Tax season shouldn’t feel mysterious or reactive—especially not in a year with major law changes. When the July 2025 tax bill passed, most business owners had no idea how much it would shift their budgeting, hiring, and investment decisions for the coming year. If you want to grow wisely, the real question is: how do you use these new rules in your favor?

On this episode of Become Sensible, I walk you through the biggest tax updates that matter for entrepreneurs and small business owners in 2025–2026. I explain why 100% bonus depreciation is back, how the expanded Section 179 deduction can help you control taxable income, why R&D expenses are fully deductible again, and what the new 1099-K thresholds mean for anyone using platforms like PayPal or Stripe. I also share the limits you need to prepare for—like shrinking meal deductions and rising healthcare costs for small teams. No politics, no jargon, just practical strategy you can apply immediately.

My goal is simple: to help you use the tax code as a strategic growth tool rather than something you only think about at year-end. “Smart business owners don’t just file taxes—they use taxes to guide better decisions.” If you want clarity on how these changes affect your budgets, investments, and long-term planning, this episode will give you exactly what you need.

• Bonus Depreciation – IRS Publication 946
• Section 179 Deduction – IRS Depreciation Guidance
• Domestic Research & Experimental (R&D) Expenditures – IRB 2025-38 / §174A
• Form 1099-K – Understanding Your Form
• Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction – IRS FAQs
• Employer-Provided Child Care Credit – About Form 8882

• Follow me, Fiona Nguyen, on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about Balannx.

• 0:00 – Why the 2025 tax law matters more than you think
• 1:30 – Bonus depreciation returns to 100%
• 3:00 – How Section 179 became more powerful
• 5:20 – R&D and experimentation expenses fully deductible again
• 6:40 – Better rules for interest deductions
• 8:40 – QBI deduction becomes permanent
• 10:00 – Expanded childcare credits for employers
• 12:00 – 1099-K reporting rollback
• 14:10 – Key limitations: loss caps, energy credit changes
• 16:00 – Meal deductions disappear in 2026
• 18:00 – Rising healthcare costs and planning ahead
• 20:00 – Final guidance for using tax strategy intentionally

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