking for tax strategies to offset that).
The unique financial challenges faced by tech workers call for tailored tax, investing and legal strategies to help you make the most of your wealth. These include:
Navigating the world of taxes can be daunting, especially for tech workers with complex compensation packages, stock options, and freelance gigs. With the right strategies, however, you can make an informed decision about the best steps to take to secure your financial future.
Let’s get started.
Tax Planning for Tech Professionals
Equity compensation, a high income, remote work (where your employer is in another state with different laws) … These can make tax planning for tech professionals quite complex.
You have to take a lot into account.
Different types of equity compensation have different tax treatments. For example, Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) are taxed as ordinary income upon vesting. Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) may qualify for preferential tax treatment if certain holding periods are met. Non-Qualified Stock Options (NSOs) are taxed as ordinary income upon exercise. But exercising ISOs can trigger Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) liability.
Lost yet? It can get pretty confusing very quickly.
I believe a solid wealth management strategy starts with tax planning. Remember: salaried (full-time) tech workers are taxed on gross income first, with the IRS taking their cut before you receive your paycheck.
Compare this to business owners and investors (with the correct structures in place), who pay the IRS quarterly on their net income after expenses.
When you (as a full-time employee) invest through a properly structured entity, your investment income gets the same tax treatment as a business. This allows you to use your money before deducting taxes.
Tech professionals early in their careers may benefit from Roth conversion strategies, paying taxes now on traditional retirement accounts to enjoy tax-free growth and withdrawals in the future. This isn't nearly as strong as the foundation or depreciation deals, however.
But if you’re like most of our clients, you’re further along in your career, making a good salary, and you've been told there isn't much you can do to lower your taxes beyond taking deductions or using retirement vehicles like 401ks and IRAs.
High earners in the tech field spend years growing their career and growing their income. The more they make, the more it hurts to see 20-30% of earnings yanked away by the IRS.
I have good news for you: The right CPA can show you how to layer tax strategies to dramatically cut your taxes and even reach the 0-10% range, depending on how aggressive you decide to go.
(Here's the catch: To achieve 0-10%, you actually have to implement all the tax strategies. That's like eating your veggies, nobody wants to do it.)
Many CPAs don’t understand that it's possible to save outside the standard deductions. Things like tax-loss harvesting can offset gains and reduce tax liability. Charitable giving or even setting up a private nonprofit foundation can also help.
A high-level CPA will be able to help you navigate complex tax decisions and make it seem easy. They can find creative (but completely legal) ways to save taxes. And that savings can be invested in equally creative, equally overlooked ways.
Such as …
Investing Strategies For Tech Professionals
After implementing all the best tax strategies, our tech clients then focus on investing their tax savings into tax-advantaged deals. There are tons of deal types, but there are two categories of investments you really need to know about:
W2 earners should invest in energy or machinery deals that allow them to be a general partner (GP) in the first year in order to claim accelerated bonus depreciation. As of this writing (December 2024), syndications have changed over the past year. They only way to get depreciation as a W2 is to be a GENERAL PARTNER (not LIMITED). This only works for ENERGY & MACHINERY. RV PARKS would require you to be a Real Estate Professional.
If you are a Real Estate Professional, you can also access bonus depreciation from multi-family and commercial investments.
Cash flow deals deals don't offer tax benefits, but can drive so much income that they outperform the tax savings. Investments in this category include things like algorithmic trading and small business funds. One of the top strategies is to invest in cash flow deals through a tax shelter, such as a 501(C)3 Non-Profit Private Foundation, to get the initial tax savings as well as tax advantaged portfolio growth.
Tech pros need to know about e three "financial freedom" strategies they can avail themself of:
Save on taxes (typically this year)
Generate more cash flow (typically this year)
Create a nest egg so you can retire as fast as possible
The first two are short-term strategies. You can save taxes with Royal Legal's tax strategies (and you may still use a foundation, but only as one of many tools to capture tax savings) and you can generate cash flow with something like algorithmic trading.
Creating a nest egg requires a longer-term strategy. Putting money into your own foundation, THEN investing in cash flow deals is the strongest possible move—as long as you don't want to have a bunch of cash on hand. Because once it's in the Foundation, it's no longer yours. We endorse this strategy because that's the best possible move for anybody interested in achieving financial freedom.
Legal Strategies For Tech Professionals
Software executives, Saas founders, and other tech professionals have giant targets on their back when it comes to frivolous lawsuits.
All it takes is a car accident, an injury on your property, or a contractual disagreement—and once somebody knows what you own, they can hire a good attorney to pressure you until you settle out of court.
The way you prevent this is to set up asset protection before you get sued.
Anonymity across all of your entities and assets is key. Holding companies are where you should place your assets. This could be things like real estate properties or other investments. Anything of value that could be exposed during a lawsuit is important to protect. Operating companies run everything.
So here's what you'll be doing:
#1. Set Up a Holding Company
This is what "holds assets," typically anonymously. There are three kinds:
Series LLC
Delaware Statutory Trust
Hub-And-Spoke / LLC (most recognizable as the Wyoming LLC)
#3. Set Up an Operating Company
This is what does your "operations." Collecting rent, paying bills, performing key functions and transactions. This is what turns into the S-Corp because the money is flowing through (but not held inside for very long) this entity, which allows us to apply tax strategies to it.
In this case, you are mixing both. So you would want to differentiate…
Entity structuring means creating LLCs so your assets are held anonymously and separate from your high risk business transactions. We recommend a holding company for any investments or assets. Then a separate operating company for business transactions, such as your consulting side gig. When the operating company reaches $75k/year income, you should turn it into an S-Corp. etc…
PS - The $75k range (sometimes as low as $50k) is basically where you start to save money on taxes.
The reason it takes until then is that the S-Corporation requires a separate tax return and payroll, which both cost money in the $1-2k range. So it doesn't really pay for itself until a certain income threshold.
Unlike C Corps (that face corporate taxes and then shareholder taxes on dividends), S Corps allow shareholders to pay taxes only at their individual income tax rates, simplifying the process. S Corps split profits into wages and distributive shares, the latter of which is not subject to self-employment taxes. This distinction can provide considerable savings on the Social Security and Medicare tax burden.
We’ll also help you employ different types of trusts to create anonymity at the County Recorder and Secretary of State offices, as well as during probate (so you look like a beggar on paper and can transfer your assets anonymously to your heirs).
My team can show you how to save $20k or more in taxes during the first year, and additional tax and legal structures will continue to reduce your taxes down to the 0-10% range. Without entities, this would be impossible.
Here’s a 20-year forecast that shows how the right combination of tax strategies, investing and corporate entity structure can grow your wealth:
Protect yourself from lawsuits with estate planning, no matter how unlikely you think they are, so that you don't have any major setbacks on your journey to time and financial freedom.
The Path From High Tech To Financial Freedom
You’ve worked hard your entire life. It’s time to gain control over your time and money. Rapidly achieving true freedom requires a good tax and investment strategy.
We help tech executives and other professionals in the digital space save $20k or more in taxes during the first year—then re-invest that tax savings into turnkey properties, ATMs, self-storage syndications, apartment complex rehabs and more. We help them create the right tax and legal structures to continue to reduce your taxes and create true anonymity to protect their money.
In the end, we can help you:
Own assets anonymously so that your wealth isn't at risk
Set up limited liability companies to protect your wealth from lawsuits
Minimize risk by separating your business activities from your assets
Hold each asset in isolation so that lawsuits can't jeopardize your entire portfolio
Use insurance as a last line of defense
Tax, Investing, and Legal Strategies for W2 Employees
Not-so-fun fact: As a W2 employee, you are taxed at a rate higher than businesses and investors.
In fact, no group in America pays more taxes than high-salary wage-earning W2 employees.
Whether you are a medical professional, a tech professional or any other full-time employee for a U.S. company, there are some little-known ways you can jumpstart your tax savings and investment journey.
Let’s take a look at these tax, investing and legal strategies for 9-to-5’ers so you can make an informed decision about the best steps to take to secure your financial future.
Tax Strategies for W2 Employees
Tax planning is a key component of a solid wealth management strategy. Remember: W2 employees are taxed on gross income first, with the IRS taking a portion before you receive your paycheck.
In contrast, business owners and investors (with the correct structures in place) pay the IRS quarterly on their net income after expenses.
When you (as a full-time employee) invest through a properly structured entity, your investment income gets the same tax treatment as a business. This allows you to use your money before deducting taxes.
If you’re like most of our clients, you've been told there isn't much you can do to lower your taxes beyond taking deductions or using retirement vehicles like 401ks and IRAs. That’s why finding the right CPA to work with is so crucial. You need someone who knows what they’re talking about.
The right CPA can help W2 earners leverage tax strategies to achieve and maintain tax rates in the 0-10% range. This accelerates your overall cash flow and net worth.
Many CPAs don’t understand that it's possible to save outside the standard deductions. A high-level CPA is someone who earns a high income themselves, someone who has personally found a way to pay nearly $0 in tax by leveraging advanced strategies.
If you find a CPA with an MBA and who can perform Chief Financial Officer functions, even better— these folks will be able to help you navigate complex tax decisions and make it seem easy.
When you work with that level of CPA, you'll start to find creative (but completely legal) ways to save taxes. And that savings can be invested in equally creative, equally overlooked ways.
Such as …
Investing Strategies For W2 Employees
W2 employees spend years growing their career and growing their income. At a certain point we have plenty of income but 20-30 percent of it is being sucked away by the IRS.
Saving money on tax is important, but the real magic happens once W2 earners invest their tax savings into tax-advantaged deals.
There are tons of deal types, but the top asset classes include real estate, syndications in energy or machinery, and algorithmic trading. In short, deals can do three things:
Give you ROI (for example, after 3 years, you get twice your money back)
Give you cash flow (ex: you get dividends/distributions every quarter)
W2 earners should invest in energy or machinery deals that allow them to be a general partner (GP) in the first year in order to claim accelerated bonus depreciation. As of this writing (December 2024), syndications have changed over the past year. They only way to get depreciation as a W2 is to be a GENERAL PARTNER (not LIMITED). This only works for ENERGY & MACHINERY. RV PARKS would require you to be a Real Estate Professional.
If you are a Real Estate Professional, you can also access bonus depreciation from multi-family and commercial investments.
Cash Flow Deals
These deals don't offer tax benefits, but can drive so much income that they outperform the tax savings. Investments in this category include things like:
Algorithmic trading (ex: Forex)
Small business funds
A variety of deals that call themselves cash flow, meaning they focus on providing you with cash right away.
One of the top strategies is to invest in cash flow deals through a tax shelter, such as a 501(C)3 Non-Profit Private Foundation, to get the initial tax savings as well as tax advantaged portfolio growth.
You see, there are three "financial freedom" strategies at a high level:
Save on taxes (typically this year)
Generate more cash flow (typically this year)
Create a nest egg so you can retire as fast as possible
#1 and #2 are short-term strategies. You can accomplish #1 with Royal Legal's tax strategies (and you may still use a foundation, but only as one of many tools to capture tax savings) and you can accomplish #2 with a good cash flow deal (algorithmic trading, for example).
#3 is a longer-term strategy. Putting money into your own foundation, THEN investing in cash flow deals is the strongest possible move—as long as you don't want to have a bunch of cash on hand. Because once it's in the Foundation, it's no longer yours.
So when we endorse this strategy, it's because that's the best possible move for anybody interested in #3 - achieving financial freedom.
Legal Strategies For W2 Employees
As you accelerate your tax and investment approach, it's important to incorporate asset protection and legal strategies into your plan. The Royal Legal approach for W2 earners lets you:
Own assets anonymously so that your wealth isn't on public display
Set up limited liability companies to protect your personal net worth from lawsuits
Minimize risk by separating your business activities from your assets
Hold each asset in isolation so that lawsuits can't jeopardize your entire portfolio
Use insurance as a last line of defense in case everything goes wrong
Even a W2 employee with no investments needs to set up legal support. Everybody needs an estate plan, not just for their kids but also in case they become incapacitated and need someone to help make medical and financial decisions (ex: car accident, COVID, etc...).
Setting up an LLC, even as a small consulting or investing firm, can give you options to a big range of new strategies.
Once your LLC hits the $50-75k income mark, the S-Corp election becomes your best friend. S Corps utilize pass-through taxation, meaning income and losses "pass through" the company directly to the shareholders.
Unlike C Corps (which have corporate taxes and then shareholder taxes on dividends), S Corps allow shareholders to pay taxes only at their individual income tax rates, simplifying the process.
For businesses generating between $75,000 and $250,000 in profits per owner, electing S-Corp status can offer significant savings. While LLCs face self-employment taxes on all profits, S-Corps split profits into wages and distributive shares, the latter of which is not subject to self-employment taxes. This distinction can provide considerable savings on the Social Security and Medicare tax burden.
The S Corps elections also means you can write off business expenses such as equipment, work meals, travel and more. For example, you can depreciate vehicles—80% if under 6,000 lbs or 100% if over 6,000 lbs.
You can even pay your kids to work, typically up to around $14k/year. They avoid income tax and you avoid having profit taxed at your normal income tax rate. Win/win!
There’s a Path to True Financial Freedom For W2 Employees
You’ve worked hard your entire life. It’s time to gain control over your time and money. Rapidly achieving true freedom requires a good tax and investment strategy.
We can show full-time, W2 workers how to save $20k or more in taxes during the first year. Then we give you access to high performance deals and model out different investment options so you can see the best path to rapidly achieve your financial goals.
The Private Foundation. Oil & gas syndications. Machinery deals. And short-term rentals. These are your best options as a W2. The list of deals that outperform traditional stock market investments (and sometimes provide additional tax benefits) is long.
Take a look at a typical 20-year plan that includes asset protection structures, estate planning, investing and tax shelters:
Kamala Harris Capital Gains Tax: Changes To Expect (Jan. 2025 Update: Well, That Didn't Happen!)
Jan. 2025 Update: Well, the U.S. Election went the other way. Whatever your feelings about it, here are some things to expect from the incoming Trump administration regarding capital gains:
Donald Trump wants to make the tax cuts in his 2017 tax law permanent and lower federal income tax rates for individuals. Trump hasn't said much about long-term capital gains tax, although he floated the idea of a temporary capital-gains tax holiday.
Project 2025, designed for the next Republican administration and spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation, suggests two changes to the capital gains tax. First, the plan calls for a 15% top long-term capital gains tax rate, down from 20% now.
Project 2025 supports the idea of indexing capital gains for inflation each year, meaning taxpayers would be able to increase their tax basis in capital assets by the rate of inflation between the purchase date and time of sale.
Here's an example from Kiplinger: If you bought stock in 2010 for $10,000 and sold it in January 2024 for $35,000, you would have a $25,000 long-term capital gain ($35,000 - $10,000).
This is not including inflation indexing. With indexing, your tax basis in the stock would jump to $13,740, making your capital gain $21,260 ($35,000 - $13,740), lowering your tax bill.
Indexing capital gains involves several factors that individuals and investors need to be aware of:
Using the appropriate inflation index
Tax basis isn't always static for investments such as reinvested dividends, so the calculation can get complicated
Higher-income individuals stand to benefit the most
And given the current political climate, we can expect legislative debate when the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act sunsets at the end of 2025.
Still, Kamala Harris has supports changing the way capital gains are taxed, so I’d like to talk about how those changes affect us as investors.
As a reminder, capital gains tax is applied to the profit earned when an asset, such as stocks or property, is sold at a higher price than it was originally purchased. This tax primarily affects middle- to high-income earners who have investments in various assets.
Under current tax policies, capital gains are taxed only when gains are "realized" — that is, when the asset is sold and the profit is confirmed.
For American W2 employees and 1099 earners with high incomes, this tax represents a critical component of financial planning. Avoiding a significant tax bill when liquidating assets is crucial to building and preserving wealth.
Expected Capital Gains Tax Rates for 2025
Under Kamala Harris’s tax proposals, the capital gains tax landscape will shift substantially for high-income earners. A new long-term capital gains rate of 28% could apply to individuals earning over $1 million annually. This adjustment is a significant increase from the current top rate of 20%, making it more important than ever for high-income earners to understand how to use legal structures to protect their assets.
Harris's Broader Economic Goals and Tax Policy Objectives
Harris’s tax policy proposals aim to generate revenue for social programs, promote wealth redistribution, and stimulate the economy for low- to middle-income families. These objectives are part of a larger fiscal policy effort to address wealth inequality and expand benefits for working families.
To fund these initiatives, the plan includes raising corporate and high-income individual taxes. The proposed policies align with Harris’s broader economic vision of using tax policy as a tool to level the economic playing field while still promoting growth through targeted credits and exemptions.
Key Capital Gains Tax Changes for High-Income Earners
Increased Taxes on Capital Gains for the Wealthiest
For those with an annual income over $1 million, the proposed capital gains tax rate would rise to 28%, marking one of the highest rates in recent history. This change would specifically impact high-income households, making it important for these earners to plan around the new rate. Harris also supports raising the net investment income tax (NIIT) from 3.8% to 5% for top earners, increasing the overall tax burden on investment income.
Introduction of a Minimum Tax on High-Net-Worth Individuals
A significant component of Harris’s proposal includes a 25% minimum tax on ultra-high-net-worth individuals with over $100 million in assets, covering both realized and unrealized gains. This policy focuses on wealth accumulation that may otherwise escape taxation under traditional income tax structures. While some experts express concerns about the technical aspects of taxing unrealized gains, Harris argues it is a necessary step toward addressing economic inequality.
Corporate and Business Tax Adjustments
The Harris tax plan also targets corporate taxation. Her proposal includes raising the corporate income tax rate, increasing taxes on stock buybacks, and expanding global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) regulations. These measures aim to ensure that corporations contribute their fair share, offsetting the high-income earners’ tax relief while preventing tax avoidance by companies with substantial foreign earnings.
These changes could indirectly affect high-income individuals who rely on dividend-paying investments. Understanding the full impact on corporate taxation is key for those in high income brackets, as adjustments could influence corporate profits, stock valuations, and, consequently, the value of investment portfolios.
Changes in Inheritance and Estate Tax Policies
Harris proposes changes to the treatment of unrealized gains upon inheritance. The current “step-up in basis” provision, which allows inherited assets to be valued at their current market price (thus avoiding capital gains tax), would be adjusted.
Under the Harris plan, unrealized gains would be subject to taxation at the time of inheritance, potentially reducing the wealth passed down and increasing tax liabilities for beneficiaries.
For estate planning purposes, high-net-worth individuals may need to reassess how they transfer assets to future generations. The policy is aimed at ensuring that large estates contribute more in taxes, though it includes exemptions for smaller estates.
Expanded Tax Credits and Social Incentives
Aside from changes to the way capital gains are taxed, Harris is proposing the following tax changes:
Increased Child Tax Credit (CTC)
Harris plans to expand the Child Tax Credit (CTC), particularly for families with newborns. This increase is part of a broader effort to support low- and middle-income families. For high-income earners with children, these expansions could provide additional tax benefits.
Permanent Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Expansion
Harris proposes a permanent expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which primarily benefits low-income workers, particularly those without children. While this credit is not targeted at high-income earners, it represents a shift toward policies that support economic security for a broader population.
First-Time Homebuyer Credit
A tax credit for first-time homebuyers is also on the table, aimed at assisting new homeowners in building equity and long-term wealth. This incentive aligns with Harris’s broader economic goals by enabling more Americans to build financial security through homeownership.
Projected Economic and Revenue Impact of the Harris Plan
Nobody has a crystal ball, but we can make some educated guesses about how these changes might affect our investment strategies as well as the economy overall:
Economic Growth Concerns
The proposed increases in capital gains and corporate taxes may slow economic growth in the short term. Economists project a possible decrease in GDP and employment as a result of higher costs for businesses. However, Harris’s team argues that the benefits of redistributing wealth and funding social programs will outweigh these impacts over time.
Revenue Projections and Impact on National Debt
Harris’s tax plan is projected to generate $4.1 trillion in revenue over a decade, even after accounting for various tax credits. This revenue is critical for funding the proposed social programs and reducing the federal deficit. However, the expected economic slowdown could partially offset these revenue gains, resulting in a net revenue increase of approximately $642 billion over ten years.
Challenges and Criticisms of Harris’s Capital Gains Tax Proposal
Some critics argue that higher capital gains and corporate tax rates could reduce the U.S.’s global economic competitiveness. Increased taxes on corporations could lead some companies to relocate or adjust their structures to mitigate tax impacts. This potential decrease in competitiveness is a concern for both policymakers and high-income earners who rely on corporate investment returns.
The introduction of new taxes, including those on unrealized gains, make an already intricate tax code even more of a headache. High-income individuals may face increased compliance costs and administrative burdens.
Harris’s plan aims to reduce the federal deficit, but the projected economic slowdown and potential job losses could undermine these goals. Balancing revenue generation with economic stability remains a challenge, and it is uncertain how these policies will affect the deficit long-term.
Capital Gains Tax Strategies for High-Income Earners
Offsetting Gains with Losses
One of the most effective strategies for managing capital gains tax is to offset gains with losses. High-income earners can strategically sell underperforming assets to offset gains, reducing their tax liability. This approach is known as tax-loss harvesting and can be especially beneficial under higher capital gains rates.
Leveraging Tax-Advantaged Accounts
Using tax-advantaged retirement accounts like IRAs and 401(k)s can defer or minimize capital gains tax. By holding investments within these accounts, you can avoid immediate capital gains taxes, allowing your investments to grow tax-free or tax-deferred until retirement.
Working with Financial Professionals
Navigating these new tax policies will require careful planning. High-income earners should consult with tax professionals to identify the best strategies for minimizing capital gains taxes and maximizing after-tax returns.
Proper planning can help you align your investment strategy with your financial goals while staying compliant with evolving tax laws.
Conclusion: Harris’s Balance Between Revenue and Economic Growth
Kamala Harris’s capital gains tax proposal represents a significant shift in how investment income could be taxed in the future. By targeting ultra-high earners and large estates, her plan seeks to balance revenue generation with social equity. However, these changes introduce new complexities and challenges for high-income earners.
As the 2024 election approaches, understanding these potential tax changes is crucial for those seeking financial freedom and long-term wealth. With careful planning and a proactive approach, high-income earners can adjust their strategies to adapt to the new tax landscape.
For high-income W2 earners, Cash Flow Deals and Depreciation Deals are powerful tools to maximize tax savings, supplement income, and build wealth.
You need to make an informed decision about your path to financial freedom. So let’s get things going ….
Cash Flow Deals: Steady Income and Tax Benefits
“Cash flow deals” are investments that provide regular income.
“Duh,” right?
But here’s the thing to know: They don’t inherently provide tax benefits.
That said, when they are used in conjunction with a Private Foundation, they can become highly effective. This strategy is ideal for those looking to replace active income with passive streams, leveraging the Private Foundation to shelter earnings and grow wealth
Royal Legal Solutions helps you navigate these strategies to decrease your tax burden. We’ll show you how to use them in tandem. Once we set everything up, the foundation gives you initial tax savings, while cash flow deals give you high-yield returns (and no capital gains tax).
Cash flow investments are awesome for W2 earners looking to ditch their full-time jobs or generate passive income. These deals include heavy machinery, forex trading, and algorithmic trading.
A $100k investment in a cash flow deal could potentially return $30k annually, paid out in installments..
Depreciation Deals: Reducing Taxes and Building Wealth Efficiently
Depreciation deals leverage investments that allow accelerated bonus depreciation, reducing taxable income immediately. These deals come in different types:
Real Estate Investments: Multi-family properties or leveraging short-term rental loopholes are popular options. However, you typically need to be a real estate professional to fully benefit from these tax breaks.
Energy and Equipment Investments: Car washes, energy projects, or equipment allow investors to claim depreciation benefits without requiring real estate professional status.
RV and Mobile Home Parks: Investing in these assets qualifies you as a real estate professional and opens up a wider range of tax-saving opportunities. They also allow for larger investment amounts.
Depreciation deals offer substantial tax savings and help build net worth, making them a strategic option for those needing to offset high W2 income. Typically, these investments are held in your personal name to take full advantage of the depreciation benefits.
Balancing Cash Flow and Depreciation for Optimal Tax Savings
The best approach often depends on your financial goals:
If Immediate Cash Flow is a Priority: Combine cash flow deals with a Private Foundation to maximize immediate income without additional tax burdens.
If Tax Savings and Long-Term Wealth Building Are Priorities: Focus on depreciation deals, which allow substantial tax deductions and efficient net worth growth.
To maximize savings, it is often recommended to max-fund a Private Foundation first and then explore additional investments in cash flow and depreciation deals for layered benefits.
Finding the Right Mix For You
The right blend of cash flow and depreciation deals depends on your financial goals and tax situation. By leveraging these strategies, W2 earners can significantly reduce taxes, build wealth efficiently, and create a pathway to financial freedom.
Consulting with a financial advisor or tax professional can help tailor the right mix of investments to meet your specific needs and objectives. Royal Legal Solutions will help maximize your tax savings and investment ROI. We do that by modeling scenarios, forecasting how different types of investments can impact your bottom line.
Royal Legal does not offer, underwrite, or recommend deals, operators, or deal clubs. We do not take a cut or get a kickback from any third-party deals.
Our clients are responsible for underwriting their own deals and investing their own money. YOU are responsible for deciding which strategies to implement. We provide access to a curated list of deal clubs and investment opportunities, but you are still responsible for your own due diligence.
Have questions? We’ve got answers. But first we’ll need to learn about your situation and goals. We will help you model how different types of tax shelters and investment options impact your bottom line, and from there you can decide what best fits into your lifestyle.
Comparing Section 179 and Bonus Depreciation for Asset Deductions
The IRS provides tax incentives for business investments in fixed assets through Section 179 and Bonus Depreciation deductions.
These two deductions are often applied for manufacturing and real estate companies, but they can be creatively applied to many other businesses as well.
Understanding the differences between these deductions helps optimize tax benefits. Let’s take a look.
Eligible Assets
Section 179: Applies to personal property like equipment, machinery, and certain real property (e.g., HVAC systems, roofs). Assets must be used primarily for business.
Bonus Depreciation: Extends to farm buildings and land improvements. It applies to assets with a useful life of 1-20 years, including certain real estate improvements.
Bonus depreciation requires applying the deduction across all assets within a particular asset class, whereas Section 179 allows for more selective application on an asset-by-asset basis.
Annual Deduction Limits
Section 179: The deduction limit for 2023 is $1,160,000, with an investment limit of $2,890,000. There must be enough business income to utilize this deduction.
Bonus Depreciation: For the 2023 tax year, the deduction is 80% of an asset's cost, down from 100% in 2022. Unlike Section 179, there’s no business income limit, so it's usable even when reporting a business loss.
Deduction Timeline
Both deductions must be taken in the tax year when the asset is placed into service. However, Section 179 allows flexibility to defer part of the expense, while bonus depreciation requires a set percentage to be applied.
Special Considerations for Listed Property
Listed property (used over 50% for business purposes) has specific deduction limits. For vehicles under 6,000 pounds, the maximum Section 179 deduction is $12,200, and bonus depreciation adds up to $8,000, totaling $20,200.
Deciding Between Section 179 and Bonus Depreciation
Income and Expense Evaluation: Use Section 179 if you have enough business income; otherwise, bonus depreciation is more suitable.
Consider Fixed Asset Purchases: If total fixed asset additions exceed Section 179 limits, bonus depreciation may be the better choice.
Tax Bracket Planning: Analyze current and future tax brackets to decide between accelerated or straight-line depreciation.
Combining Both Deductions
You can use both Section 179 and bonus depreciation, especially when near the Section 179 deduction limits. However, state regulations may differ from federal rules, so be mindful of potential complications when filing state tax returns.
By strategically using Section 179 and bonus depreciation, business owners can effectively manage their tax liabilities while maximizing deductions on qualifying assets.
Case Study: Section 179 Vs. Bonus Depreciation
2023 Example
Section 179
Bonus Depreciation
Net Business Income
$1,000,000
$1,000,000
Fixed Asset Investments
$400,000
$400,000
Deduction
($400,000)
($320,000)**80% of $400K
Taxable Income
$600,000
$680,000
Your State Matters
Every state is different in how they treat bonus depreciation and Section 179 deductions.With the 2023 example (above), if the investor used the bonus depreciation in Kansas (for example), they would be able to utilize the $320,000 deduction. However, if his equipment was located in California, would only be able to apply a $80,000 deduction ($400,000 spread out over five years). This is because California does not conform with the federal treatment of bonus depreciation and does not allow accelerated bonus depreciation.
How To Use Tax-Loss Harvesting to Reduce Your Tax Burden
Tax-loss harvesting (TLH) is a strategy that involves selling investments at a loss to offset capital gains and reduce taxable income.
We can incorporate the strategy into your personalized plan for financial freedom. 1099 or W2 workers who make more than $150,000 per year and who pay over $20,000 in tax annually can lower their tax bills and optimize portfolio returns.
By strategically realizing losses, they can improve their overall financial situation and potentially reinvest in assets that align better with their long-term goals.
The Mechanics of Tax-Loss Harvesting
To execute TLH effectively, investors need to understand the basics.
Identifying Losses and Gains: Begin by reviewing your portfolio to identify any investments with losses. The aim is to offset these losses against gains from profitable investments to minimize your tax liability.
Capital Loss Offsets: Losses are used to offset gains on a dollar-for-dollar basis. If capital losses exceed gains, up to $3,000 can be deducted from your ordinary income each year, and any excess can be carried forward to future years.
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Gains/Losses: Gains and losses are categorized as either short-term (held for less than a year) or long-term (held for over a year). Understanding the tax implications of each is crucial, as short-term gains are taxed at a higher rate, similar to ordinary income.
Strategies for Executing Tax-Loss Harvesting
Timing the Sale of Investments: Year-end is a strategic time for tax-loss harvesting, as it allows you to assess your total gains and losses. However, market volatility throughout the year can also provide opportunities to harvest losses.
Tax Implications on Reinvestment: After selling an asset at a loss, reinvest in a similar, but not identical, asset to maintain the desired portfolio balance while still taking advantage of the tax benefit.
Avoiding the Wash-Sale Rule: To prevent abuse, the IRS enforces the wash-sale rule, which disallows repurchasing the same or substantially identical security within 30 days of the sale. To avoid this, investors should carefully plan their sales and subsequent purchases.
Optimizing Tax Benefits with Tax-Loss Harvesting
Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Investments: Since short-term capital gains are taxed at higher rates, prioritizing losses to offset these gains can significantly reduce your tax burden. Long-term gains are taxed at a lower rate, so they should be managed differently.
Maximizing Capital Loss Carryovers: If your capital losses exceed your gains and the $3,000 deduction limit, the excess can be carried over to future tax years. This means TLH can continue to benefit your tax situation long-term.
Using Tax-Loss Harvesting for High-Income Earners: For those earning $150k or more and paying over $20k in taxes, TLH can be a powerful strategy. By offsetting gains with losses, high earners can significantly reduce their overall tax bills.
Tax-Loss Harvesting Tools and Services
Robo-Advisors and Automated Tax-Loss Harvesting: Many financial services, particularly robo-advisors, offer automated tax-loss harvesting as part of their offerings. These platforms can help identify opportunities for TLH without the need for constant monitoring.
Working with a Financial Advisor: A professional can offer personalized guidance on when and how to harvest losses effectively. They can also provide insights into how TLH fits within the broader context of your financial plan.
Considerations and Risks in Tax-Loss Harvesting
Market Risks and Timing: Selling an investment at a loss may mean missing out on a market rebound. Before harvesting losses, consider the potential for asset recovery and the impact on your overall strategy.
Cost Considerations and Fees: Transaction fees and other costs can eat into the benefits of TLH. Evaluate the cost of selling and repurchasing investments to ensure the net tax benefit is worthwhile.
Portfolio Drift and Long-Term Strategy: Frequent buying and selling of assets to harvest losses can lead to portfolio drift, where your asset allocation no longer aligns with your long-term goals. It’s important to balance tax savings with maintaining a well-diversified and stable portfolio.
Conclusion: Leveraging Tax-Loss Harvesting for Optimal Financial Health
Tax-loss harvesting is a valuable strategy for reducing tax liability, improving investment returns, and maintaining a healthy financial portfolio. For W2 employees and 1099 earners looking to maximize their income, tax planning is crucial, and TLH can be an integral part of that plan.
Continuous portfolio monitoring throughout the year is key to finding the best opportunities for harvesting losses, as is consulting a financial advisor to tailor strategies to your specific financial situation.
By leveraging Tax-Loss Harvesting effectively, investors can take proactive steps toward financial freedom and early retirement.
The Short-Term Rental Tax Loophole: What Investors & High W2 Income Earners Need to Know About a Popular Tax Reduction Strategy
The Short-Term Rental tax loophole is a powerful tool for high-income earners looking to reduce their tax burden.
This loophole specifically applies to properties rented out for short periods. Unlike long-term rentals, which are usually classified as passive income, STRs are often treated as active businesses.
Platforms like Airbnb and VRBO have popularized this strategy, making it accessible for more people to leverage it for tax savings. As a specialized deduction our clients can leverage on top of standard deductions, it’s one of the ways Royal Legal solutions helps people achieve financial freedom.
Let’s take a closer look.
How the STR Tax Loophole Works
The STR tax loophole allows property owners to classify their rentals as active businesses if they have rental periods averaging less than seven days. By doing so, owners can use the losses from these rentals to offset their earned income. This can be particularly beneficial for high W-2 and 1099 earners, who are subject to higher tax rates.
This loophole essentially allows you to treat the income differently than passive rental income, giving you an opportunity to reduce your tax burden.
Comparing STR Tax Loophole and Real Estate Professional Status
While both the STR tax loophole and Real Estate Professional Status (REPS) offer ways to use rental losses to offset earned income, there are key differences.
REPS requires that you spend more than 750 hours and over half your working time on real estate activities.
For those who earn high W-2 income but can't qualify as real estate professionals, the STR loophole is a great alternative. The STR loophole offers a simpler route to offset income through shorter participation requirements.
If you actively manage your properties and meet certain participation thresholds, we can show you how to leverage this loophole to significantly reduce your tax liability by offsetting a portion of your taxable income through material participation.
What is the Material Participation Test for the STR Tax Loophole?
To take advantage of the STR tax loophole, investors need to pass the material participation test. This involves meeting one of seven criteria designed to show active involvement in the rental business.
Key benchmarks include spending 500+ hours on rental activities, being solely responsible for business activities, or dedicating more hours than anyone else involved in the business. Each criterion offers a unique pathway to proving material participation.
Qualifying for the STR loophole requires more than simply owning a rental property. You need to actively participate in managing the property, keep thorough records, and meet one of the material participation requirements.
To qualify under the material participation rules, activities that count toward your hours include property maintenance, marketing, communication with guests, and general property management.
The required criteria for material participation include:
Spending 500+ hours on your STR business.
Being the sole participant responsible for STR activities.
Spending at least 100 hours more than anyone else on the business.
Combining significant participation activities to reach 500+ hours.
Involvement in the activity for 5 out of the last 10 years.
Participating in the activity for 3+ years if it is a personal service.
Continuous, regular engagement in the business.
Meeting any one of these criteria can enable you to use the STR loophole to offset your active income with rental losses. Note: Hours spent on investor activities like arranging financing do not count.
Depreciation for Your Short-Term Rental Tax Strategy
Bonus Depreciation allows property owners to immediately deduct a large percentage of the cost of certain assets. Bonus depreciation is an IRS tax code that lets you “depreciate” the value of certain assets that make up a rental property more quickly than normal.
Instead of getting a tax write off over the useful life of a property, you’ll be able to get a larger deduction in the first year the asset was placed in service. By depreciating the cost of eligible assets up front, you can free up cash flow, reduce the tax liability for your business, and possibly even qualify for a lower tax bracket.
For the STR it allows the taxpayer to take a large depreciation in year one, which lowers their taxable income.
Rental Property Depreciation, on the other hand, enables you to deduct the cost of the property itself over time. This becomes a key strategy for reducing taxes, especially for STRs.
A cost segregation study helps to reclassify parts of your property from a standard 39-year life to shorter lifespans like 5 or 15 years. This allows for accelerated depreciation and can result in significant tax savings. Even as bonus depreciation phases out to 0% by 2027, conducting a cost segregation study can still maximize your property’s depreciation benefits.
Additional Strategies to Reduce Taxes on Short-Term Rental Properties
To further reduce taxes on your STR properties, you should maximize all property-related deductions. You can leverage depreciation not only for the property but also for furnishings and equipment.
Self-managing your short-term rentals not only helps you qualify for the loophole but also maximizes the time you spend on active participation. By handling the day-to-day operations yourself, you ensure that your hours count toward the material participation requirements.
Meticulous tracking of all STR expenses, such as repairs, utilities, and home office costs, can ensure you take advantage of every deduction. Royal Legal will provide you with a financial team, including a real estate CPA and tax advisor, to optimize your tax strategy.
Properties with Multiple Units
If you own properties with multiple units, qualifying for the STR loophole can be even more beneficial. Managing multiple units means additional opportunities to accumulate hours that count towards the material participation test.
The rules remain the same, requiring careful management and documentation of each unit.
When to Avoid Qualifying for the STR Loophole
The STR loophole is not always the right fit for every investor. If you have low or moderate income, or if you do not have the time to meet the material participation requirements, it might be best to explore other strategies.
Overcommitting to the loophole without the ability to follow through could lead to noncompliance issues with the IRS.
Challenges & Considerations: What's Changing About Depreciation for STRs?
The depreciation rules for STRs are changing, particularly the phasing out of bonus depreciation. By 2027, bonus depreciation will be reduced to 0%, limiting the immediate tax advantages previously available.
This change requires careful planning to ensure compliance and to maximize benefits before the phase-out. Staying up to date on tax laws and consulting with a CPA are crucial for navigating these challenges effectively. Royal Legal will guide you through the process.
Final Thoughts: Tax Strategies for Short-Term Rentals
Short-term rentals offer substantial tax advantages if approached strategically. The loophole provides opportunities for high-income earners to offset their active income, but it requires careful planning and adherence to IRS guidelines. Engaging with knowledgeable financial professionals and using property management tools can help you stay compliant and capitalize on the available benefits. As the landscape of STR tax strategies continues to evolve, staying informed and adaptable is key to long-term success.
Solo 401k: The Biggest Tax-Saver
A Solo 401k is the biggest tax-saver for real estate investors. No one likes to pay taxes, but like death–they’re inescapable.
We can’t help you escape death (we can help you plan for it), but we can help you minimize some of the onerous tax burdens you may incur due to your earned income.
Watch Pete Schindele, CFO and CPA of Royal Legal Solutions, discuss why investors love the Solo 401K in his Royal Investing Virtual Summit presentation, Solo 401k: The Biggest Tax Saver.
In this article, we’ll discuss the features of the Solo 401K, who needs it, why the Solo 401K is the biggest tax-saver, and how to use a Solo 401k to build wealth.
Solo 401k: Features, Myths, and Benefits
What is a Solo 401k? It’s an individual 401k that primarily benefits a business owner with no employees.
The IRS disallows you from contributing to a Solo 401k if you have any full-time employees in your business. But you can use the plan for both you and your spouse.
Features of a Solo 401k
Here are the basic features of the retirement plan:
Must be a business owner with no employees
No age restrictions
No income restrictions
Employer total contribution limit of $61,000
Spouse exemption allows you to double your contribution
Catch-up limit of an additional $7,500 if you’re 50 or older
You can invest in almost anything with it
Can create in addition to existing 401k
Myths Surrounding Solo 401k Plans
Myth: I can’t have more than a retirement account.
Truth: You can have more than one; it’s legal, and you act as the fiduciary.
Myth: I’m too young to think about retirement.
Truth: You’re never too young to invest in retirement and get returns on any amount you set away in your Solo 401k.
Myth: I don’t have enough money to plan for retirement.
Truth: Some money is always better than no money in your retirement account; if you fail to plan, then you are planning to fail–especially in retirement.
Benefits of Solo 401k
Tax benefits
Traditional 401k option: contributions reduce your income in the year you make them and are taxed as ordinary income
Roth solo 401k: no tax break when you contribute, but your distributions are tax-free when you retire
Grow net worth by investing tax-free
You control your investments
Roll over retirement accounts from past employers
Wire it, don’t take cash because the IRS may see it as a distribution
Easy to create and manage
Single tax form for CPA to fill out
Who Can Use A Solo 401k As Their Biggest Tax-Saver?
That depends on where you are on your journey. However, a Solo 401k is a powerful tool for real estate investors. As such, real estate investors need a Solo 401k because it enhances their real estate investment returns.
The Solo 401k is an integral part of the bigger picture regarding securing your financial future. It’s part of a comprehensive ecosystem geared to generate wealth and provide asset protection so you can:
Achieve financial freedom
Reclaim your time
Protect your assets
Build your legacy
How To Purchase Property With A Solo 401k
Purchasing property with a Solo 401k makes this retirement plan a powerful tool for real estate investors.
Open A Solo 401k: You create a Solo 401k with an EIN and signed plan documents.
Fund The Solo 401k: Fund it in various ways by:
Making annual contributions
Transfer from qualified plans
Rollovers from Traditional IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs
Determine Purchasing Method For Property: You have four options using a Solo 401k to invest in physical real estate. Each method has specific guidelines and rules:
Put Your Offer Together: Your Solo 401k makes the offer on the property. You (the trustee) sign for the plan, and the earnest money deposit comes from the Solo 401k.
Close On Property: When you close, you (the trustee) approve and sign the property purchase documents and submit them to the closing agent. The Solo 401k wires or cuts a check for final funding.
Managing Real Estate Bought With A Solo 401k
Once you buy a property with the Solo 401k, the plan manages the property. That means that the Solo 401k pays the bills, including:
Expenses
Property tax
HOA fees
Insurance
Property management fees
Maintenance
Utilities
Never mix personal funds with Solo 401k funds; otherwise, you may trigger a massive tax event.
What about rent?
You must deposit rent checks directly into the Solo 401k account. In addition, you cannot use the rental income personally. If you withdraw the funds for personal use, it becomes a taxable distribution.
Key Takeaways On The Biggest Tax-Saver
A Solo 401k is the biggest tax-saver for real estate investors. It allows you to control your money and offers excellent tax benefits.
Moreover, a Solo 401k is especially beneficial when you use it to purchase real estate as it gives you unique benefits and tax-sheltered income. All in all, a Solo 401k is a robust retirement plan that generates wealth.
Do you still have questions about how you can leverage a Solo 401k in your real estate investing journey?
Join us for our weekly Royal Investing Group Mentoring so our expert contributors can answer all your questions, dish out additional information, and provide best practices to help you succeed.
Investment Strategies on How to Save Money on Taxes
Taxes are one part of real estate investment operational costs. Although they shouldn't drive your investment decision, you need to thoughtfully evaluate your preferred asset classes and accounts to lower your tax bill. Read on to discover helpful investment strategies to save money on taxes.
Scott Royal Smith speaks on investment strategies to help you save tax funds
While tax rates and rules might change over time, nothing beats the value you'll get from factoring in taxes while making investment decisions.
Taxes can reduce your return on investment yearly, potentially affecting your long-term goals. Before deciding on whether to go for real estate investment, cash instruments, bonds, or stock, it's best to understand how the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) treats income from such asset classes.
You can also gain valuable insights from investment experts like Scott Royal Smith by listening to this Icons of Real Estate Podcast episode, where he gives out vital tips for lowering investment property tax returns.
Scott Royal Smith is an astute real estate investor and founder of The Royal Legal Solutions, where he offers asset protection services to real estate investors.
If you're an investor looking to protect yourself against paying high taxes on your investment return, this article explores vital investment strategies you can adopt. Read to the end!
How the IRS Tax Your Investments
The IRS taxes investment income separately from the way working wages are taxed. These differences include the tax rates and how and when investment income taxes are assessed.
Broadly speaking, investment income comes in the following two ways, with each treated differently for tax purposes.
Capital Gains
Refer to the increment in an asset price. For instance, if a real estate property or stock goes up in value, the extra amount is the capital gain.
The government taxes capital gains when the asset has been sold.
Cash Income or Dividends
Cash income or dividends is money you receive during the year. This cash is often subject to taxes for the year it was received.
Taxation is a crucial factor to consider before choosing an investment strategy Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
7 Investment Strategies for Lowering Taxes
Now that you know how the IRS taxes investment income, the following are investment strategies you can adopt to lower your taxes:
#1 Opt for Long-term Capital Gains
Investment is a crucial wealth-generation tool, with the investor benefiting from favorable tax treatments for long-term capital gains.
If you hold a capital asset for longer than a year, you'll enjoy a preferential tax rate depending on your income level. It could be 0%, 15%, or even 20% of the capital gain.
Alternatively, the IRS will tax your capital gain at ordinary income rates if you hold the asset for less than a year before disposing of it. Therefore, it's best to understand short-term vs. long-term capital gains before starting your investment journey.
#2 Max Out Retirement Accounts
Employees can enjoy reduced taxes from contributions up to $19,500 in a 403(b) plan and $20,500 in a 401(k) plan. Also, workers up to 50 years and more can add $6,500 to their retirement plan contribution.
Alternatively, employees without a workplace retirement plan can contribute up to $6,000 or $7,000 for people above 50 in their traditional individual retirement account (IRA) and enjoy a tax break.
Taxpayers with workplace retirement plans can deduct all of their traditional IRA contributions, depending on their income.
Check the IRS rules for how much to deduct and if you're qualified for such deductions.
The right investment strategies can save an investor from double taxation Image by Nattanan Kanchanaprat from Pixabay
#3 Utilize a Health Savings Account
Consider using your health savings account to reduce taxes if you have a high-deductible health insurance plan. If you're lucky, your employer might match your health savings account (HSA) as with a 401(k).
This contribution by payroll deduction is exempted from your taxable income and is completely tax-deductible from your income. Presently, the maximum deductible contribution for individuals is $3,650, while for families, it's $7,300.
These funds can grow without you paying taxes on the earnings. Your withdrawals won't be taxed if you use your HSA to pay some medical expenses.
#4 Lower Long-term Capital Gains Rates
The IRS fixes the wage and investment income differently, as reflected in the IRS capital gains treatment. Depending on your income level, the IRS taxes capital gains at 20%, 15%, and even 0%. However, you have to play by the rules.
These taxes are often lower than short-term capital gains, taxed at the ordinary income rate. If you're a buy-and-hold investor and hold your investment for over a year, you can take advantage of lower long-term rates.
For instance, if you earn less than $80,800 as a couple or $40,400 as an individual filer, you can be exempted from qualified dividends or capital gains up to a specific threshold.
If you gain too much ordinary income, you'll be ineligible to qualify for the 0% rate and have to pay a higher investment tax.
More so, if your income is less than average in a tax year, you can gain a 0% investment tax rate and increase your investment cost without any tax hit.
#5 Employ Tax Loss Harvesting
Entails using your investment losses to offset the gains yearly, helping to reduce your income tax liability at the federal level.
If your investment losses are more than the gain, you can use tax loss harvesting to offset about $3,000 of the annual federal taxable income. You can also carry additional losses over to future tax years.
Tax loss harvesting can be valuable for high-earning investors with a long-term higher capital gain tax and a potential 3.8% additional net income tax. Note that if you hold off selling your asset till later in the year, the prices will depend on the year's final weeks of market downturns.
Identical stocks bought within 30 days after or before the sale will also be regarded as a wash sale, which may render it ineligible for tax loss harvesting for that tax year.
Consider consulting a tax advisor to understand how the wash sale rules work and if it prevents you from using the tax loss harvesting strategy.
The right investment strategy can help you lower taxes on real estate investments Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
#6 Use a 1031 Exchange
Real estate investors looking to sell a property that isn't their primary residence can take advantage of the 1031 exchange and reinvest the money into another building.
1031 works by allowing you to sell your property, defer your capital gains, and invest the money into another like-kind investment property quickly. However, 1031 exchanges come with specific rules.
These rules can be complex, but you must follow them strictly to avoid losing your tax deferral. Like other asset types, you can hold your investment long-term and defer capital gains for up to decades.
Most importantly, you get to avoid high real estate commissions.
#7 Consider Asset Allocation
Generally, cash distributions and dividends are taxable in the year they're received. Therefore, if you use a taxable account, you can't avoid paying taxes as with capital gains.
Getting low dividend taxes depends on where you keep your assets. For instance, you can opt for a tax-advantaged account, like a standard taxable brokerage account or an IRA.
For investors with dividend stock, it's best to keep them within the tax-free confines of an IRA to avoid taxes on the distributions. Alternatively, you can hold stocks with possible capital gains in a regular taxable account.
You can enjoy IRA's key benefits (tax deferral) in a taxable account until you're ready to sell your investment. However, consider whether packing your whole dividend payers into the IRA is the best financial decision.
Final Words
Although paying taxes to the authorities is crucial, you don't have to pay more than is necessary. Taking your time to peruse the IRS website and other reputable financial information sites might lead to tax savings up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Don't forget to get resources from successful investors. To gain more insight, you can listen to renowned serial real estate investors like Scott Royal Smith talk about asset protection and how to lower investment taxes on the Icons of Real Estate podcast.
Whatever investment strategies you adopt, remember the goal is to make tax-efficient decisions. Also, consider how the investments will diversify your portfolio while pursuing your overall investment goals at your preferred risk tolerance level.
Don't forget to consult a professional tax advisor before making investment decisions to avoid incurring more taxes instead of lowering them.
However, if the technicalities involved in active real estate investing are too much for you, real estate companies like Holdfolio offer you the chance to become a passive real estate investor and earn returns without doing any work.
This article is sponsored by ArdorSEO, the leading online management company offering local real estate SEO services to help real estate agencies reach more prospective customers online.
Conclusion
If you're tired of paying more taxes on your investment, you need to learn how to lower investment taxes through seasoned experts like Scott Royal Smith. Catch him speaking about how to reduce investment taxes at the Icons of Real Estate podcast and learn how to become a successful real estate investor like him.
Tax Filing with Partners Using an LLC or Series LLC
While having a partner may make business sense, tax filing with partners can be complex and confusing. Paying taxes is painful. It’s tough to part ways with your hard-earned money when you have business expenses and maintenance to handle.
This article doesn’t include every tax break or loophole available. But it provides helpful, clarifying information about tax filing with partners in an LLC or Series LLC.
Tax Benefits Of An LLC Or Series LLC
There are several advantages of selecting a series LLC as your business structure. It provides you with asset protection and anonymity, but there are also tax implications. Let’s check out some things you need to know about how tax filing with partners works with an LLC.
Remember, a series LLC is unique because it has a parent LLC and a series of children LLCs under it. Each entity in the structure provides its own layer of asset protection and anonymity and is protected against risk from other series. As a real estate investor, this allows you to segregate risk and hold several different properties without incurring the cost of setting up new business structures for them.
First, the IRS treats a series LLC as a single entity. Since it’s a pass-through entity, you can choose how you want to be taxed by the federal government. You have the option to choose between being taxed as a:
Corporation
Disregarded entity
Partnership
We will focus on the partnership or filing taxes with partners.
What Options Do I Have For Filing Taxes With Partners?
Filing taxes with partners depends on a few factors. But first, let’s talk about what it means to be a partner. The IRS considers any individual who owns an asset with another individual to be partners.
In most cases, partners must file a Form 1065 to report their income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits. An exception to that is if you are married to your partner. In the case of marriage, you can file Form 1065 and then do your taxes as you normally would.
There are some benefits of filing taxes with partners using Form 1065.
Cash In On These Tax Tips
Filing taxes with partners using Form 1065 can benefit you and your partner. Recall that if you’re in a partnership, you’ll have to file a Form 1065 (unless you’re married to your partner). The 1065 (and Schedule K1) may be beneficial.
For instance, Form 1065 allows you to:
Protect your assets
Simplify your expenses
Secure loans
Protect your assets
When you file Form 1065, you can move the tax liability of your business entity to the partners who have an interest in it. The form tracks your and your partner’s financial participation in the business on Schedule K1.
The 1065 and K1 protect your assets because the total income and expenses are a single line item. There aren’t separate spaces for your properties, just for your overall income and expenses.
Simplify your expenses
Through the ordinary course of business operations, you may encounter expenses that do not directly tie to one of your properties. When you file with Form 1065, it’s easier to specify those expenses and claim them on your taxes.
Some examples of typical expenses you may claim on Form 1065 include the following:
Attorney fees
Business travel
Marketing fees
Using Form 1065, you can enter the whole number as an expense, preventing messy records and bookkeeping.
Secure loans
Banks sometimes favor Schedule K1 income over Schedule E income when you apply for a loan. The bank may look at your Schedule K1 income and accept the number of expenses you claim.
On the other hand, if you supply your Schedule E income, banks will have predetermined vacancy credits, repairs, and maintenance that may lower your income. This may be especially harmful if you have new houses in your portfolio where you can get dinged for nonexistent expenses.
There are some considerations when filing Form 1065. For instance, it takes a long time to get a K1, so your taxes are due on March 15. If you need to file for an extension, you must submit it by September 15. Another issue is that a 1065 and K1 can be complicated, so you may need a professional to help you prepare the forms.
Key Takeaways
Filing taxes with partners through an LLC requires you to complete Form 1065 and Schedule K1. That rule applies to all partnerships unless you’re married to your partner. In that case, you can file a 1065 or in a different way.
There are some benefits to filing using Form 1065, including, but not limited to, its ability to:
Protect your assets
Simplify your expenses
Secure loans
It takes a long time, and it may be complicated to file taxes with partners using Form 1065, but we’re here to help. Book a free discovery call to find out how we can best solve your tax needs.
Inflation Reduction Act Impact on Investors
Do you know much about President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act? If not, you're not alone.
This bill, signed into law in August 2022, is new and pushes many real estate investors into murky waters.
The IRS hasn't provided clear guidance on the Inflation Reduction Act, and many wonder what the new law means for the real estate industry.
We'll show you the most relevant portions of the Act and how it might affect you as a real estate investor. This discussion won't be a comprehensive guide, but it will demystify some of the sections of the Act that influence your bottom line.
What Is the Inflation Reduction Act?
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was passed in the Senate and House of Representatives; President Bident signed the legislation into law on August 16, 2022. There is good news for real estate investors in the bill.
In most cases, the IRA should not raise your taxes; instead, to combat inflation, the IRA created the following ways to increase tax revenue:
Book minimum tax for large C corporations
Excise tax on stock buybacks
Raised money for IRS enforcement
The increase in enforcement might affect you as a real estate investor. An increase in enforcement probably means more audits due to more IRS agents, but you can protect yourself with good bookkeeping practices.
Reducing Interest Rates, Probably
It's in the name–the bill aims to reduce inflation. With a reduction in inflation, the Federal Reserve can start easing back the interest rate hikes it's been implementing. This change takes time, but the end is–ostensibly–near, and Chairman Powell might be willing to ease up on the aggressive measure taken to date.
That's good news for a real estate investor because lower interest rates should coincide with favorable mortgage rates; reasonable mortgage rates should result in more property deals.
One of the most relevant portions of the bill for real estate investors is the $369 billion earmarked for green energy and energy security.
The Impetus To Go Green
The IRA provides $369 billion to tackle the climate crisis in the United States. The primary provision is tax incentives and credits for homeowners, businesses, and investors.
Energy Costs For Real Estate Investors
The cost of energy increased to historic highs in 2022. As a real estate investor, you likely incurred increased utility bills in your properties, and that added cost significantly impacts your cash flow.
An investment in green energy ideally will lower the cost of energy across all sectors, including for you.
Another provision in the bill may help real investors mitigate the energy cost while also receiving tax credits by going green.
Focus on Solar Energy
The relevant section for the solar panel tax credit is §13102 of the Inflation Reduction Act. This section extends the commercial tax credit for solar panels to 2034.
Starting on January 1, 2022, your max tax deduction will be 30% of the solar panel's cost to your real estate property. The solar panel credit no longer has to go to your primary residence.
Here is an example illustrating how that credit works for a real estate investor.
Suppose you have a single property that you own and lease to tenants. You invest in a solar panel system that costs about $13,000. If you meet the requirements and earn the tax credit, the IRS will pay for 30% of the system, or $3,900.
That's a good incentive, but additional benefits have to do with depreciation. You already have the 30% tax break, but you also have the provisions of 26 U.S. Code § 168, which gives energy property a 5-year life. That means you can depreciate the value of the panel over five years.
That matters for real estate investors because you get multiple benefits from installing solar panels:
30% IRS credit
5-year depreciation on a solar panel that might last 25-30 years
The federal government has stipulations for these credits and benefits:
The solar panel system must be new
It has to be in the U.S.
Comply with the IRA provisions on wages
Must hold the property for 5 years or face recapture by the IRS
Exciting Electric Vehicle Rewards
These incentives apply to your real estate business' commercial vehicles. The IRA expands the 30d clean vehicle tax incentive through 2032. The incentive includes:
$7,500 tax credit on qualifying clean vehicles
$4,000 tax credit on qualifying used clean vehicles
New tax credit for clean commercial vehicles
Key Takeaways
The Inflation Reduction Act is probably a good thing for real estate investors, but we need further guidance from the IRS to understand its full impact.
While there may be minor changes to the law and enforcement, a real estate investor should enjoy the benefits, including:
Probable reduction in interest rates
Cheaper utilities
Tax credits for going green
Electric vehicle credits
Do you want to learn more about how to secure your financial freedom? Book a free discovery call to learn how to handle the new law and your potential taxes.
Why Are 90% Of Real Estate Investors Overpaying Federal Income Taxes?
Death and taxes. These are two guarantees in life, but you shouldn't be stuck overpaying taxes.
Paying the government doesn't always feel great, and overpaying taxes feels worse. Do you feel a pinch of pain when the government separates you from your hard-earned money? If so, you're in luck.
What we'll show you instead is a handful of strategies that work. These strategies are easy to execute for your business and can potentially lessen your tax burden.
When you set up your business, you should make sure that you have an effective entity structure. Typically, your options are an LLC, sole proprietorship, an S-Corp, or C-Corp, depending on your financial situation.
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
An LLC enables you to access a swath of tax benefits you might not otherwise have as a sole proprietor. Using an LLC as your business entity might save you from overpaying taxes.
The primary strategy for tax savings via an LLC is pass-through. Pass-through is when an LLC's earnings are "passed through" to you, the owner. You do not have to pay corporate federal income tax on the income.
Another thing is that the income from an LLC isn't subject to withholding tax. Instead, you'll file tax payments every quarter for federal income tax.
You can choose how you'll be taxed as an LLC by filing an IRS Form 8832. But, there are some limitations.
An LLC with more than one owner cannot choose to be taxed as a sole proprietorship. Typically, the government will tax your LLC as a partnership if you have multiple owners.
Sole Proprietorship
The IRS views you and your business as a single entity. On the one hand, you have a level of freedom. On the other hand, you have additional tax responsibilities.
You can avoid overpaying taxes by leveraging:
Health insurance deduction: Deduct the cost of health insurance for yourself, your spouse, and any dependents. The cost is taken from your gross income before you reach your adjusted gross income.
Business expenses: Deduct the cost of your operating expenses. Some ordinary expenses include assets, equipment, services, travel, and utilities. You may qualify for the home office deduction if you run your business from home.
The drawback to a sole proprietorship is that you have to pay the self-employment tax in addition to income tax. Self-employment taxes include Social Security and Medicare taxes.
S-Corporation
An S-Corp is a small business entity. It'sIt's separate from the owners, which means that neither the owners nor shareholders are responsible for the business's finances.
To form an S-Corp must have:
Set up as an LLC, or a C-Corp
Fewer than 100 shareholders
One class of stock
U.S citizens or legal residents as owners and shareholders
An S-Corp provides tax benefits mainly on self-employment taxes (SS and Medicare). That means you can avoid overpaying taxes. Keep in mind that an S-Corp must pay any employee a reasonable salary.
The following is an illustration for educational purposes.
Suppose you are self-employed and make $100,000. You would owe $15,300 in self-employment tax.
In an S-Corp, you earn that same $100,000. In this example, you pay yourself a reasonable salary of $50,000. Only that $50,000 salary is taxable at 15.3% totaling $7,650. Compared to the self-employed taxes, you would be saving $7,650.
The other $50,000 is a distribution reported on your income tax return.
Other tax savings might include:
Health insurance
Employee expenses reimbursed by the S-Corp
Pass through of income
Retirement planning
C-Corporation
A C-Corp is a business entity with room for growth and several tax benefits. It'sIt's a separate entity from its owners and offers a layer of protection to the owner's assets.
A C-Corp tax structure differs from an S-Corp or an LLC. A C-Corp has to pay federal corporate taxes, also called double taxation. On the surface, that sounds terrible, but a C-Corp has benefits that may prevent you from overpaying taxes.
A C-Corp is taxed as a corporation first, and then shareholders pay taxes on dividends personally. Here are the ways you offset that tax burden:
As an owner, you can take a salary and no dividends. Salaries aren't taxed at the corporate rate of 21%.
Corporate accounting lets you determine your fiscal years. That allows you to decide when to pay for profits and losses.
Reinvest income into the company; the income doesn't appear on a personal tax return.
Shareholders can take a salary as an employee; you can deduct those salaries as payroll expenses.
Tax write-offs include but are not limited to medical reimbursement, disability, and long-term care.
Deduct charitable contributions.
Retirement Funding Vs. Overpaying Taxes
Another way you can avoid overpaying taxes is through innovative retirement funding. You can deduct the funds you set aside for your Solo 401K from your taxable income.
You use the power of Solo 401K to invest in real estate. Here is the process:
You are the trustee of the Solo 401K, but the purchaser of the real estate is the Solo 401K as an entity. That way, you avoid paying the UDFI tax when you purchase the property.
Stop Overpaying Taxes, Save Money As A Real Estate Pro
As a real estate professional, you can avoid overpaying taxes because the passive activity loss rule doesn't apply to you. That means you can deduct losses from nonpassive income from your real estate business, including:
Wages
Stock trades
Business activity
To qualify as a real estate professional, you have to pass three tests:
Material participation regularly, continually, and substantially
750 hours per year in the real estate business
50% of your working time
Key Takeaways
No one likes paying taxes. It's an even worse tragedy to overpay taxes when remedies are available to you.
To avoid overpaying taxes, employ the following strategies:
Set up an effective entity structure (LLC, Sole proprietorship, S-Corp, or C-Corp)
Fund a retirement plan to reduce taxable income
Designate yourself as a real estate professional
Are you ready to speak with an expert? Learn about our comprehensive solutions you can use to legally reduce your tax burden. Book a FREE discovery call now.
Hiring Your Children Has Monumental Benefits: Decrease Taxes, Increase Profits
Finding money-saving strategies for your real estate investment business isn't easy. It's hard. That's why the most successful investors are vigilant and proactive when finding powerful tax breaks. Have you considered hiring your children to decrease tax liability?
Does saving money on taxes sound attractive to you? You're definitely in the right place.
This article lists the remarkable tax benefits of hiring your children.
These benefits work to reduce your taxable income. These strategies are easy to use for your real estate investment business and save you money. You'll have more available cash to grow your business and secure your financial freedom.
The Truth About Hiring Your Children
The benefits of hiring your children are a massive advantage for running your own company. The type of business you have matters.
The IRS has guidelines for Family Help, but in general, the rules for your business are:
Sole proprietorship, or a partnership consisting of both parents: wages for a child under 18 are not subject to FICA
Corporations, partnership, estate: wages are subject to FICA
No matter what type of business structure you have, you will want to find ways to reduce your taxable income. Royal Legal Solutions can help. Be sure to check out our robust collection of Tax Strategies and Services. You will find expert advice about a myriad of tax strategies that you can leverage as a real estate investor.
Quick And Easy Tax Relief
The tax benefits of hiring your children are substantial. The standard deduction for 2022 is $12,950. Your child does not have to pay income tax on the money owed. It's tax-free!
Those wages matter to you as a business owner because you get to deduct your child's wages which lowers your business' taxable income. That's a win-win! There is an additional way to save $6,000 with the cunning use of a 401K or Roth IRA.
Suppose you pay your child $12,950. Additionally, you pay $6,000 into a tax-deductible IRA in which you are the custodian. A retirement account is an extraordinary exploit because you:
Keep the money in your family
Reduce your taxable income by $18,950
This strategy works for each of your children who you employ. That means if you have 2 children, you can potentially deduct a little more than $37,000 from your company’s taxable income.
IRS' Reliable and Direct Rules About Hiring Your Children
There are several benefits of hiring your children. The IRS is aware of the benefits of you hiring your children to work for you, and they keep close tabs on taxpayers who try to abuse the system.
To avoid running afoul of the IRS, here are some guidelines you need to keep in mind when you decide to hire your children:
Wages and compensation must be a reasonable rate that you would pay another employee
Fill out the necessary paperwork, including:
W-4
Form I-9
SSN
EIN
W-2
Keep good records of the type of work and hours
Free Money: Defeating FICA
If you have an adult child who works for you or a corporation, you have to pay FICA. Don't fret, though; you have a few strategies at your disposal to enjoy the benefits of hiring your children.
The first strategy is to hire your adult child on an ad-hoc basis. That means you hire your child for single, one-of projects. For instance, perhaps your child is good at programming, and you pay them $7,000 to create a software program for you. In that instance, you would not have to pay FICA.
You have to be careful here, though, because you might have to pay FICA if you hire your child consistently. A consistent basis might be several projects in one year or a project every single year.
The rules are clear if you are an S-Corp. You have to withhold FICA taxes from your child's paycheck. In that case, you need to be innovative.
Here is how you can still avoid paying payroll taxes on your child's wages:
Create a new sole proprietorship from your S-Corp that you or your spouse owns
This sole proprietorship supports your S-Corp and employs your child:
Scheduling
Monitoring
Bookkeeping to keep in line with IRS
Payroll to document wages for the IRS
The sole proprietorship charges the S-Corp a management fee and pays your child $12,950 (standard deduction)
Exploit the powerful tax benefits of hiring your children for your real estate business. You will be able to save substantial money on taxes, up to $18,950 per child. When employing your children, follow the IRS rules and keep pristine records.
First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit: Can You Qualify?
Are you a first-time homebuyer? Good news, there are some excellent tax benefits for you!
You should know about a tax credit that puts more money in your pocket. The first-time homebuyer tax credit currently provides a refundable credit equal to 10% of the purchase price. The maximum tax credit is $8,000.
In 2021, President Biden and the 117th Congress submitted H.R. 2863-First-Time Homebuyer Act of 2021, which increases the tax credit to $15,000. Congress referred the bill to the House Ways and Means Committee, where it still sits.
Read on to learn more about:
what it means to be a first-time homebuyer
income limitations for the tax credit
when you can claim it
paying the credit back
what happens if you lose the home
First Time Homebuyer Rewards
According to the IRS, a first-time homebuyer is a person (with your spouse) who has not owned any other principal residence for three years prior to purchasing the new principal residence for which the credit is being claimed.
A principal residence is the dwelling where you and your spouse live most of the calendar year. You can only have one principal residence at any one time.
You can either be a first-time homebuyer or a long-term resident and still qualify to get the tax credit. As a long-term resident, you are entitled to receive up to $6,500 in credit for purchasing a new principal residence.
First-time homebuyers are subject to gross income requirements.
Income Tip And Secrets
The income requirements to qualify are different for single and joint filers. The IRS looks at your modified adjusted income (MAGI) for this credit. Your MAGI is your adjusted gross income plus exempt or excluded income and certain deductions.
MAGI limitations for the first-time homebuyer tax credit are:
$125,000 for single filers
$225,000 for joint filers
How To Circumvent Challenges
Several situations can arise in which you are ineligible for the first-time homebuyer tax credit. First and foremost, if you exceed the MAGI limitations, you will not qualify for the tax credit. That’s not ideal, but you should know about the myriad of tax deductions available to you as a real estate investor.
Check out our expert and informative articles on taxes to see what strategies you have available.
Another reason the tax credit would not apply is if you purchased a home outside of the United States. In addition, you cannot sell the house or have the home stop being your principal residence in the year you bought it. That means you cannot use this tax credit to help you flip a house.
If you received your home as a gift or inheritance, you cannot claim this tax credit.
Shrewd Strategies To Stay Profitable as a First-Time Homebuyer
There are some situations where you will have to pay back this tax credit. For instance, suppose you decided to purchase a home and qualify for the credit. If you choose to sell the house within 36 months of the purchase date, you will have to pay back the credit.
Perhaps you buy this home as your residence but decide to convert the home to a business or rental property. That means the house is no longer your principal residence. Since the home is no longer your principal residence, you will have to repay the credit.
If you cannot keep up with the payments on the home and it goes into foreclosure, you will have to repay the credit.
You will have to include the credit amount as an additional tax on your tax return to repay the credit.
If I Lose The Home, Do I Always Have To Pay The Credit?
In some situations, when you lose the home, you will not have to pay back the tax credit.
For instance, suppose an act of God or some other disaster destroys your home. You do not have to pay back the credit if you purchase a new principal residence within two years of the home’s destruction.
Suppose the government finds your house unfit to be lived in and condemns it. No one is allowed to live on the property because of the safety hazards. In the instance of condemnation and your subsequent property abandonment, you don’t have to pay back the tax credit provided you purchase a new principal residence within two years of the condemnation.
Maybe you get a divorce and lose the house to your now former spouse, the person who receives the home is on the hook for the tax credit.
Spotlight: The Bottom Line for a First-Time Homebuyer
As it currently stands, first-time homebuyers can earn up to an $8,000 credit to purchase their principal residence. Long-term residents can also qualify for a more minor $6,500 credit if they buy a new principal residence.
The income limitations are $125,000 for single filers and $225,000 for joint filers. There are some situations where you will either not qualify or have to pay back the credit. Overwhelmingly those situations involve selling or losing the house.
Taxes can be complicated, but they don’t have to be. To learn more about powerful tax savings strategies that you can use to keep more of your earnings, book a tax consultation by taking our tax quiz. The information you provide will enable us to have a productive discussion the first time we speak.
Self-Funded Pension Plan to Reduce Taxable Income
Are you interested in reducing your yearly taxable income? Like most keen real estate investors, you are looking for ways to save money and increase your cash flow. A self-funded pension plan might be right for you.
A self-funded pension plan, also called a defined benefit plan, is a powerful tax strategy for self-employed investors who have a steady income. The main idea behind setting up a self-funded pension plan is to lower your current year's taxes and provide you with options when you retire.
We recently chatted with Royal Legal Solutions' tax expert, Pete Schindele, CPA, and discussed this powerful tax strategy. Feel free to watch our discussion, "Self-Funded Pension Plans for Entrepreneurs," for more information.
If saving money on taxes and having an additional income is something that interests you, please read on.
What Is A Self-Funded Pension Plan?
Also called a defined benefit plan, a self-funded pension is a retirement tool. A pension is a retirement fund for employees paid by the employee, employer, and in some cases, both. When the employee retires, the fund pays out an annuity.
Now that you know what a pension is let's delve a little deeper into the self-funded part. Anyone can set up a retirement fund, even if they are self-employed. For instance, suppose you have an LLC or an S-Corp as your real estate business, and you are the only employee.
As an employee in your business, you can create your pension and fund it with the profits from your company. It would help if you considered some things before setting up a self-funded pension plan.
Who Should Set Up A Pension?
Anyone can set up a pension. Here are some things to consider before you make that decision–ideally, you:
Have three to four years of stable profits from your properties
Want to protect additional income from taxes
Want to lower your tax burden
If this sounds like your situation, a self-funded pension plan might be just the right tax savings vehicle for you. As with every business decision, you need to consult with your tax professional to ensure that a self-funded pension is a prudent business decision.
When Is The Right Time To Set Up A Self-Funded Pension?
There are no hard and fast rules for setting up a self-funded pension. It would be best if you talked to your financial advisors and tax professionals to determine the ideal time for you. Our tax expert, Pete Schindele, CPA, provides some general guidelines that might indicate that the time is right for you:
You have substantial excess income over three or four years.
You are nearing retirement age.
You can absorb the setup and maintenance cost.
Is Setup And Maintenance Of A Pension a Hassle?
There are forms you will have to fill out with the help of a financial professional to get started. In addition, you will need to have at least three years of W-2s. The tax documents provide information to your tax professional about how much you will invest in the plan.
To maintain the pension, you must submit an additional tax document every year. Then, yearly, an actuary does a study to ensure that you funded your retirement plan appropriately. The actuary's fee ranges from $1,000 to $2,000 per year.
How Does A Self-Funded Pension Save Money In Taxes?
Suppose you have maxed out your other retirement plans, but you still have an additional income you want to protect from taxes.
Let's say that you have an additional $30,000. You would set up a pension and fund it with that extra $30,000. That money is tax-free, and you have saved about $9,000 in taxes, minus the actuary's fees.
That is not to say that a self-funded pension is without drawbacks. There are some things to keep in mind before you decide on making this decision.
What Are the Drawbacks to A Pension?
The self-funded pension is ideal for businesses or investors with a stable income. Wild swings in revenue are not going to work. Remember, you have to fund the plan every year–this is a fixed cost.
The actuary fee is steep. It ranges between $1,000 to $2,000 per year.
If you overfund the pension, you have to pay an excise tax.
Here is an illustration of how that would work. You have paid into your pension to the tune of $600,000. The IRS investigates your balance and determines that your fund should have $500,000. You have $100,000 too much in the pension. The IRS will force you to pay an excise tax on that additional $100,000.
A self-funded pension is not great for younger investors because it will be long before they can enjoy the funds. It's much better for more experienced (age-wise) investors.
You have the opportunity to name heirs, or you can get a lump sum payment from the pension when you retire.
Another thing you might consider is using the pension disbursements to pay for life insurance to earn even more money. Term life insurance premiums will be expensive when you retire because of your age. Instead of drawing the money from the pension, you can use it to pay for the life insurance premiums.
The life insurance will not be taxed when you die, and the income goes to your heirs. The payout from the life insurance will be more than from the pension.
FAQs: Self-Funded Pension
How does the pension differ from a Solo 401K?
With a Solo 401K, you are:
Limited to a $61,000 investment
Subject to market forces which means the market can tank, and you have nothing
With a self-funded pension, you are:
Not limited to the amount of money you can put into it
Guaranteed pension
When should I set up a pension?
First, you should invest in a solo 401K, an SDIRA; then, you should set up a self-funded pension with additional income.
Is there a baseline minimum income requirement?
It depends on the situation. There is a cost to implement, and you need to check your tax rate. Those variables make it impossible to determine a baseline requirement. Any advice requires you to do a cost-benefit analysis with your CPA or tax professional.
Key Takeaways
A self-directed pension plan requires you to have a history of good revenue for three to four years. It's also ideal if you have already maxed out your Solo 401K contributions—a couple of years.
In general, the pension is ideal for older investors. Be careful with the excise tax. Work with your tax professional to ensure you don't overfund the plan. The operational costs to set up and maintain your pension plan are not prohibitive. Finally, you can pass the funds on through the pension or clever use of a term life insurance policy.
To learn more about this powerful tax savings strategy and others that you can use to keep more of your earnings, book a tax consultation by taking our tax quiz. The information you provide will enable us to have a productive discussion the first time that we speak.