John Schaaf

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 taxpayer losing....

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 happy. Here's how...