Most people think about tax deductions and completely overlook tax credits, even though credits are often worth far more.

In this episode of the Hidden Money Podcast, Mike and Kevin dive into tax credits as “gifts” from the government, and how smart planning can help you actually receive them instead of unknowingly saying “no thanks.”

They break down:

• The difference between tax credits vs deductions

• Refundable vs nonrefundable credits

• Why lowering your AGI is the key to unlocking more credits

• Energy and solar credits, home efficiency upgrades, and expiring timelines

• College and education credits (and how they tie into FAFSA and tuition planning)

• The underused R&D credit, even for non-tech, service-based businesses

• Overlooked business credits for employers: health insurance, retirement, paid leave, work opportunity hires, restaurant tips, and more

Whether you’re a high-income earner, business owner, or simply someone who doesn’t want to leave free money on the table, this episode will change the way you think about credits, AGI, and tax planning.

Want a tax planning team in your corner?
Learn more at RevoTaxpayer.com and find out how proactive tax strategy can help you legally pay less in tax and keep more of what you earn.

Most people miss the easiest tax deductions, especially in December. In this episode, Mike and Kevin share their favorite underrated year-end deductions, including tech, tools, team expenses, and simple business purchases that can still lower your tax bill before December 31.

If you’re a high earner or business owner looking for quick wins before year-end, this is your episode.

What you’ll learn:
• The most overlooked deductions people forget• Why December spending still counts• Everyday technology you should be deducting• CPA-favorite tax moves that save real money• How to stop leaving money on the table

Follow the Hidden Money Podcast for more real-world tax strategy, financial planning, and stories from the field.

Work with Revo Tax → https://revotaxpayer.com

Bad CPA Advice That’s Wrecking Your Year-End Tax Plan

Is bad CPA advice quietly wrecking your year-end tax plan? In this week’s Hidden Money episode, Mike and Kevin unpack the most common things people hear from their CPAs that sound “responsible” but actually cost them tens of thousands of dollars in unnecessary tax. If you have ever been told “there is nothing else you can do” or “just pay it and be grateful,” this conversation will reset how you think about year-end tax planning.

Mike and Kevin share real stories of high-income earners who were convinced they were “doing great on taxes” while paying 35 to 40 percent, all because their CPA was focused on filing returns instead of building a strategy. They explain why some licensed CPAs still operate from outdated rules, how misinformation spreads, and why the tax code is far more flexible than you have been led to believe.

What You Will Learn in This Episode
• Common CPA myths that wreck your year-end tax plan
• Why “there’s nothing you can do” is almost never true
• How the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act still creates missed opportunities for high earners
• When an IRS audit is not something to fear and can actually validate your strategy
• How W-2 earners can still create meaningful tax savings with the right planning
• Why the tax code is designed to reward strategic taxpayers, not punish them
• How to tell if your CPA is a tax preparer or a true tax strategist

If your CPA keeps telling you there is nothing left to plan, it is time for a second opinion. Want Mike and Kevin to review your facts and help rebuild your year-end tax plan? Visit revotaxpayer.com to schedule your consultation.

If you’re a high-income earner wondering why your bank account doesn’t reflect the long hours, sacrifices, and hard work... you’re not alone. In this powerful episode, CPAs Mike Pine & Kevin Schneider break down what year-end tax planning really means for high earners and why strategic tax moves can feel like magic when done right. This is the episode that finally explains why “making more money” shouldn’t mean “giving more of it away.”

From navigating estate considerations and accredited investor rules to real-life examples involving surgeons, tech-stock windfalls, and real estate professional status, Mike & Kevin pull back the curtain on how the wealthiest taxpayers legally reduce their tax burdens.

Whether you're earning $300K, $1M, or multiple seven figures, this episode shows why proactive tax planning is the top lever high earners can pull to protect and grow their wealth.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why high-income earners often feel “broke” despite big incomes, and how tax planning fixes it

• The accredited investor thresholds and the expanded investment strategies they unlock

• How estate considerations, step-up in basis, and legacy planning impact high-net-worth families

• Why two people earning the same income may need completely different tax strategies

• When passive tax strategies make sense for ultra-busy professionals

• The real role a spouse can play in tax planning (including real estate professional status)

• How overlooked lifestyle activities—like hosting events at home—can produce massive tax savings

  
  

Want Mike & Kevin to build a personalized tax plan that fits your life, not just the tax code?
Book a free consult at Revo Tax and start keeping what’s rightfully yours.

Year-end real estate tax planning can save hundreds of thousands or turn into a costly audit nightmare when done wrong. In this episode, Mike & Kevin break down real client stories where DIY tax advice, online templates, and even ChatGPT-led planning derailed purchase price allocations, cost segregation, bonus depreciation, and lender negotiations.

You’ll learn why real estate tax planning isn’t a copy-paste strategy, the hidden pitfalls of automated cost-seg tools, how poorly executed PPA language can kill a deal, and what actually makes year-end tax planning defensible, effective, and IRS-ready.

This episode covers:
• Purchase Price Allocations (PPA) and why execution matters more than strategy alone
• Cost segregation shortcuts that trigger audits
• Bonus depreciation done right (and the risks when it’s not)
• The difference between tax education and tax implementation
• Red flags that signal you need a real specialist, not a DIY prompt

Want help executing instead of experimenting? Book a consultation with Mike and Kevin at Revo Tax

Follow for weekly tax strategy insights that help you keep more of what you earn, without cutting corners that cost you later.

If your idea of year-end tax planning is “buy a new truck to save on taxes,” think again. In this episode of Hidden Money Podcast, tax strategist and CPAs at Revo Tax Mike Pine and Kevin Schneider answer the 10 most frequently asked questions about proactive tax planning. They bust the myth that purchasing a big asset is the best way to cut your tax bill and share smarter strategies to change your facts and legally lower your tax before December 31.

You’ll learn:

• Tax Planning vs. Tax Prep: Why planning ahead is a game-changer (and how it differs from simply filing taxes).

• Avoidance vs. Evasion: The crucial difference between legal tax avoidance and illegal tax evasion, and how to stay on the right side of the law.

• Timing is Everything: When to start planning and how often to review your strategy (so you never miss out on deductions or credits).

• Audit Risk Myths: Whether using aggressive tax strategies (like big year-end write-offs) increases your audit risk, and how proper documentation keeps you audit-proof.

• Real Savings Examples: How smart moves (like strategic investments and business structuring) helped real clients save tens of thousands

• Cost vs. Benefit: What quality tax planning services might cost and why the right tax strategy can pay for itself multiple times over.

• Stop Overpaying: Simple ways to ensure you’re not leaving Uncle Sam an unnecessary tip. If you’re earning well and not planning proactively, you are overpaying your taxes.

Ready to stop overpaying and keep more of what you earn? Book a free consultation with the Revo Tax team at revotaxpayer.com to get your personalized year-end game plan.

Disclaimer: This episode is meant for educational purposes only and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for personal guidance.

If your only touchpoint with a CPA is dropping off documents in March, you’re doing tax prep, not tax planning. In this episode, Mike and Kevin show how proactive tax strategy, in-year moves (made before December 31) can change your facts and legally lower your tax.

You’ll learn:

• Tax planning vs. tax preparation (and why planning must come first)

• How to find a CPA/ tax strategist who meets with you before filing season

• Smart year-end moves for W-2 high earners and the self-employed

• Using investments (e.g., oil & gas) to repurpose taxes into your portfolio

• How planning can restore phased-out credits and compound savings

Ready to change your facts and your tax? Book a free consultation at Revo Tax

Disclaimer: This is meant to be educational content only; not tax, legal, or investment advice.

The Tax-Free Exit Strategy Your CPA Wishes They Knew About

You've heard the saying: the only sure things are death and taxes. Mike and Kevin are here to call BS on the taxes part.

In this episode of Hidden Money, we dive deep into the Opportunity Zone (OZ) strategy, a powerful but underused tool, recently supercharged by the One Big Beautiful Bill act. Learn how savvy investors are using OZs to legally defer capital gains for years and ultimately pay $0 on the profit when they sell.

This isn't theory; it’s an actionable playbook for those with serious capital gains (stock sales, business exits, etc.) looking for a way out.

Inside The Advanced OZ Playbook:

• The Zero-Tax Finish Line: How a simple 10-year hold in an OZ can turn a multi-million dollar appreciation into a completely tax-free sale.

• The New Rules That Matter: We decode the bill's changes, including the permanent status of OZs and the new, easier requirements for "Qualified Rural Opportunity Zones."

• DIY Fund vs. Brokerage Pool: Why Mike and Kevin often advise clients to create their own OZ partnership/fund instead of going the traditional 1031 route or trusting a large fund.

• Real Client Strategies: Rolling $5M in Microsoft/Tesla stock gains into a self-storage build and using vested RSU income to secure a tax-advantaged short-term rental.

• The Ultimate "Double Dip": Layering Cost Segregation with an OZ investment to generate massive paper losses now while securing the tax-free exit later.

Who needs this? If you're a business owner, high-net-worth investor, or anyone sitting on a mountain of stock gains, this episode is your blueprint.

Ready to challenge the axiom? Mike and Kevin practice what they preach. Book a free consultation with Revo Tax, to see how an Opportunity Zone strategy could work for your capital gains.