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While they may sound like the same thing to those outside of the financial services profession, there are several key differences between the terms tax planning, and tax preparation. In short, one takes place once per year and is more transactional in nature, while the other likely happens multiple times each year in stages and is meant to be seen as an ongoing advisory relationship, sometimes lasting decades.
Tax planning could be as simple as making sure you’ve appropriately set your withholdings to avoid any withholding issues at the end of the year. Or, it could mean more complex strategies such as establishing legal entities and holding companies that qualify you for other deductions and opportunities in the tax code, specific to your industry or profession.
In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge speaks with Christina Lael, founder of Lael Tax LLC and Freedom Tax Plans. Together, Malcolm and Christina discuss key differences between tax planning and tax preparation. They also share some of the common mistakes they see people make with regard to their taxes each year, and some rules of thumb to keep in mind each year designed to help you save money through proper tax planning and preparation.
Christina discusses:
- Her experience preparing taxes for her law school classmates and how that sparked her passion for the accounting profession
- What she believes are the most important things for business owners to know that will help them reduce their tax bills
- The difference between tax planning and tax preparation
- Some of the common mistakes Americans make when it comes to tax planning and preparation
Related: Managing Your Finances as a Woman Working in Tech with Danika Waddell