Grant Cardone does everything he can to minimize his income taxes. The real estate investor and bestselling author moved to Florida to avoid state income taxes, and he also uses various assets to minimize his federal income taxes.
Cardone recently laid out the playbook for reducing your taxable income on paper to keep more of what you earn. However, he started right out of the gate by telling people what they shouldn't do with their money.
"If you can't write it off, don't buy it," Cardone stated in an X post.
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Anyone can use these strategies to trim their tax burden. While there are more tax-saving tactics you can use if you speak with a professional, Cardone's post offers a head start.
Invest In Real Assets And Claim Depreciation
Cardone's first tip for lowering your taxes was to invest in real assets and claim depreciation. It makes sense that this tip would be on the top of Cardone's list. He has a $5 billion real estate portfolio and regularly looks for new deals.
Real estate investors can use depreciation to artificially reduce their taxable income. However, it gets even better for investors who regularly buy properties and use Section 179 of the tax code. This part of the tax code allows an investor to write off an entire property's value in one year. For instance, if an investor earns $1 million and buys a $1.5 million property, they can show a $500,000 net loss when they report to the IRS.
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You have to fulfill certain conditions to be eligible for Section 179 of the tax code. However, if you're eligible, you can save a lot of money while investing in real assets. This tax strategy also works with any vehicle that is more than 6,000 pounds.
Buy, Borrow, Die
Cardone is a fan of the "Buy, Borrow, Die" model, which involves borrowing against assets instead of selling them. Assets can gain value over time, especially inflation hedges like real estate. If you borrow against these assets instead of selling them, you don't have to pay any capital gains taxes. Furthermore, you still get to benefit from any cash flow and appreciation.
As your net worth grows, you get to borrow cash at lower interest rates. Billionaires get lower interest rates than most people because they are the banks' largest customers. As you grow wealth, it becomes cheaper to borrow money. You can gradually pay back debt and still get to keep your assets when it's all said and done.
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Set Up A Home Office
Business owners and side hustlers can set up home offices and deduct it for tax purposes. It's extra money that the IRS is willing to let you keep as long as you have the right documentation.
Finally, if you're going the business route, you might as well put your kids on payroll. Cardone recommends this strategy because your kids will receive a lower tax rate than you would at your highest dollar. Your children can also take advantage of the standard tax deduction to further reduce how much they pay. Meanwhile, it will show up in your finances as a business expense, which will reduce your taxable income.
Most parents want to give their children inheritances anyway. Setting them up as business employees allows you to give them the money without the government taking some of it away. You also end up with a lower tax bill.
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