Education

Tax strategy explained two ways: plain-English for taxpayers, and in depth for the tax pros who serve them. Filter by topic or by audience, or use the toggle on any article to switch versions.

Taxpayer Tax Pro

Installment Sales: Spreading a Big Gain Over Years

Sell property and let the buyer pay you over time. You report the gain as payments arrive, not all in year one. Smooths the tax bill and can drop you out of higher brackets.

May 30, 2026 · Real Estate

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

1031 Exchanges: Trading Up Without the Tax Bill

Sell investment real estate, roll the proceeds into a new property, defer the tax. The mechanics are strict, the deadlines are short, and the savings can be enormous, including the depreciation recapture.

May 23, 2026 · Real Estate

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Form 3115: Catching Up Missed Depreciation Without Amending Old Returns

If past returns missed depreciation you were entitled to, you don't amend. A Form 3115 lets you catch up the whole shortfall in the current year, no statute issue.

May 16, 2026 · Depreciation

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Partial Asset Dispositions: Writing Off What You Replaced

Replace the roof on a rental? The partial disposition election lets you deduct the remaining basis of the old roof now, instead of carrying it on the books alongside the new one.

May 9, 2026 · Real Estate

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Cost Segregation: Front-Loading the Depreciation on Real Estate

A cost segregation study breaks a building into pieces that depreciate over 5, 7, or 15 years instead of 27.5 or 39, pulling the depreciation deduction forward and putting real cash in your pocket today.

May 2, 2026 · Depreciation

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Depreciation Recapture: The Bill That Comes Due When You Sell

Depreciation isn't free. When you sell the property, the IRS taxes a chunk of your gain at ordinary rates instead of capital-gain rates. The amount depends on what you depreciated and how.

April 25, 2026 · Depreciation

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Depreciation Fundamentals: How Property Comes Off Your Taxes

Depreciation is the IRS letting you deduct the cost of property bit by bit. The mechanics (recovery period, method, convention, bonus) decide how much you get and how fast.

April 18, 2026 · Depreciation

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Expensing Safe Harbors: Deducting Now Instead of Depreciating Forever

Three IRS safe harbors let you deduct ordinary purchases and repairs in the year you buy or make them, instead of spreading the deduction over years.

April 11, 2026 · Depreciation

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Repairs vs. Improvements: The Single Most Common Audit Issue on Rentals

Replacing a broken faucet is a repair (deduct it now). Replacing all the plumbing is an improvement (capitalize and depreciate). The line in between is where most rental audits happen.

April 4, 2026 · Real Estate

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Self-Rentals: When You Rent to Your Own Business

Own the building and the business that rents it? The IRS has special rules: income is automatically non-passive, but losses are stuck unless you take an extra step.

March 28, 2026 · Real Estate

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Grouping Elections: Combining Activities to Unlock Losses

Multiple businesses or rental properties? Grouping lets you treat them as one activity for tax purposes, often the difference between a deductible loss and a loss that just sits there.

March 21, 2026 · Real Estate

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

How S-Corp Owners Pay Themselves the Right Way (and Save on Taxes)

S-corp owners save by taking a smaller W-2 salary and the rest as distributions. But the IRS requires the salary to be "reasonable" — here's how to set it and defend it.

March 14, 2026 · S-Corps

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Basis: The One Number That Controls Your Pass-Through Taxes

Basis decides how much loss you can deduct, whether your distributions are tax-free, and your gain when you sell. What partnership and S-corp owners need to know.

March 7, 2026 · S-Corps

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

The Augusta Rule: Rent Your Home to Your Business, Tax-Free

A little-known rule lets business owners rent their home to their business for up to 14 days a year, tax-free. Here's how it works, in plain English and in depth.

February 28, 2026 · Tax Strategy

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

The Short-Term Rental Loophole: Deduct Real Estate Losses Against Your W-2

If your rental's average stay is seven days or less, you may be able to deduct losses against your regular income, no real estate professional status required.

February 21, 2026 · Real Estate

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Real Estate Professional Status: Deduct Rental Losses Against Your Income

Rental losses are passive by default. Real Estate Professional status unlocks them, but it takes a 750-hour, more-than-half test. Here's how it works.

February 14, 2026 · Real Estate

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

The $25,000 Rental Loss Allowance: A Tax Break for Everyday Landlords

Actively participate in your rental and you can deduct up to $25,000 of losses against regular income, no real estate professional status required.

February 7, 2026 · Real Estate

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

The 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax: The Surtax Higher Earners Miss

Higher earners owe an extra 3.8% on investment and passive income. Here's who it hits and how being active in your business can keep income out of reach.

January 31, 2026 · Fundamentals

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Active or Passive? Why It Decides Whether You Can Deduct Your Losses

Whether you can deduct business or rental losses against your other income comes down to "material participation." Here's what that means and how to prove it.

January 24, 2026 · Fundamentals

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Passive vs. Non-Passive Income: The Concept That Decides Your Tax Bill

The fundamental classification behind the whole tax code: whether income and losses are passive or non-passive decides if a loss saves you money now or just carries forward.

January 17, 2026 · Fundamentals

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Becoming an S-Corp: Election, Revocation, and Termination

How to elect S-corp status, when to revoke it, and what can quietly terminate the election without you noticing.

January 10, 2026 · S-Corps

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Accountable Plans: How S-Corp Owners Pull Money Out Tax-Free

An accountable plan lets an S-corp reimburse the owner for legitimate business expenses tax-free. The company gets the deduction; the owner gets the cash, no W-2 included.

January 3, 2026 · S-Corps

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

HRAs: How a Small Business Owner Can Write Off Family Health Costs

A Health Reimbursement Arrangement lets a small business deduct the owner's family medical expenses. Three flavors: § 105, QSEHRA, and ICHRA, each with its own rules.

December 27, 2025 · S-Corps

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Business Vehicle Strategies: Mileage vs. Actual, Lease vs. Buy

How to deduct your business vehicle: standard mileage vs. actual expenses, when to switch, and the heavy-SUV § 179/bonus depreciation strategy.

December 20, 2025 · S-Corps

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

S-Corp Distributions: How Money Comes Out the Right Way

S-corp distributions are tax-free up to your basis, taxed above. Shareholder loans follow different rules. Get the mechanics wrong and a non-event becomes a taxable event.

December 13, 2025 · S-Corps

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Multi-Entity Structures: When One Company Becomes Three

Larger businesses split operations across multiple entities for tax, asset protection, and succession. Done right, it lowers tax; done wrong, it triggers audits.

December 6, 2025 · S-Corps

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Why You Should Not Hold Real Estate in an S-Corp

S-corps are great for operating businesses, terrible for holding real estate. The reason: getting the property out later, even to yourself, triggers a tax bill on the entire appreciation.

November 29, 2025 · S-Corps

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Retirement Plans for Business Owners: SEP, SIMPLE, Solo 401(k), and Up

SEP, SIMPLE, Solo 401(k), Safe Harbor 401(k), and beyond. Business owners have richer retirement plan options than W-2 employees do. Picking the right one is worth real money.

November 22, 2025 · Retirement

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Defined Benefit Plans: The High-Earner's Retirement Power Tool

Maxing a 401(k) and still have profit you want to defer? A defined benefit or cash balance plan can let an owner contribute $150K-$300K+/year on top, depending on age.

November 15, 2025 · Retirement

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Taxpayer Tax Pro

Closing Down an S-Corp: How to End it Without a Tax Surprise

Closing an S-corp is more than the last paycheck. Final tax return, asset distributions, state filings, and the right order matter.

November 8, 2025 · S-Corps

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