Hidden Money Podcast

In this episode Mike and Kevin walk through one of the most misunderstood lines in the tax code: business travel. Using real trips from their own year, a due diligence seminar in Cancún, a partner retreat in Colorado, and a scouting trip for a short-term rental in Maine, they break down exactly what makes travel ordinary and necessary, where the line is between managing a business and merely dream...

Most people hand their CPA a stack of documents once a year and call it done. But there are actually two separate conversations that should be happening, and most high earners are only having one of them. In this episode of the Hidden Money Podcast, Mike Pine and Kevin Schneider use an Elon Musk clip as a jumping-off point to break down the real difference between tax preparation (filing what alre...

Most people assume a tax refund means their CPA did a good job. Mike and Kevin are here to tell you otherwise. In this episode, they break down the real difference between a tax refund and genuine tax savings... and why getting money back in April might actually be a sign you’ve been overpaying all year. They walk through the safe harbor strategy, share a real client example of $700K in income wit...

Most people think tax savings are reserved for the ultra-wealthy. In this episode, Mike Pine and Kevin Schneider pull back the curtain on their biggest client wins from this filing season: real numbers, real strategies, and a clear picture of what proactive tax planning can do for high earners who are willing to be proactive and start before December. If you want to save, like the taxpayers we men...

In the latest episode of the Hidden Money Podcast, Mike and Kevin walk through one of the most creatively structured deals of Mike's twenty-six-year tax career: a golf course acquisition where purchase price allocation under IRC 1060 produced extraordinary depreciation for investors, multiple investor classes were structured to accommodate different investor needs, and a neighboring hotel and mari...

If you're a business owner, or a W-2 employee with a side hustle, the tax code has more working for you than you've been told. In this episode of the Hidden Money Podcast, Mike Pine and Kevin Schneider walk through the real mechanics of turning what you already do into legal, proactive tax strategy. From fishing boats and Cybertrucks to paying your kids and funding their Roth IRAs, this is a maste...

What does it look like when a great investment and a great tax structure collide? In this episode of the Hidden Money Podcast, Mike and Kevin sit down with Josh McCallen — founder of Accountable Equity and VIVAMEE Hospitality — to unpack one of the most remarkable syndicated deals we've come across in our careers. Josh's team acquired Queenstown Harbour Golf: 790 acres, 54 championship golf holes,...

Think you can't save on taxes as a W-2 earner? That's the myth Mike and Kevin are blowing up in this episode.  From the surprising history of how withholding was designed to keep you from noticing your tax bill, to real strategies that saved one family over $280,000, this one is packed with practical, eye-opening content for anyone earning a salary. 4 Key Takeaways Getting a tax refund doesn't mea...

You're not paying too much in taxes because the tax code is impossible. You're paying too much because you haven't defined your tax beast yet. In this episode, Mike and Kevin break down the real obstacles standing between high earners and serious tax savings: procrastination, ignorance, IRS fear, and the silent killer... a CPA who doesn't actually do tax strategy. 4 Key Takeaways Procrastination c...

If your CPA doesn't know your name, you're a small fish in a big pond... and it's costing you.  In this episode, Mike and Kevin break down why big accounting firms are structurally incapable of serving high earners well, share real client stories where the difference in service was life-changing, and explain exactly how Revo is built differently from the ground up. Some of the key discussion point...

Most CPAs file your return and move on.  We're not hating! It's just how it often goes.  And it's also why one of our primary values is out-of-the-box thinking.  In this episode, Mike and Kevin show you what out-of-the-box looks like by unpacking two of their favourite creative tax strategy examples: the Box House investment and a $30M+ golf resort syndication deal where outside-the-box tax thinki...

Tax season is over, and if your first thought is relief instead of excitement, this episode is your wake-up call. Mike and Kevin resurface from the trenches, break down how the CPA industry's busy-season grind creates the conditions for missed strategies, and share a real short-term rental story where $60K in inheritance became $80K in tax savings. A Couple Key Takeaways Tax season ending is not t...

Tomorrow's tax day!  For some of you listening, that might be anxiety inducing. For most of our clients, it's actually a good day, because they can be confident they have a proactive tax strategy and filing in place that's helping them save significantly.   In this episode, Mike and Kevin break down real client stories where CPAs missed massive tax-saving opportunities, and what proactive tax stra...

In this episode, Mike and Kevin are pulling back the curtain... and this time, it's personal. On this week's Hidden Money Podcast, they're kicking off a brand-new segment called the WIP Report (Wins in Progress): ongoing, real client case studies, so you can see exactly what proactive tax strategy looks like in the real world. The headline win they discuss concerns a client buying a $2.9 million s...

If you’re a W-2 earner, you’ve probably heard you must qualify as a “Real Estate Professional” to use rental losses against your income. In this episode, Mike and Kevin break down why that’s not the rule for short-term rentals, and what actually matters instead. We walk through: The 7-day rule (how STRs are defined for tax purposes) Why Real Estate Professional (REP) status doesn’t apply to most S...

Bought the rentals first and thinking about tax strategy second? You’re not behind. In this episode of the Hidden Money Podcast, CPAs Mike Pine and Kevin Schneider continue the short-term rental series by answering a question they hear constantly: “I already own rentals… did I miss my chance?” They explain why material participation is tested year-by-year, how investors can potentially use cost se...

Material participation is the make-or-break rule behind the short-term rental tax strategy... and the first thing the IRS looks at in an audit. In this episode of the Hidden Money Podcast, CPAs Mike Pine and Kevin Schneider explain what “material participation” actually means, why it determines whether STR losses can legally offset W-2 or business income, and how to document your involvement in a...

Most short-term rental buyers assume they need 20–25% down and a traditional investment loan. But what if that assumption is costing you deals, cash flow, and tax leverage? In this episode of the Hidden Money Podcast, Mike and Kevin sit down with STR lending expert Jeff Chisum to break down how short-term rental financing really works  including the 10% down second-home loan strategy many investor...

Most people pay more tax than they legally owe, not because they’re doing anything wrong, but because they don’t have a real tax strategy. In this episode of the Hidden Money Podcast, CPAs Mike Pine and Kevin Schneider introduce a brand-new tool: a Free Tax Assessment that helps you quickly spot the gaps in your current approach and uncover where you may be leaving money on the table. In about 10...

Want to pay less tax legally without gimmicks or sketchy shortcuts? In this episode of the Hidden Money Podcast, we break down 5 overlooked tax strategies that can put real money back in your pocket, whether you’re a W-2 earner, business owner, or investor. Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers miss out on billions in tax credits simply because they don’t know what to claim. In this episode we walk t...

Want your tax refund faster, and less risk of someone filing in your name? In this episode of Hidden Money, Mike and Kevin break down why filing early (and filing electronically) can put your money back in your pocket in Q1, not months later. They also unpack a growing issue: tax-related identity theft, where fraudsters file a return using your Social Security number before you do then disappear w...

Taxes don’t have to feel like a mystery tax you pay for being busy. In this Hidden Money episode, Mike Pine and Kevin Schneider break down why good bookkeeping and clean records aren’t just “admin”... they’re one of the fastest ways to keep more of what you earn. If you’re growing a business but avoiding the “bean counting” until tax time, this conversation is your wake-up call (without the guilt...

It’s the end of the year, and while year-round planning is the goal, there’s still a move that can make a real difference right now: prepaid expenses. In this episode of The Hidden Money Podcast, CPAs Mike Pine and Kevin Schneider explain how cash-basis taxpayers (which includes most individuals and small businesses) can use prepaying certain normal, recurring bills to increase deductions in a hig...

Most people think about tax deductions and completely overlook tax credits, even though credits are often worth far more. In this episode of the Hidden Money Podcast, Mike and Kevin dive into tax credits as “gifts” from the government, and how smart planning can help you actually receive them instead of unknowingly saying “no thanks.” They break down: The difference between tax credits vs deductio...

Most people miss the easiest tax deductions, especially in December. In this episode, Mike and Kevin share their favorite underrated year-end deductions , including tech, tools, team expenses, and simple business purchases that can still lower your tax bill before December 31. If you’re a high earner or business owner looking for quick wins before year-end, this is your episode. What you’ll learn:...