Tax Strategy vs. Tax Preparation Explained
We’re breaking down the difference between tax strategy and tax preparation — and why that difference could mean six figures in savings over your lifetime.
Many people think they “have a tax plan” because they have a CPA.
Tax preparation is what happens in the spring — you hand over last year’s numbers, and your accountant tells you what you owe. Tax strategy happens throughout the year — it’s proactive, not reactive — and it gives you control over what you’ll owe next year. Your CPA is the scorekeeper, but your tax strategist? That’s your coach.
This is Shawn Hanquist’s zone of genius — not in a “find the loopholes” way, but in a structured, legal, strategic way that helps high earners minimize taxes and build sustainable wealth.
He teaches clients to stop playing defense and start playing offense with their taxes by using tools like:
Maximizing Retirement Contributions with Cash Balance or Defined Benefit Plans to save well beyond standard 401(k) limits. Optimizing Your S-Corp Salary and QBI Deduction to strike the right balance between W-2 income and distributions for maximum tax efficiency. Leveraging Bonus Depreciation to write off qualifying business equipment and vehicles before year-end. Using Charitable Giving through donor-advised funds or foundations to reduce taxable income while supporting causes you care about. Taking Advantage of Energy Credits for solar, EV purchases, and home or business efficiency upgrades. Exploring Oil and Gas Investments for advanced deductions and upfront tax advantages available to accredited investors. Using Tax Loss Harvesting and Capital Gains Timing to offset investment gains and manage taxes strategically across your portfolio. For high earners, the difference between planning this way and not?
Sometimes it’s hundreds of thousands — every single year.
High earners are busy. They’re building and scaling— and they assume their accountant “handles it.”
But when we take a closer look, we often find massive, missed opportunities. Not because anyone did anything wrong, but because no one’s sitting down proactively to say:
“Hey, before December, let’s look at your income, deductions, and investments — and design a plan.”
That’s the real secret of the wealthy:
They don’t wait until April. They decide in the fall what April will look like. Over the next few weeks, we’re walking through seven key tax strategies we use with our high-income and accredited investor clients — the same ones Shawn and I use ourselves.
Maximizing Retirement Contributions- beyond the 401(k) Optimize Your S-Corp Salary and QBI Deduction Leverage Bonus Depreciation for Qualifying Business Purchases Use Charitable Giving to Reduce Taxable Income Energy Credits, Solar, EV, Efficiency Upgrades Oil and Gas Investments for Advanced Deductions Tax Loss Harvesting & Capital Gains Timing Each builds on the other — and by the end of this series, you’ll understand how the wealthy design tax-efficient systems, not one-time fixes.
Download our free guide: “7 Year-End Tax Strategies for High Earners.”
It’s short, simple, and includes actionable steps to help reduce your tax liability— not by cutting corners, but by thinking ahead.
👉 Grab it at fitwealthadvisors.com/taxguide or through the link in the show notes.
If you only think about taxes when it’s time to file them, you’re already too late.
But when you start planning ahead, you shift from just paying taxes to being tax efficient.
Next week, Shawn and I are diving into the first strategy — how to use retirement plans as your tax-saving powerhouse, even if you’ve already maxed out your 401(k).
Thanks for tuning in — we’ll catch you in the next one!
The Fit Wealth Show is brought to you by Plan Group Financial, Inc. (PGF) d/b/a Fit Wealth Advisors. PGF d/b/a Fit Wealth Advisors is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply any level of skill or training. This presentation has been provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal or investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security or strategy. The investment strategy and themes discussed herein may be unsuitable for investors depending on their specific investment objectives and financial situation. Past performance is not indicative of future results.