Tax Strategy Blog for Business Owners

“What does the IRS actually care about? 13 real questions from real business owners and high earners.” This live tax Q&A for business owners and high earners is the full August 2026 session, where CPA and tax strategist Laura Dohanes answered 13 real questions from real owners and investors — no hypotheticals, no “it depends” […]

“I have a self-directed IRA in real estate that keeps throwing off returns, and I’m rolling principal into a Roth IRA. How does the 5-year rule work on continual rollovers?” The Roth 5-year rule trips up almost everyone — especially investors rolling real estate profits from a self-directed IRA into a Roth. Here’s how it […]

“Is cost segregation something worth doing, or is it better to live only with regular depreciation?” Cost segregation recapture is the part of the pitch nobody leads with. The studies can be spectacular — but sell too soon and the write-off comes back at a higher rate than you’d have paid without it. Quick answer: […]

“At what profit level does the expense of converting to an S-Corp make sense?” The S-Corp profit threshold is one of the most-Googled small-business tax questions — and everyone quotes a different magic number. Quick answer: On structure alone, Laura’s firm finds the S-Corp profit threshold sits somewhere around $40,000–$70,000 of net profit, and by […]

“How does the QBI deduction work with two active businesses — one Schedule C with a net profit and one with a net loss? Is QBI only possible if the combined total is a profit?” The QBI deduction looks simple — 20% off your pass-through profit — until you own two businesses and one of […]

“If we move out of our home and rent it out, should we change the title to an LLC, or leave it in our names to deduct the expenses?” An LLC for rental property is the first thing people suggest when you move out and rent your old home. But there are two different questions […]

“What is your take on the Trump accounts?” Trump accounts are the new savings accounts for children created by the 2025 tax law, and a community member asked Laura point-blank for her take. She skipped the politics and graded them the way she grades every account: by the exit. Quick answer: Worth using, with realistic […]

“I’m a W-2 employee with an S-Corp and an LLC. My accountant told me to deduct nothing, and I’m getting slaughtered. Salary around $205K. Is it dangerous to deduct? Can I do anything?” W-2 withholding stops working the moment your income gets complicated. A $205,000 W-2 earner with an S-Corp and an LLC on the […]

“If my LLC reimburses me for the office portion of real estate taxes paid on my home, can I also deduct the total amount of real estate taxes on Schedule A of my Form 1040?” A home office reimbursement from your own company feels like a win — until tax time, when the question becomes […]