Tax Strategy Blog for Business Owners

You were going to give your kids money anyway. For the car. Or college. Or whatever they're asking for this week. When you hand it over as a gift, it comes out of after-tax dollars. When you pay it as a wage for real work in your business, your business deducts it, and your child […]

“What’s your take on investing in workforce housing and equipment rentals to offset taxes for W-2 earners?” Advanced tax strategies — workforce housing, equipment rentals, energy deals — get pitched hard, often with a “get in now or miss out” urgency. Before you wire a dollar, run every one of them through the same three-filter […]

An S-corp accountable plan is the one-page document standing between you and hundreds or thousands of dollars in lost deductions every year. If you elected S-corp status to save on self-employment tax — smart move — there's a catch most owners never hear about: you quietly lost your home office deduction, and maybe more. The […]

“My 1099 contractor filed for unemployment.” When a 1099 contractor filed for unemployment and told the state they were actually an employee, the owner suddenly faced a workers’ comp audit, a state misclassification review, and a potential five-figure bill. This is increasingly common in 2026 — here’s why, and what to check before you ever […]

AI tax advice risks for business owners are not theoretical anymore. Back in April, I warned you about people using AI to do their taxes. Well, here’s a cautionary tale for you. In Clinco v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2026-16, a lawyer was in Tax Court defending a client against a nearly $2.3 million IRS notice […]

A hire your child tax strategy is usually discussed one way: hire your kids, put them on payroll, and deduct the wages. That can work when the facts fit. But a hire your child tax strategy is not limited to regular payroll. In some cases, your business may be able to pay a child or […]

Tax strategy after Tax Day for business owners starts now — not next March, not when your CPA asks for documents, and definitely not after another painful April surprise. If Tax Day kicked you in the cojones this year, you are probably asking the same question a lot of owners ask once the return is […]

About This Q&A This recap pulls together the most practical questions raised during the live event. The answers below stay close to the themes the panel emphasized: fit matters, structure matters, and your goals should drive the tax and deal decisions rather than the other way around. Watch the Q&A Segment Buy, Build, Sell Q&A […]

About Andrea Steinbrenner Andrea spent a decade in operational and financial leadership at TGG Accounting before becoming CEO of Exit Consulting Group. She's a Certified Exit Planning Advisor who understands how businesses are built, run, and made ready to sell. Named one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of California for 2025. Connect with Andrea […]