Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File

Are you leaving money on the table before the tax year closes?

In this end-of-year episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar Melis & Associates, walks through the essential tax moves shop owners must make before December 31st and the costly assumptions that lead many to overpay the IRS.

From retirement contributions and HSA hacks to equipment purchases, inventory write-downs, and why your accounts receivable might be lying to you, Hunt explains how small oversights can snowball into massive tax bills. More importantly, he shows you exactly what to check, adjust, and document now to ensure you only pay what you owe and not a dollar more.

If you’ve ever wondered whether to buy equipment before year-end, how to handle unpaid invoices, whether your payroll timing affects deductions, or how to set yourself up for a smoother tax season, this episode gives you the playbook.

Ideal for shop owners, bookkeepers, and managers who want to tighten their financials, avoid costly mistakes, and maximize deductions before the year closes.

What you’ll discover…

(02:10) The repetitive tax mistakes and how to avoid them

(03:45) Why retirement contributions are Hunt’s “favorite deduction.”

(06:35) How much you can contribute to SIMPLE IRAs and 401(k)s before Dec. 31

(09:25) Why Roth contributions don’t reduce your taxes (and when to use them)

(10:30) The HSA contribution rules and how they can reimburse old medical bills

(14:05) HSA vs. FSA: The real difference and how not to lose your money

(16:10) The truth about deducting equipment — cash vs. financing vs. leasing

(18:30) Major building improvements you can now deduct in year one

(19:40) How to structure employee gifts, bonuses, and reimbursements

(22:30) Four big things to keep an eye on to ensure maximum savings

(25:16) Accounts payable: how missing December bills inflate your taxes

(28:00) The most overlooked deduction in high-interest years

(29:00) The fastest way to speed up your tax return (and avoid April chaos)

Thanks to our partner Promotive

It’s time to hire a superstar for your business; what a grind you have in front of you. Introducing Promotive, a full-service staffing solution for your shop. Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our Partner WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair

Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com

Email Hunt: podcast@paarmelis.com

Text Paar Melis @ 301-307-5413

Download a Copy of My Books Here:

• Wrenches to Write-Offs
• Your Perfect Shop

The Automotive...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File

What would it take to double your shop’s success? I.e., 200% of your current sales, gross profit, and net profit?

In this special 200th episode of Business by the Numbers, Hunt Demarest, CPA at Paar Melis & Associates, breaks down the math, mindset, and milestones behind scaling your shop’s numbers without burning out your team or outgrowing your facility too soon.

From practical examples to real-world projections, Hunt shows you how to build a realistic roadmap for growth. Whether it’s raising your labor rate, boosting productivity, or understanding how small compounding changes translate to massive results, you’ll see that doubling your profit doesn’t always mean doubling your workload.

By the end, you’ll know how to forecast, plan, and execute your own “Road to 200” — step by step.

Ideal for shop owners and managers who are ready to scale their business with data-driven, sustainable growth strategies.

What you’ll discover…

(02:30) The difference between doubling your numbers and a “200% increase.”

(04:20) Increase your prices or increase your production?

(06:15) What happens when you try to double sales purely through pricing?

(07:15) How to plan realistic, incremental labor rate increases year over year

(15:25) When your shop’s size, staffing, and space become limiting factors in growth

(18:15) The hidden compounding effect between pricing and productivity

(19:10) Why gross profit is more important than sales (and how to double it)

(21:30) How doubling sales can more than double your profit if your team is efficient

(28:45) Why cutting expenses rarely doubles profit (and what to do instead)

(34:00) The compounding math behind raising prices and productivity together

Thanks to our partner Promotive

It’s time to hire a superstar for your business; what a grind you have in front of you. Introducing Promotive, a full-service staffing solution for your shop. Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our Partner WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair

Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com

Email Hunt: podcast@paarmelis.com

Text Paar Melis @ 301-307-5413

Download a Copy of My Books Here:

• Wrenches to Write-Offs
• Your Perfect Shop

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast...

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked File

Are you rewarding your team, or paying extra taxes to do it? Could a few words on your payroll save you thousands a year?

In this episode, Hunt Demarest, CPA with Paar, Melis & Associates, explains why the difference between an allowance and a reimbursement could save both you and your employees thousands of dollars a year.

From cars and cell phones to tool truck payments, Hunt breaks down how changing just a few words on your payroll setup can turn a taxable perk into a tax-free benefit. Through clear examples and real-shop math, he reveals how to keep Uncle Sam’s cut out of your employee bonuses and put that money back where it belongs — in your business.

If you’ve ever handed out end-of-year bonuses, paid mileage, or covered employee phone bills, this episode will show you a smarter, legally compliant way to do it.

Shop owners, service advisors, and bookkeepers who want to reward staff without paying unnecessary payroll taxes.

What you’ll discover…

(02:00) How a small change in wording saves 25–30% in taxes

(04:10) Why giving an “auto allowance” is the same as providing a raise

(07:10) Cellphone allowance insights

(11:00) Tools allowance and reimbursement insights

(11:40) How a $200 tool payment becomes $150 after taxes, and how to make it a full $200 with one form

(14:10) What the IRS calls “fringe benefits” and how to use them responsibly to benefit both sides

(14:30) Turning bonuses into reimbursements so your team keeps 100% of their money

Thanks to our partner Promotive

It’s time to hire a superstar for your business; what a grind you have in front of you. Introducing Promotive, a full-service staffing solution for your shop. Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our Partner WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair

Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com

Email Hunt: podcast@paarmelis.com

Text Paar Melis @ 301-307-5413

Download a Copy of My Books Here:

• Wrenches to Write-Offs
• Your Perfect Shop

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion

Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt...