The Real Tax Guy.

Videos Live Sessions Work With The Real Tax Guy Log in

The Real Tax Guy.

Real tax strategies, plain English, no suits. Free videos and live sessions from TJ Thorlackson.

Explore

Videos
Live Sessions
Podcasts
My Account
Work with TJ →

Get the good stuff first

New videos, live sessions, and tax tips. No spam, no suits.

© 2026 The Real Tax Guy · Operated by THORLACKSSON, INC

Built by HummingAgent

Video library

All Shorts Podcasts Education Real Stories

TopicsCrypto Deductions Family Irs Llc & S Corp Payroll Personal Taxes Real Estate Retirement Side Hustle Small Business Tax Fundamentals Tax Strategy

Signs you have the wrong tax preparer

shorts

Signs you have the wrong tax preparer

If your tax preparer never talks to you about deductions for your business, you need a new one.

33 views👍 0

Cashing corporate checks to avoid taxes is fraud

shorts

Cashing corporate checks to avoid taxes is fraud

Rent payments from your corporation to yourself must be deposited and reported as income, not cashed to hide it.

33 views👍 0

Why W-2 employees have fewer deductions than business owners

shorts

Why W-2 employees have fewer deductions than business owners

W-2 income is taxed at the top, but a side business lets you deduct expenses and save more for retirement before paying tax.

32 views👍 0

Why self-employment gives you more tax control than a W-2 job

shorts

Why self-employment gives you more tax control than a W-2 job

Self-employed people can write off business expenses and pay lower taxes than W-2 employees with the same income.

37 views👍 0

Why self-employment gives you more tax deductions than a W-2

shorts

Why self-employment gives you more tax deductions than a W-2

W-2 workers have limited write-offs while business owners can deduct travel, phones, and expenses used to run their lives.

36 views👍 0

Why the Augusta rule isn't as easy as people think

shorts

Why the Augusta rule isn't as easy as people think

You need fair rent, employees attending, and actual business conducted to qualify for the Augusta rule.

32 views👍 0

Don't pre-calculate your meal expense deduction at 50%

shorts

Don't pre-calculate your meal expense deduction at 50%

Give your accountant the full meal expense amount because the tax software automatically cuts it in half for you.

29 views👍 0

Why small business owners should prep taxes in summer

shorts

Why small business owners should prep taxes in summer

Get your books ready in summer so you can review strategies in fall and act before year end.

32 views👍 0

Shop equipment is a write-off, stop missing it

shorts

Shop equipment is a write-off, stop missing it

Equipment purchases for your business are deductible, and missing them for years means thousands lost to the IRS.

32 views👍 0

Why business owners have more tax options than W2 employees

shorts

Why business owners have more tax options than W2 employees

Businesses deduct expenses before taxes while W2 workers pay tax on their full income first.

45 views👍 0

How S corp deductions keep money in your pocket

shorts

How S corp deductions keep money in your pocket

Let your S corp pay for meals, travel, and miles so you keep more of your income instead of giving it to the government.

55 views👍 0

Airbnb deductions your tax preparer is missing

shorts

Airbnb deductions your tax preparer is missing

Most Airbnb owners miss mileage, internet, phone, and cleaning expenses because no one reviews their returns.

34 views👍 0

Renting your home to your business still creates taxable income

shorts

Renting your home to your business still creates taxable income

If your business pays you rent, you must report that rent as personal income even though you own the business.

35 views👍 0

Two tax deduction myths that aren't true

shorts

Two tax deduction myths that aren't true

You can still deduct mileage without a log and meals don't require a 30-mile distance from your office.

31 views👍 0

Mileage vs actual expenses depends on your situation

shorts

Mileage vs actual expenses depends on your situation

Whether mileage or actual vehicle costs saves more depends on how much you drive and your specific tax situation.

28 views👍 0

Why your tax preparer should understand business

shorts

Why your tax preparer should understand business

Many tax preparers just enter numbers without understanding what running a business actually takes.

35 views👍 0

Actual expenses vs mileage still requires business use percentage

shorts

Actual expenses vs mileage still requires business use percentage

You can only deduct the percentage of vehicle expenses that match your actual business use, not the full amount.

33 views👍 0

What the IRS means by necessary and reasonable

shorts

What the IRS means by necessary and reasonable

Business expenses must pass the IRS test of being both necessary and reasonable, not just justifiable to yourself.

30 views👍 0

Why cash-only income eventually catches up with you

shorts

Why cash-only income eventually catches up with you

The IRS catches unreported cash when your spending doesn't match your reported sales.

29 views👍 0

Business meals are more deductible than you think

shorts

Business meals are more deductible than you think

If a meal helps your business, you can write it off—not just meals with clients.

28 views👍 0

Qualified business income deduction explained

shorts

Qualified business income deduction explained

The QBI deduction takes up to 20% off your business income, now flowing from partnerships and S corps to your 1040.

47 views👍 0

Can the IRS tell you how to spend your money?

shorts

Can the IRS tell you how to spend your money?

The IRS can't dictate your spending, they just require you to record business expenses accurately.

30 views👍 0

Why business experience matters for your tax preparer

shorts

Why business experience matters for your tax preparer

I spent 12 years reading IRS publications and running businesses before helping others with taxes.

28 views👍 0

The Augusta rule isn't an automatic $40,000 deduction

shorts

The Augusta rule isn't an automatic $40,000 deduction

Be cautious about Augusta Rule claims - it's not as simple as an automatic $40,000 deduction.

33 views👍 0

← Previous1…1213141516…18Next →

428 videos in this filter