Fee-only financial advisors for small-business owners, self-employed, and freelancers.
Small-business owners face a compressed version of the whole wealth-planning problem: retirement vehicles (solo 401k vs SEP vs cash-balance), entity choice (S-corp reasonable salary, LLC tax elections), health insurance, disability, and irregular income smoothing. Generalist advisors miss SEP-to-solo-401k rollover advantages, QBI deduction optimiza
What our matched specialists handle
- Solo 401k vs SEP IRA — which is right now that I'm earning more?
- Should I add a cash balance plan to my solo 401k?
- S-corp reasonable salary — what's defensible without IRS trouble?
- QBI deduction — how do I optimize around the threshold?
- Irregular income — how do I smooth contributions across up and down years?
- I'm going from W-2 to 1099 — what's the whole to-do list?
Tools & guides
Small Business Retirement Plan Selector
Compare Solo 401(k), SEP-IRA, SIMPLE, and Cash Balance based on your income and savings goals.
S-Corp Reasonable Salary Calculator
Find the IRS-defensible salary range for your role, and see exactly how much you save in FICA taxes vs. a sole-prop structure.
QBI Deduction Optimizer
Find out if the Section 199A phase-out is erasing your deduction — and how retirement contributions can recover it.
Small Business Financial Planning Guide
Detailed framework — rules, tradeoffs, and common mistakes.
Self-Employed Health Insurance Guide 2026
COBRA vs. ACA Marketplace vs. HDHP + HSA — and how to deduct 100% of your premiums under § 162(l).
W-2 to 1099 Transition Checklist
Going independent? The complete financial to-do list: SE tax, quarterly estimates, solo 401k setup, entity choice, and more.
Cash Balance Plan for Self-Employed Owners
How to stack a cash balance plan on top of a solo 401(k) for $150K–$330K+ in annual deductions. 2026 limits by age, costs, and setup timeline.
Irregular Income Retirement Calculator
Solo 401(k) vs SEP IRA when income swings year to year. See your 2026 max contributions by income level and which plan wins for variable earners.
Quarterly Estimated Taxes Guide 2026
Due dates, safe harbor rules, SE tax calculation, and cash-flow strategies to avoid underpayment penalties. Includes how retirement contributions reduce your quarterly payments.
How to Reduce Self-Employment Tax in 2026
At 15.3%, SE tax is the biggest tax most self-employed professionals pay — larger than income tax at many income levels. There is exactly one strategy that truly cuts it: the S-corp election. See the break-even math, the savings calculator, and what not to waste time on (most deductions reduce income tax, not SE tax).
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Fee-only advisors in our network work with self-employed and small-business owners every day — retirement plan design, S-corp salary, QBI optimization. Free match, no obligation.
Get matched free →LLC vs. S-Corp: When the Switch Saves Money
The S-corp election isn't right for everyone. See the break-even math, reasonable salary requirement, QBI interaction, and California franchise tax trap — with 2026 numbers.
How to Elect S-Corp Status: Form 2553 Guide (2026)
You've decided to elect. Now here's the step-by-step: Form 2553 completion, the March 16 deadline for calendar-year filers, the 75-day window for new entities, late election relief under Rev. Proc. 2013-30, and what payroll setup must happen before your first distribution.
How to Pay Yourself as an LLC Owner (2026)
Owner's draw, guaranteed payment, W-2 salary, or distribution? Your LLC's tax election determines the right method — and the wrong one can cost you thousands in unnecessary FICA or trigger an IRS audit. Includes a FICA comparison calculator and retirement plan contribution analysis.
Solo 401(k) Rules and 2026 Contribution Limits
How the solo 401(k) works, who qualifies, 2026 limits by income level, Roth option, IRA pro-rata trap, and when to stack a cash balance plan on top.
Disability Insurance for the Self-Employed
Own-occupation vs. any-occupation, how much coverage to buy, the retirement-plan income documentation trap, and why routing DI through your S-corp provides no tax advantage over an individual policy.
Life Insurance for Self-Employed & Business Owners: 2026 Coverage Guide
Your business equity is illiquid — your family can't pay the mortgage with it the day you die. Use the DIME calculator to find your personal coverage gap, understand the S-corp group term life tax trap (the §79 $50K exclusion doesn't apply to >2% shareholders), and see why term life beats whole life for most business owners.
Long-Term Care Insurance for Self-Employed & Business Owners: 2026 Tax Guide
A nursing home runs $118K–$136K per year in 2026. Self-employed owners get an above-the-line LTC premium deduction (not subject to the 7.5% AGI floor) up to $6,200/yr at age 71+. S-corp owners can route premiums through W-2 payroll to skip FICA entirely. 2026 age-based deduction limits, care cost data, and an interactive LTC exposure calculator.
SEP IRA 2026: Limits, the 20% Rule, and When It Beats a Solo 401(k)
Max $72,000 in 2026 with an October deadline — no year-end election required. See how SEP IRA compares to a solo 401k at every income level, the pro-rata trap, and when simplicity wins.
SIMPLE IRA for Small Business 2026
The plan for businesses with employees: $17,000 employee deferral, 3% employer match, no discrimination testing. Why SIMPLE IRA can cost 80% less than a SEP IRA once you have staff — and the 2-year rollover trap to know.
Self-Employed Tax Deductions 2026: Complete Guide
Every above-the-line deduction available to business owners — retirement plans, health insurance, HSA, home office, vehicle, Section 179, QBI — with a worked example at $300K income.
S-Corp Payroll Setup for Owner-Employees
How to pay yourself correctly from your S-corp: salary vs. distributions, Form 941 quarterly filings, W-2 deadlines, health insurance reporting, and how your salary level caps your solo 401(k) employer contributions.
S-Corp Health Insurance Deduction 2026
The >2% shareholder rules most CPAs get wrong: Box 1 inclusion (not Boxes 3+5), Form 7206 Schedule 1 deduction, the HSA trap, the spouse-employee workaround, and why the deduction vanishes if premiums aren't run through the S-corp correctly. Interactive after-tax cost calculator included.
Self-Employed Tax Calculator 2026
Enter your 1099 income and get an instant estimate of your SE tax, federal income tax, and total tax burden — plus see exactly how a solo 401(k) or SEP IRA reduces your bill with a real-time slider.
Backdoor Roth IRA for High-Income Self-Employed (2026)
Earning over $168K (single) or $252K (MFJ)? Direct Roth contributions are phased out. Learn the backdoor Roth strategy — and the SEP IRA pro-rata trap that makes it nearly worthless unless you roll your SEP into your solo 401(k) first.
Safe Harbor 401(k) for Small Business 2026
When you have employees and need more than a SIMPLE IRA: safe harbor design eliminates ADP/ACP discrimination testing so the owner can max out at $24,500 + catch-up. Three designs compared — basic match, enhanced match, non-elective — with cost breakdown vs. SIMPLE IRA.
Selling Your Small Business: Tax Planning Guide 2026
Asset sale vs. stock sale, depreciation recapture, personal goodwill doctrine, installment sales, and QSBS §1202 — the decisions that determine how much of your sale price you actually keep. Most of these choices are irreversible once the LOI is signed.
QSBS Section 1202 Exclusion: Up to $15M of Gains, Federal Tax-Free
Qualified Small Business Stock can exclude up to $15M per investor per C-corp from federal capital gains and NIIT. OBBBA (July 2025) added a tiered 3/4/5-year exclusion structure (50%/75%/100%) and raised the gross-asset limit to $75M. Interactive calculator shows your tax savings. Most S-corp and service-business owners don't qualify — but tech and product C-corp founders often do.
Business Owner Life Insurance: Key Person and Buy-Sell Agreements
Key person insurance protects your business if a critical owner or employee dies. A funded buy-sell agreement determines who owns the business after you're gone — and whether your co-owners can afford to buy out your estate. Includes the Connelly v. US ruling that changed buy-sell structuring for C-corps.
Section 179 & Bonus Depreciation Calculator 2026
OBBBA permanently restored 100% bonus depreciation for equipment acquired after Jan 19, 2025. See your first-year deduction (up to the full purchase price), estimated tax savings, and how much more cash you keep versus spreading the cost over 5–7 years under regular MACRS.
S-Corp Accountable Plan: Tax-Free Expense Reimbursements
S-corp owner-employees can reimburse home office, vehicle miles, phone, and other business expenses completely free of income tax and FICA — but only with a properly structured accountable plan. TCJA eliminated the employee expense deduction for everyone else. See the $16K reimbursement example that saves $5,000+ per year.
Home Office Deduction Calculator 2026
Compare the IRS simplified method ($5/sqft, max $1,500) against the actual expense method for your specific home setup. See which saves you more and estimate your combined federal income tax and SE tax savings — the deduction reduces both layers at once.
Quarterly Estimated Tax Calculator 2026
How much do you owe the IRS each quarter? Enter your expected income and deductions — see your payment amounts using both the 90% current-year method and the prior-year safe harbor, plus exactly how much a retirement contribution trims each quarterly check.
QSEHRA and ICHRA: Tax-Free Health Benefits Without Group Insurance
Can't afford group health insurance? QSEHRA lets small employers (under 50 FTEs) reimburse employees tax-free up to $6,450/$13,100 in 2026. ICHRA has no dollar cap and works for any employer size. Here's how to choose between them — and what the premium tax credit interaction means for your employees.
Profit Sharing Plan for Small Business 2026: Cross-Tested & Age-Weighted Designs
Contribute up to $72,000 per year with a fully discretionary employer contribution — and use a cross-tested design to legally give yourself 20–25% of compensation while employees receive only the 5% gateway minimum. Especially powerful for owners age 45–62 with younger employees.
1099 vs. W-2 Employee: Worker Classification Guide 2026
The IRS 3-category test, the true cost of each worker type, and §3509 misclassification penalties. Plus: why hiring your first W-2 employee ends your solo 401(k) eligibility — and what the SECURE 2.0 long-term part-time employee rule means for 2026.
Augusta Rule: Rent Your Home to Your S-Corp Tax-Free (IRC §280A(g))
S-corp and partnership owners can rent their home to the business for up to 14 days per year — the rental income is completely excluded from your personal tax return, and the business deducts the payment. A legally sound, rarely-discussed strategy that can put $2,000–$8,000+ per year back in your pocket.
Best Solo 401(k) Providers 2026: Fidelity vs Schwab vs E*TRADE
All three major brokerages offer free solo 401(k) plans with Roth. The one key difference: only E*TRADE includes participant loans in its standard plan. Need mega backdoor Roth? That requires a custom plan. Here's how to choose.
Pass-Through Entity Tax (PTET): The SALT Cap Workaround for S-Corps & LLCs
OBBBA raised the SALT cap to $40,400 — but it phases out completely above $606K of income, putting high earners back at the $10,000 floor. PTET elections let S-corps and partnerships deduct state income taxes at the entity level, bypassing the cap entirely. Includes a savings estimator and 2026 state-by-state availability.
Business Vehicle Deduction Calculator 2026: Standard Mileage vs. Actual Expense
72.5¢/mile standard rate or actual expense method — which saves more for your vehicle? The calculator handles §280F luxury-auto caps for light cars and §179 + 100% bonus depreciation for heavy SUVs. Includes the key lock-in rule: if you choose actual expense in Year 1, you can't switch back to standard mileage — ever.
Roth Conversion Calculator for Business Owners 2026
Business owners can engineer Roth conversion windows that W-2 employees can't: down years, pre-sale years, the early-retirement income gap before RMDs begin. Enter your 2026 AGI and see how much bracket room you have, what the conversion will cost, and whether it beats deferring to RMD age — with a "fill bracket" button that auto-sets the optimal amount.
Hire Your Spouse in Your S-Corp: Double Your Solo 401(k)
Your spouse is the only W-2 employee who doesn't disqualify you from a solo 401(k). Hire them for real services at a legitimate wage and you get a second full set of contribution limits — potentially adding $39,000–$55,000+ in additional annual retirement savings. Includes a contribution calculator and the payroll steps to set it up correctly.
HSA for Self-Employed 2026: Limits, Strategy & the S-Corp Owner Trap
Self-employed owners get a double tax deduction W-2 employees can't: HDHP premiums deducted under § 162(l) AND HSA contributions deducted on Schedule 1 — up to $4,400/$8,750 in 2026. After age 65 it's a second IRA. S-corp owners have a specific trap around Section 125 cafeteria plans that most miss.
How to Find a Fee-Only Financial Advisor for Small Business Owners
What "fee-only" actually means, why it matters more for business owners than W-2 employees, credentials worth caring about, 6 questions to ask before hiring, red flags to avoid, and when you need both a CPA and a financial planner.
Estate Planning for Small Business Owners: 2026 Guide
OBBBA permanently raised the estate/gift exemption to $15M per person ($30M married). But your business is your largest, hardest-to-value asset — and the wrong trust structure can accidentally terminate your S-corp. Covers valuation discounts, annual gifting, QSST vs. ESBT trust rules, and the basis step-up vs. gifting tradeoff. Includes an estate exposure estimator.
How Much Does a Financial Advisor Cost for Small Business Owners?
AUM fees, flat retainers, and hourly rates explained — plus why the 1%-of-AUM model is often the wrong fit for business owners whose wealth is tied up in the business rather than a portfolio. Includes a fee/ROI estimator that shows whether hiring an advisor pays for itself in year one at your income level.
Business Owner Retirement Readiness Calculator 2026
Are you on track to retire from your business? Enter your retirement accounts, annual contributions, and estimated business sale proceeds — see whether your projected assets can sustain your target spending using a 4% withdrawal rate. Includes the business equity layer that generic retirement calculators miss.
C-Corp vs S-Corp 2026: When the C-Corporation Wins
For most service businesses, S-corp wins — FICA savings on distributions, the permanent 23% QBI deduction, and solo 401(k) capacity outweigh C-corp's 21% flat rate once you factor in dividend double taxation. But QSBS §1202 (up to $15M excluded, post-OBBBA), retained-earnings compounding, and VC investment flip the math. Includes an interactive tax comparison calculator.
Small Business Succession Planning: Your Exit Strategy Roadmap
The exit planning guide that starts 5–10 years before the sale: four exit paths (third-party sale, MBO, family transfer, ESOP), business valuation basics, the 10-5-2-1 year planning timeline, and tax strategies that require lead time — QSBS §1202, §1042 ESOP rollover, installment sales. Includes a Succession Readiness Score calculator.
Social Security Planning for S-Corp Owners: The FICA Tradeoff (2026)
Every dollar you cut from your W-2 salary saves FICA taxes now — but reduces your Social Security benefit for life. See the 2026 PIA formula, the 35-year average trap for early entrepreneurs, the Medicare Part A free threshold, and whether delaying SS while converting to Roth beats claiming early. Includes a break-even calculator that shows exactly when the higher salary pays off.
Paying Your Children in Your Business: Tax Strategy Guide 2026
Sole proprietors can pay minor children (under 18) wages with zero FICA on either side — and those wages shift from your 32–37% bracket to the child's $0 effective rate. At $12,000 in child wages, a 32% sole proprietor saves $5,000+ in combined income and self-employment tax. Plus: the child can fund a Roth IRA with their earned income. Includes a tax savings calculator and age-appropriate wage guide.
Year-End Tax Planning Checklist for Self-Employed & Small Business Owners 2026
Most of the highest-value tax moves for business owners expire on December 31 — solo 401(k) deferral elections, Roth conversions, S-corp salary adjustments, Section 179 purchases, Augusta Rule meetings. This checklist covers all 12 time-sensitive actions with a deadline summary table and income-level priority guide.
Can You Borrow From Your Solo 401(k)? 2026 Loan Rules and Calculator
Yes — but only if your plan document allows it. Fidelity and Schwab prototype plans don't support loans; E*TRADE does, and custom plans from MySolo401k or Carry do. Borrow up to $50,000 or 50% of your vested balance, repay over 5 years with quarterly payments. Includes a loan calculator and a clear explanation of what happens if you default — income tax plus 10% penalty on the outstanding balance.
Medicare for Self-Employed Business Owners: Enrollment, HSA Trap & IRMAA Planning
Business owners face Medicare traps W-2 employees don't: the HSA 6-month lookback that creates taxable excess contributions, IRMAA cliffs triggered by the year you sell your business, and S-corp premium deduction rules that require W-2 setup. 2026 brackets: standard $202.90/month, rising to $689.90/month at the top IRMAA tier. Includes an IRMAA calculator.
529 Plan Strategy for Business Owners & Self-Employed (2026)
Business owners have three 529 advantages W-2 employees miss: irregular income that makes superfunding powerful ($95,000 per child in one year with the 5-year election), a FAFSA exclusion that keeps your business equity out of the financial aid calculation, and income control that lets you time large contributions to high-earning years. Covers OBBBA K-12 limit increase to $20,000/year, SECURE 2.0 529-to-Roth rollover rules, and an interactive growth calculator.
Charitable Giving for Small Business Owners: DAF Bunching & 2026 OBBBA Rules
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act added a 0.5% AGI floor, a 35% deduction cap for 37%-bracket earners, and a new $1,000/$2,000 non-itemizer deduction for 2026. For business owners who control their income, DAF bunching — contributing 2–5 years of charitable gifts in a single high-income year — can generate thousands more in tax savings than annual giving. Covers appreciated stock donations, qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) for age 70½+, and an interactive DAF bunching calculator.
Solo 401(k) Contribution Calculator 2026: Your Exact Maximum by Income & Age
Enter your entity type, net income, and age to see your precise 2026 solo 401(k) maximum — employee deferral ($24,500–$35,750 with catch-up), employer profit-sharing contribution (25% of adjusted income), and total annual additions (up to $72,000+). Includes a side-by-side SEP IRA comparison, estimated federal tax savings, and a cash balance stacking callout for high earners over 45.
SECURE 2.0 Retirement Plan Tax Credits for Small Business 2026
Starting a new 401(k) or SIMPLE IRA triggers up to three stackable federal tax credits: 100% of plan setup costs (up to $5,000/year for 3 years), $500/year auto-enrollment credit, and up to $1,000/employee/year employer contribution credit for 5 years. Most eligible businesses never claim them. Interactive credit estimator included.
Small Business Valuation Calculator 2026: Estimate What Your Business Is Worth
Most financial planning decisions — estate plans, retirement projections, buy-sell insurance — hinge on one number: what is your business worth? This calculator uses SDE multiple data from 9,500+ actual small-business transactions to give a planning-level range adjusted for your industry, growth trend, owner dependency, and recurring revenue. No selling required to need this number.
Do I Need a Financial Advisor If I Already Have a CPA?
Your CPA tells you what happened last year and keeps you compliant. A financial planner tells you what to do differently before December 31 — retirement plan design, S-corp salary optimization, Roth conversion windows, business exit coordination. Most small business owners netting $150K+ need both, but they do completely different jobs. Includes a 5-question self-assessment to determine what you actually need.
R&D Tax Credit for Small Business Owners: IRC §41 Guide & Calculator 2026
Software developers, product engineers, and manufacturers can claim the IRC §41 R&D credit — a dollar-for-dollar reduction against your federal tax bill. Qualifying startups with under $5M in gross receipts can now offset up to $500,000/year directly against payroll taxes (no income tax liability needed). OBBBA restored immediate §174 expensing for domestic R&D in 2026 — and retroactive recovery for 2022–2024 costs closes July 6, 2026. Includes an interactive credit calculator.
Multi-Member LLC Taxes: K-1, Guaranteed Payments & SE Tax Guide (2026)
When you add a second member to an LLC it becomes a partnership by default — and every active member pays self-employment tax on their full distributive share of ordinary income. Learn how guaranteed payments (§707(c)) differ from distributions, what each K-1 box means for your tax bill, whether a one-participant 401(k) is available for your two-member LLC, and when an S-corp election eliminates the QBI wage-limitation trap. Includes a SE tax and S-corp comparison calculator.
Side Hustle Taxes 2026: SE Tax, Quarterly Estimates & Solo 401(k) While Employed
W-2 job plus a side business? Once your W-2 wages hit $184,500, your side income owes zero Social Security tax — only Medicare. Covers the SS wage base credit most people miss, quarterly estimate calculations on top of W-2 withholding, side income deductions, and how to open a solo 401(k) for employer profit-sharing even after maxing the employee deferral at your day job. Includes a tax calculator that accounts for the W-2 offset.
Self-Employed Mortgage 2026: Qualifying When Your Write-Offs Minimize Reported Income
Every dollar you deduct on Schedule C reduces your mortgage qualifying income — and the effect is multiplied: $40,000 less in reported income can reduce your maximum loan by $130,000+. Covers Fannie Mae's 2-year average method, add-backs that work in your favor (depreciation, depletion), the S-corp salary trap, bank statement loan alternatives, and a mortgage-year tax strategy playbook. Includes a qualification estimator that shows the loan impact of each deduction dollar.
IRS Audit Risk for Self-Employed: Schedule C Red Flags (2026)
Self-employed filers face audit scrutiny at 3× the rate of W-2 employees — and most Schedule C audits are triggered algorithmically before a human reads your return. See which deductions score highest on the IRS's DIF system, the documentation required for each, the 2026 OBBBA change to hobby loss rules, penalties for underpayment, and a 7-question audit risk self-assessment for your return.
SEP IRA vs Solo 401(k) 2026: Side-by-Side Comparison
The solo 401(k) allows ~$24,500 more per year than a SEP IRA at the same income — because of the employee elective deferral the SEP IRA simply doesn't have. At age 50+, add another $8,000–$11,250 in catch-up contributions SEP IRA never offers. Includes a side-by-side calculator, a contribution comparison table at every income level, and the three cases where the SEP IRA still wins.
Freelancer Financial Planning: Complete 2026 Guide
Freelancers shoulder every financial task employers normally handle — quarterly taxes, retirement accounts, health insurance, disability coverage. This guide walks through each step: sizing your tax escrow, choosing a retirement account (solo 401k vs SEP IRA), entity structure thresholds, and when an S-corp election makes sense. Includes a Freelance Revenue Goal Calculator that converts your target take-home pay into a required gross revenue figure — accounting for SE tax, income tax, and all deductions.
Group Health Insurance for Small Business 2026: SHOP, Costs & 50% Tax Credit
Once you have employees, offering health coverage can unlock a federal tax credit of up to 50% of premiums — but only if you buy through the SHOP Marketplace and meet the eligibility rules. Includes a 2026 employer cost estimator, fully insured vs. level-funded comparison, minimum participation rules, and a decision framework for group insurance vs. ICHRA vs. QSEHRA.
Best Retirement Plan for Small Business Owners 2026: Compare All Options
Solo 401(k), SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Safe Harbor 401k, Profit Sharing, and Cash Balance — all compared in one place. A 3-question interactive plan finder gives you a personalized recommendation based on whether you have employees, your income level, and your age. Includes combined deduction tables for solo 401(k) + cash balance stacking, common mistakes, and links to each plan's detailed guide.
Mega Backdoor Roth for Solo 401(k) Plans 2026: Up to $47,500 More Tax-Free Space
The regular backdoor Roth moves $7,500 into Roth per year. The mega backdoor Roth — done through a solo 401(k) that allows after-tax contributions — can add up to $47,500 more in Roth space on top. Most solo 401(k) owners never use this because their plan document doesn't allow it. Covers the 3 required plan provisions, a provider comparison (Fidelity/Schwab/Vanguard don't support it; E*TRADE and specialty providers do), and an after-tax contribution calculator.
How Is an LLC Taxed? 2026 Guide to All Four Tax Classifications
The LLC is a legal structure, not a tax category. By default, a single-member LLC files as a sole proprietor (all profit subject to 15.3% SE tax on the first $184,500); a multi-member LLC files as a partnership. Elect S-corp and only your salary faces FICA — distributions avoid Social Security and Medicare entirely. Includes a sole proprietor vs. S-corp total federal tax comparison calculator.
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Small Business Advisor Match is a matching service. We connect you with vetted fee-only financial advisors in our network — we don't manage money or provide advice ourselves. Advisors in our network are fiduciaries who charge transparent fees (not product commissions), and we match you based on your specific situation.