528: The Small Business Owner’s Guide to Taxes, LLCs, Deductions, & Audit Risks

05/14/24 • 56 min

Starting your first or next business? This episode is for you. Today, we’re bringing you everything you need to know about small business taxes for beginners. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur, partner, landlord, house flipper, Airbnb host, or something in between, you MUST know about these tax laws before you start making money with your own business because if you get them wrong, you could be paying a MASSIVE penalty come tax time. You could save yourself thousands, or TENS of thousands, just by tuning in!

Brandon Hall, CPA, runs a real-estate-focused tax and accounting firm for big and small real estate investors. But, even if you’re not investing in real estate, these tax tips also apply to YOU. In today’s episode, we threw dozens of hard-hitting tax questions at Brandon so you know what to do with your next side hustle or full-blown business.

We’ll discuss whether you need an LLC, the real benefits of getting one, and which business entity (LLC, S-corp, C-corp, etc.) makes the most sense for your specific business and tax needs. Making money on your own but NOT paying quarterly taxes? This could cost you BIG, but thankfully, Brandon goes through exactly how much you could owe. And if you want to owe less to the IRS, we’ll give examples of tax deductions plus, which are NOT worth it and could put you at a BIG audit risk.

Need a tax professional for your small business? Find one for free with BiggerPockets Tax and Financial Services Finder!

In This Episode We Cover

Self-employment and small business taxes for beginners

Whether or not you need an LLC and why most real estate investors have this all wrong

Estimated taxes and the MASSIVE penalty you’ll pay if you forget about this

Tax deductions and the audit red flags that the IRS is looking for

The different business entities you can start and which has the best tax benefits

The three things you NEED to set up an LLC and the most critical one beginners forget

“SALT” taxes and why those selling goods in different states could owe even more

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group

Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums

Finance Review Guest Onboarding

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Mindy on BiggerPockets

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Podcast Talent Search!

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How to Obtain Real Estate Professional Tax Status

Hear Past Episodes with Brandon:

BiggerPockets Real Estate 196 - LLCs, House Hacking, and Saving on Taxes w...

Need a tax professional for your small business? Find one for free with BiggerPockets Tax and Financial Services Finder!

In This Episode We Cover

Self-employment and small business taxes for beginners

Whether or not you need an LLC and why most real estate investors have this all wrong

Estimated taxes and the MASSIVE penalty you’ll pay if you forget about this

Tax deductions and the audit red flags that the IRS is looking for

The different business entities you can start and which has the best tax benefits

The three things you NEED to set up an LLC and the most critical one beginners forget

“SALT” taxes and why those selling goods in different states could owe even more

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group

Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums

Finance Review Guest Onboarding

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Mindy on BiggerPockets

Scott on BiggePockets

Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place

Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show

Podcast Talent Search!

Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area

Find Investor-Friendly Lenders

How to Obtain Real Estate Professional Tax Status

Hear Past Episodes with Brandon:

BiggerPockets Real Estate 196 - LLCs, House Hacking, and Saving on Taxes w...

Previous Episode

527: Retired at 49 on an Average Salary after Getting a “Late Start” to FIRE

Think it’s too late for early retirement? Do you feel like just because you’re in your late thirties, forties, or fifties, FIRE doesn’t make sense for you? Well, think again because today’s guest defied the odds by retiring over fifteen years early, all while raising her daughter on her own and without a six-figure salary to sail her swiftly to a million-dollar net worth. Plus, she did all of it with no investing experience. If Jackie Cummings Koski can do it, so can you!

Jackie grew up in a single-parent household. Her father worked hard to support her and her five siblings. This instilled a strong work ethic in Jackie and made her realize that running towards hard things, not away from them, was the true path to success. She figured out college on her own and, shortly after, landed a corporate job that took her far away from the small town she grew up in. She got married and had her daughter, but then everything changed.

Jackie was getting divorced, forcing her to rely on herself fully for her financial future. In true Jackie fashion, she took this as a challenge and began educating herself as best as she could. Through smart saving, spending, and life-changing investing decisions, Jackie built her wealth in record time, reaching financial independence just ten years after finding the FIRE movement—all without any advantages!

In This Episode We Cover

How to reach financial independence without a high salary, inheritance, or advantages

Stock investing 101 and how intentional investing can explode your net worth

Why you must max out THESE investment accounts to be richer in retirement

How Jackie spends just $40,000 per year owning her own home and raising her daughter

Why you DON’T have to follow all the traditional FIRE rules to retire early

And So Much More!

Links from the Show

BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group

Network with Other Investors on The Path to FIRE Through the BiggerPockets Forums

Finance Review Guest Onboarding

Join BiggerPockets for FREE

Mindy on BiggerPockets

Scott on BiggePockets

Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place

Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show

Podcast Talent Search!

Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area

Find Investor-Friendly Lenders

Money Podcast 154 - Bill Bengen (The Inventor of the 4% Rule) Talks Retirement, Past Crashes, and How You Can Withdraw Even More

Email Mindy for the Full 4% Rule Article!

Money Podcast 344 - Rethink Social Security: Myths, Benefits, and Clearing Up Misconceptions

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Next Episode

529: FI by 25: How to Buy Time and Freedom with a Few Years of Frugal Living

Financial independence by the age of twenty-five?! Today’s guest started working and saving money at a very early age, which allowed him to buy the time and freedom to do the things he values most. Whether you’re twenty-five or fifty-five, applying some of these simple principles to your own life can propel you toward financial freedom!

Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Today, we’re chatting with Gabe Bult, a YouTuber, serial entrepreneur, and real estate investor who reached financial independence before his twenty-fifth birthday—all by subscribing to financial minimalism and frugal living. The only thing stopping him from retiring early? Sheer boredom! Instead, Gabe’s day typically involves precious time with his daughter, a few hours making YouTube videos, and an afternoon spent enjoying his favorite hobbies and interests.

YOU can have this life, too, but not without a little sacrifice, education, and discipline. Fortunately, it only takes a few years of ferocious frugality to get ahead, save for the future, and become “set for life.” And in this episode, Gabe will show you how to do just that! You’ll learn how to save your first $25,000 (and what to do with it), live for free with the house hacking strategy, and start a business that allows you to earn more and work less!