Not all square footage counts toward your deduction. Exclude: - Hallways 🚫 - Bathrooms 🚫 - Closets, fireplaces, stairways 🚫 👉 Only measure spaces used 100% for business. Pro tip: Draw a simple floor plan and keep it in your tax file.

Hey fam 👋 I wanted to drop a quick blog post that might be a game-changer for your future self. As both a CPA and a real estate agent, I’ve always looked for ways to legally grow wealth and protect it. One of the best tools I’ve found? A Self-Directed 401(k). It sounds fancy (and maybe a little intimidating), but I promise it’s simpler than it looks — and it can open up a world of opportunities to invest your retirement dollars in the things you understand best… like real estate. Let me walk you through how I set mine up, what it lets me do, and how you can get started too. Step-by-Step: How I Opened My Self-Directed 401(k) Here’s the quick breakdown of how I set mine up: 1. Own an LLC or business ✅ You need to have some kind of self-employment income — in our case, real estate commissions work perfectly. My real estate LLC was already in place, so I was good to go. 2. Choose a 401(k) plan provider that allows self-direction✅ I went with The Entrust Group. They specialize in self-directed retirement accounts and offer Solo 401(k) plans with a lot of flexibility. Great service, super responsive. 3. Create your plan documents✅ This includes the plan adoption agreement, trust agreement, and some other legal docs that make your plan official and IRS-compliant. Your plan provider can provide these. 4. Get a new EIN (Employer Identification Number) for your 401(k)✅ You can’t use your business EIN for this — the 401(k) trust needs its own. You’ll apply for it via the IRS website. Takes just a few minutes. 5. Open a bank or brokerage account for the 401(k) trust✅ Once your plan and EIN are set up, you can open an account in the name of the 401(k) trust. From there, you can start contributing funds and investing. Why I Love My Self-Directed 401(k) Now here’s the fun part. With a self-directed 401(k), you’re no longer stuck picking between mutual funds A, B, or C. You can invest in: ✅ Real estate (residential, commercial, land) ✅ Private lending (become the bank — offer loans to investors)

Forget the myth that home office deductions are a red flag 🚩. In 2025, they’re normal and IRS-approved. To qualify: - Used exclusively and regularly for business. - Must be your primary place for admin work (emails, contracts, marketing). Expenses you can deduct: utilities, rent, mortgage interest, insurance, taxes, repairs, and even depreciation. 👉 If you’re working from home, this is a deduction you can’t afford to skip.

Imagine getting paid to drive the car you already own. - Without a home office, your car might be 40% business use. - Add a qualified home office, and it could jump to 80%. 👉 Example: $50,000 car × 80% = $40,000 deduction in 2025. That’s DOUBLE the write-off — no extra miles needed.

Why pay Uncle Sam more when you can put that money into your own family? In 2025, you can pay your kids up to $14,600 tax-free. 👉 Example: Pay your teen to manage your Instagram, stuff open house flyers, or clean your car for showings. 💡 Bonus: If your business is a sole prop or single-member LLC (not incorporated), you don’t even pay payroll taxes if they’re under 18. Result: Less taxes for you, more savings for college. Win-win.