Your tax return can feel like a verdict, but it doesn’t have to be. I sit down with Bruce Willey, a rare combo of CPA and attorney, to talk about what most high-earning business owners never get from “normal” tax prep: an actual tax plan. We start with Bruce’s Tactical Games journey, where accuracy matters even when your heart rate is spiking, and how rebuilding his health after a 2018 stroke sharpened his focus on recovery, discipline, and long-term performance.
Then we get into the money. Bruce lays out the difference between tax compliance and tax strategy, why many CPAs are trained to look backward, and why planning is still possible for entrepreneurs and closely held businesses. We talk about building a blended approach instead of chasing one-off deductions, and a simple rule that saves people from bad decisions: don’t buy something you don’t need just to “save taxes.”
You’ll hear practical, code-based ideas like paying family members for real work, hiring your kids at fair market value, and using Roth IRA planning in a way many families overlook. We also cover the Augusta Rule and what the IRS expects when you use it, plus audit reality: documentation wins, credit card statements are not receipts, and material participation records can make or break certain deductions. We close with estate planning considerations around today’s elevated estate tax exemption, and where to follow Bruce’s work on Real Clear Markets.
If you found this helpful, subscribe, share the episode with a business owner who needs a better plan, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
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How to connect with Bruce:
Website: https://www.americantbp.com/
Phone: (319) 200-6716
Email: bwilley@americantbp.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@brucewilley3956
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-willey-b574b14/
Twitter: https://x.com/BWcatalyst
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Americantaxandbusinessplanning
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Learn more about our Host, Scott Ford, Managing Director, Partner & Wealth Advisor
https://www.carsonwealth.com/team-members/scott-ford/
Investment advisory services offered through CWM LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. Carson Partners, a division of CWM LLC, is a nationwide partnership of advisors. The opinions voiced in the Way to Wealth with Scott Ford are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for an individual. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss. To determine what may be appropriate for you, consult with your attorney, accountant, financial or tax advisor prior to investing. Guests on Way to Wealth are not affiliated with CWM, LLC. Legado Family is not affiliated with CWM LLC. Carson Wealth 19833 Leitersburg Pike, Suite 1, Hagerstown, Maryland, 21742.
