TLDR: Many business owners view taxes as a once-a-year obligation. However, waiting until tax season to think about taxes is a costly mistake. There is a critical difference between Tax Preparation (reporting history) and Tax Planning (creating a strategy). With the permanent 100% bonus depreciation reinstated by the OBBBA, the window to plan asset purchases is wider than ever.
Key Highlights:
For many entrepreneurs, the accountant is someone you speak to once a year to hand over a stack of receipts. This "annual check-up" model is standard Tax Preparation. It is a necessary compliance step, but it provides zero leverage.
By the time you file your return, the year is over. The revenue is earned, the expenses are spent, and your tax liability is set in stone. You are paying a professional to be a historian. To actually save money, you need to shift the focus from history to strategy.
The "Accounting Cleanup" Hurdle
Before you can save on taxes, you need to know where you stand. As we warned in Why Ignoring Bookkeeping Can Hurt Your Business, a common reason business owners skip planning is that their books are a mess. They treat bookkeeping as a year-end chore rather than a monthly discipline.
This creates a deadlock. You cannot steer the ship if the dashboard is broken. Effective tax planning relies on clean, real-time data, not a shoebox of receipts delivered in March. If your books are not current, your first step is not a tax strategy session; it is an accounting cleanup. Investing in monthly bookkeeping ensures that when an opportunity arises, you have the data ready to act on it.
Tax Planning turns the calendar into a tool. Instead of a year-end scramble, it involves mid-year reviews to project liability before the year closes.
1. Leveraging the OBBBA. As we detailed in our breakdown of the Unpacking the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" blog, the recent passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has permanently reinstated 100% bonus depreciation.. This is a game-changer. If you are considering a major equipment purchase or fleet upgrade, the ability to write off the entire cost in year one is back on the table. A planning session ensures you time these purchases correctly to maximize the deduction.
2. Timing Revenue and Expenses (Cash Basis Only). If you report on a Cash Basis, you have unique control over your taxable income. If a November review shows higher-than-expected profit, you may prepay rent for the upcoming year or stock up on inventory to lower your taxable income. Conversely, if you expect a higher bracket next year, you might defer those deductions.
3. The Surprise Bill. Nothing kills liquidity faster than a surprise tax bill. Planning allows you to adjust estimated payments throughout the year. This ensures the cash is set aside, protecting your operating capital.
The Advisor Advantage: Unlocking Hidden Value
Beyond timing your expenses, a proactive tax advisor provides a line of sight into opportunities you may not know exist. Most business owners simply do not know what they don't know.
Final Thoughts
Compliance keeps you out of jail, but planning keeps you in business. If you only speak to your accountant when the return is due, you are leaving money on the table. Shift the relationship from transactional to advisory. The cost of a mid-year strategy session is almost always lower than the tax savings it uncovers. Contact us learn how now by