Tax-News · 8 weekly editions · $200K+ solo consultants

Tax-News for $200K+ Self-Employed Consultants

A weekly tax-trend newsletter written for solo consultants at $200K+ — the people for whom QBI §199A, Solo 401(k) max, the S-Corp election, the Augusta Rule, and reasonable compensation are not academic but a six-figure tax-saving question. 8 weekly editions, free, no upsell.

The 8 weekly editions

The drip is short on purpose: 8 weeks of focused, math-driven reads — one topic per week, each mapped to a published guide. Click any title to read the full guide.

Issue 1 — QBI §199A W-2 vs 1099 phase-out

The §199A SSTB phase-out cliff for solo consultants ($197,300 begin / $247,300 complete under OBBBA) and why Schedule C loses the 23% deduction above it while S-Corp keeps it.

Read the guide →
Issue 2 — Solo 401(k) max contribution + defined-benefit plan

The 2026 §402(g) elective deferral cap ($24,500) and §415(c) annual-additions cap ($69,000), then a sidecar on defined-benefit pension plans for $200K+ consultants at the §415(b) $265K age-62 ceiling.

Read the guide → · DB pension vs Solo 401(k)
Issue 3 — S-Corp election timing

Form 2553 March 15 deadline, late-election relief under IRC §1362(f), and the break-even math for $80K–$200K consultants deciding whether to elect on the current or following tax year.

Read the guide →
Issue 4 — Augusta Rule §280A home-rental deduction

The 14-day rental exclusion for board meetings in your home, expanded use-of-home substantiation rules, and how consultants use Augusta to move $10K–$50K/yr of household expense to a tax-free reimbursement.

Read the guide →
Issue 5 — Reasonable compensation, Watson, and §199A(b)(2)(B)(i)

Watson v. Commissioner (8th Cir. 2012) 9-factor test, BLS OES SOC 13-1000/15-1252/11-1000/17-2061/41-1011 wage anchors at the $200K–$500K solo net-profit band, and board-minutes salary-resolution template.

Read the guide →
Issue 6 — QBI deduction mechanic (23% OBBBA)

Why the 23% rate is permanent under OBBBA, the new $400 minimum deduction floor, and the §199A SSTB phase-out ramp that replaced the original TCJA cliff.

Read the QBI guide → · SE tax mechanics
Issue 7 — Home office deduction §280A (simplified vs regular)

S-Corp + Form 8829 vs. simplified-method $5/sq ft, exclusive-use and principal-place tests, and the depreciation-recapture trap on Form 8829 sales.

Read the guide →
Issue 8 — SEP-IRA vs Solo 401(k)

Side-by-side at $200K+ solo net profit: SEP-IRA's flat $70K 25%-of-net cap vs Solo 401(k)'s $69K §415(c) ceiling + $24,500 §402(g) elective deferral, plus one-participant-plan Form 5500-EZ.

Read the guide →

FAQ

Who is this for?

$200K+ solo consultants — management, IT, marketing, strategy, fractional executives — operating Schedule C, single-member LLC, or S-Corp. If your net self-employment income clears $200K and you want reading-grade tax content (not generic 1040 tutorials), Tax-News is for you.

How is this different from the welcome drip on /?

Tax-News is a parallel signup that adds you to newsletter_subscribers with a pipeline_topic = 'tax-trends-2026' stamp. The / welcome drip remains the on-ramp for first-time visitors and the welcome/drip pipeline (subscribers) continues to drive Resend 5-step sends — Tax-News does not interfere.

Is it really free?

Yes. TaxStackHub monetizes via Pro subscriptions and CPA referrals, not newsletter resale.