How a Real Estate Broker Cut a $400K Tax Bill with the Right CPA
Kimberly Green | 2025-08-10
TL;DR: Jake , a commercial real estate broker in Tampa, closed a $20M+ shopping center deal that came with over $500K in commission. To avoid a massive tax bill, he found Greg on Sam’s List —a CPA and former tax attorney who helped him reduce his taxable income by nearly $400K using four strategic tax moves. Here’s exactly how they did it. Watch the full video with Greg from Zero Tax and Jake from Laconic Capital Advisors, explaining how they helped Jake drastically reduce his tax liability to nearly $0. Meet Jake – A Tampa-Based CRE Broker With a Big Win Jake is an independent commercial real estate broker who focuses on selling retail properties—shopping centers, leasing deals, and small business sales. After relocating to Tampa during the pandemic, he set up his own operation and started building a strong pipeline. In 2023, he closed a major deal: a shopping center in Palm Beach County that brought in over $500,000 in commission. That win was exciting—but it also triggered a serious tax liability. Why Jake Needed a Strategic Accountant (Not Just Tax Prep) Jake had been working with a legacy accountant back in California, but after the deal, he wanted someone local and more proactive. He found Greg on Sam’s List. Greg is the founder of ZeroTax —an accounting firm designed for small business owners doing $250K to $5M+ in revenue. They offer flat-rate packages that include tax prep , bookkeeping , consulting, and fractional CFO services . His background? Tax attorney turned CPA. So he brings both legal and financial precision to every strategy he builds. 4 Tax Strategies That Saved Jake Nearly $400K Once they connected, Greg pulled four major levers to reduce Jake's taxable income: Amended past returns : Found $250K+ in missed expenses from prior years and carried them forward as net operating losses. Set up an S-Corp and I-401(k) : Used Jake’s business structure to create ~$40K in deductions via employee deferrals and employer match. Bonus depreciation on a vehicle : Bought a qualifying vehicle used for business to deduct ~$50K immediately. Learn more from the IRS . Pulled forward business expenses : Prepaid 2024 subscriptions and services—like CRE data tools—to deduct ~$50K in 2023. Total tax bill? Nearly zero. The One Tactic I Had Never Heard Before Here’s what stuck with me personally: I didn’t even know you could pull forward expenses like that. If you know you’re going to renew a service next year (like software, subscriptions, or ongoing tools), and you prepay for...
