Here's what most people don't realize: some 401(k) plans have a plan-design feature that lets you move far more money into Roth treatment than a Roth IRA ever could — regardless of your income. It's usually called the "mega backdoor Roth 401(k)."

If you spend any time on real estate TikTok, you've heard about the "short-term rental loophole." Buy an Airbnb, do a cost segregation study, and wipe out the taxes on your W-2 income. The pitch makes it sound like free money. Here's the truth: the strategy is real. It's written right into the tax regulations, and it survived the 2025 tax law in better shape than ever. Here's the other truth: almost every short-term rental case that's gone to Tax Court recently ended with the

If you own an S corporation, there's one question you probably ask your accountant every year: how much do I actually have to pay myself? You want the answer to be "as little as possible" — because the lower your salary, the less payroll tax you pay. The IRS wants the answer to be "a reasonable amount" — because a salary that's too low is one of the easiest things for them to catch and reverse. Both sides are right, and the good news is there's a number that keeps everybody h

When you buy an equipment-heavy business, the money that goes toward its equipment can often be written off immediately, rather than depreciated slowly over five, seven, or more years.

The plain-English version: how the heavy-SUV deduction works in 2026, who actually qualifies, and the mistakes that get the deduction taken back.

We've compiled the most important mid-year updates below. As always, if any of these situations apply to you, give us a call so we can help you make the most of them.

An Indiana-focused guide to the Augusta Rule (§280A(g)) for S‑Corp and multi-member LLC owners. Explains how to legitimately rent your home to your business for ≤14 days, set defensible daily rates using Airbnb and meeting-space comps, document everything to survive audits, avoid disguised distributions, and navigate Indiana-specific tax and zoning issues.

S‑Corp election can save Indiana business owners real money, but only in the right income range. Benefits typically start around $80K of net profit and become critical above the 2026 QBI phase‑in thresholds. Below $60K, costs often outweigh savings. This guide explains the Indiana‑specific math and when not to elect.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act — signed July 4, 2025 — is the most significant tax law for real estate investors since 2017. If you own rental property, flip houses, or invest in commercial real estate, nearly every tool in your tax toolkit just got upgraded, made permanent, or both. This guide covers every OBBBA provision that affects real estate investors, with the dollar-specific examples and Indiana angles you won't find in a national summary. If you already read our blog

If you have children under 18, you've probably heard about Trump Accounts — the new tax-advantaged savings accounts created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Children born 2025–2028 even get a free $1,000 government deposit. With accounts officially opening July 4–5, 2026, Indiana parents are asking us the same question: how does this compare to a 529 plan or a Roth IRA?

If you own a small business and have kids, this might be the most valuable tax strategy you're not using. When done correctly, you can deduct your child's wages at your tax rate, your child pays little or no tax on those wages, and the money stays in the family. It's one of the few places in the tax code where the same dollar can be both deductible and (effectively) tax-free. But the rules differ significantly depending on your business structure, your child's age, and how m

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law on July 4, 2025 — and it's already changing how you file your 2025 return. The new deductions were never built into your withholding, which means many taxpayers overpaid throughout the year and are now seeing larger refunds. Here are the 8 provisions that matter most to our Indiana clients, what you need to do about them, and a few traps to avoid. One important note before we start: The new deductions for overtime, tips, c

You own a rental property that makes money every month. What if we told you it could also show a loss on your tax return — and that loss could reduce what you owe on your other income? That's the power of depreciation and cost segregation. Here's how it works and what you need to know before using it. What Is a Cost Segregation Study? When you buy a rental or commercial building, the IRS makes you depreciate it over 27.5 years (residential rental) or 39 years (commercial)

In our opinion, the Health Savings Account is the single best tax-savings vehicle in existence. Nothing else gives you all three of these at once: You deduct what you contribute — up to $8,750 for a family in 2026, plus an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution if you are age 55 or older. The money grows tax-free inside the account. You don't pay tax when you withdraw it for medical expenses. No other account does all three. Traditional IRAs and 401(k)s give you a deducti

Owning rental property comes with real costs — maintenance, vacancies, and financing. But here's what many owners don't realize: those losses can be one of your most powerful tax tools, if you know how to use them. The $25,000 Rental Loss Deduction If your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is under $100,000, the IRS allows you to deduct up to $25,000 in rental losses against your regular income each year — meaning those losses can directly reduce what you owe on your W

The federal government is eliminating paper checks in favor of electronic payments, though most taxpayers won’t be affected since 93% already use direct deposit. An executive order requires federal agencies to transition to electronic funds transfer, and the IRS began phasing out paper refund checks for individuals on September 30, 2025. Taxpayers who file without banking information may face delays and additional steps, and while alternatives exist for those without bank acc

Effective Dec. 24, 2025, USPS will define the postmark date as the date of first automated processing, which may be later than the drop-off date. Because tax filings are considered timely only if postmarked on or before the due date under IRC §7502, taxpayers should mail documents at least two days early or obtain a manual postmark at a USPS retail counter, or use Certified or Registered Mail. For example, dropping mail in a box at noon on the 15th could result in a postmark

If you have a family member with low income, they may be able to pay no Federal tax when selling stock that has been held for over 1 year. Assume you have a 25 year old child with little income and you have a large gain in a stock or security you hold. Instead of selling the stock, paying tax on it, and giving the child money, consider gifting the appreciated stock or security to your child and having them sell it. If you do, your child might be able to sell the stock, and

Assume you bought a stock for $5K that has appreciated to $30K. If you sell the stock and donate $30K to charity, then you have to recognize $25K of gain and might be able to deduct some or all of the $30K if you itemize. Instead of selling the stock and donating cash, consider donating the stock to charity and telling them to sell it to generate the cash they need. If you do, then you don’t recognize any of the gain and still might be able to deduct some or all of the $30

You can pay no Federal tax on the gain recognized from the sale of stocks and securities held for over 1 year to the extent you make less than around $124K as a married couple this year. So, if you are married and have joint income of $100K this year, you can sell stocks and recognize long-term capital gain of around $24K and pay no Federal tax on it. Any gain over $24K would be taxed for Federal purposes. When consider taking advantage of this, be aware that the extra inc