Anima CPA

10/07/2026

10/05/2026

Time = Wealth

06/26/2026

One of the hardest parts of being a CFP® professional is saying, “I don’t have enough information to answer that yet.”

People often ask me:
“Should I do this?”
“Is this a good investment?”
“Will this save me taxes?”

The honest answer is…

It depends.

As a CPA and CFP® professional, I have a fiduciary duty. That means I’m legally and ethically required to put my clients’ best interests first, not simply give the fastest answer.

That’s why I rarely answer complex financial or tax questions after hearing only one side of the story.

Before I give advice, I want to understand:
✔️ Your income
✔️ Your assets and liabilities
✔️ Your tax situation
✔️ Your long-term goals
✔️ The risks you may not even realize exist

Why?

Because the “perfect” strategy for one person could be the worst possible decision for someone else.

I’ve seen people lose thousands of dollars because they followed financial advice they found on social media or received from someone who didn’t know their complete situation.

Good financial planning isn’t about having quick answers.

It’s about asking the right questions first.

Sometimes the most valuable advice a professional can give is:
“Let me gather all the facts before I recommend anything.”

That isn’t hesitation.

That’s what fiduciary responsibility looks like.

Anyone can give an opinion. A fiduciary gives advice only after understanding the whole picture.

06/02/2026

💰 S-Corp Owners: Don't Let "Tax Savings" Turn Into an IRS Problem

One of the biggest mistakes I see with S-Corp owners is focusing only on distributions while forgetting about reasonable compensation.

The IRS requires shareholder-employees who work in their business to pay themselves a reasonable salary before taking distributions. The goal is simple: you can't avoid payroll taxes by taking all of your income as distributions.

So what is a "reasonable salary"?

Think about it this way:
👉 If you hired someone else to do your job, what would you have to pay them?

Factors include:
✔️ Duties and responsibilities
✔️ Experience and education
✔️ Time spent working in the business
✔️ Industry and geographic location
✔️ Business profitability

There is no magic 50/50 or 60/40 salary-to-distribution ratio. Every business is different, and the correct answer depends on the facts and circumstances.

The good news:
✅ Proper planning can reduce payroll taxes
✅ Proper documentation can help support your position if the IRS asks questions
✅ A reasonable compensation study can provide valuable support for your tax file

Remember: The goal isn't to pay the lowest salary possible. The goal is to pay a defensible salary that reflects the value of the work you perform.

ANIMA CPA LLC
CPA • CFP® • Tax Planning • Business Advisory

Complex Tax Returns • Business Owners • High-Net-Worth Planning

05/26/2026

Thinking about the future today. 🔍 I just reviewed my official Social Security estimates, and seeing the numbers laid out really puts long-term planning into perspective.

Here’s what my projected benefits look like based on when I choose to retire:

⏰ Early Retirement (Age 62)
If I start benefits in July 2050, I’d receive about $2,873/month.

⚖️ Full Retirement Age (67)
Waiting until June 2055 increases that to $4,224/month.

🚀 Delayed Retirement (Age 70)
If I hold out until June 2058, the maximum projected benefit jumps to $5,280/month.

So how does Social Security actually calculate these numbers?

The SSA looks at your 35 highest-earning years, adjusts those earnings for inflation, and averages them to determine your baseline monthly income. From there, they calculate your “Full Retirement” benefit.

If you claim early at 62, your benefit is permanently reduced because you’ll collect payments longer. If you delay past full retirement age, you earn “delayed retirement credits,” which increase your monthly check every year you wait until age 70.

📈 Why is there a maximum benefit cap?
There’s a ceiling because Social Security taxes only apply up to a certain income limit each year. Once your earnings exceed that cap, you stop paying Social Security taxes on additional income — which also means your future benefit stops increasing beyond that point.

💭 What happens if I stop working now?
These estimates would likely decrease.

The projections assume I continue earning around my current income until retirement. Since Social Security calculations require 35 years of earnings history, stopping work early could leave lower-income years — or even zero-income years — in the formula, reducing the final average and lowering future benefits.

🚨 The Part Most People Forget: Survivor Benefits

Social Security isn’t just retirement income — it also acts as a major insurance policy for your family.

I checked what would happen if I passed away tomorrow while leaving behind a spouse and child:

• My child could receive $2,848/month until age 18 (or 19 if still attending high school full-time).
• My spouse, while caring for our child, could also receive $2,848/month regardless of age (assuming they are not working).
• Combined, that would provide $5,696/month to help support the household.

Because that total is still below my family maximum benefit limit of $6,645/month, both benefits would be paid in full.

There’s also a small one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 paid immediately.

⚠️ Why “Cash Under the Table” and Excessive Write-Offs Can Hurt You Long-Term

This is where a lot of people unintentionally damage their future financial security.

Many workers like the idea of untaxed cash jobs to keep more money today. The same issue affects self-employed people, freelancers, and business owners who aggressively minimize taxable income through deductions or report little to no profit.

The problem? Social Security only counts your net reported income.

If your official income is reduced to almost nothing because of hidden cash or excessive write-offs:

• Your future retirement benefits can shrink dramatically.
• Your disability protection may be reduced.
• Your spouse and children could lose out on survivor benefits entirely if you aren’t properly paying into the system.

Those payroll taxes are doing more than funding retirement — they’re building a long-term financial safety net for both you and your family.

Whether you’re W-2, self-employed, or running a business, accurately reporting income today can make a massive difference decades from now. Protect your future. Protect your family. Track your credits. 💯

#อนิมาทำได้ทุกอย่าง

05/20/2026

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is helping clients find a way forward when they feel completely overwhelmed.

Recently, I worked with a self-employed client who had not filed taxes for the past four years. By the time we reviewed everything, they owed a significant balance to both the IRS and the state. The situation had become stressful and they were worried about enforcement actions and possible levies.

We were able to get all prior-year returns filed, negotiate penalty abatements, and establish payment arrangements that allowed them to become compliant and stay current moving forward.

Today, we received confirmation that the state approved the penalty abatement request. Moments like this are why I do what I do.

Tax problems can feel intimidating, but ignoring them usually makes them worse. There is almost always a path to resolution when you take action early and work with the right professional.

Proud to help clients turn difficult situations into manageable solutions.

03/27/2026

💡 Why Smart People Donate Stock Instead of Cash

Most people donate cash.
Smart people? They donate appreciated stock.

Here’s why 👇

📈 Example:

You bought stock for $10,000
Now it’s worth $50,000

👉 If you sell it and donate cash:
You pay tax on the $40,000 gain first

👉 If you donate the stock directly:
✔️ No capital gains tax
✔️ You still deduct the full $50,000

Same donation. Less tax. More impact.

🔥 Why this works:
Under Internal Revenue Code Section 170, you can deduct the fair market value of appreciated assets held over 1 year.

🚨 When this strategy is powerful:

You have highly appreciated investments
You already plan to donate
You want to reduce taxes and rebalance your portfolio

⚠️ When NOT to do this:

Stock went down → sell it first, take the loss, donate cash
You don’t itemize → no extra benefit

🧠 Pro tip:
Donate your most appreciated stock and keep your cash.
Let the IRS miss out on the tax… not you.

✨ Giving is good.
Doing it tax-efficiently? Even better.

02/25/2026

🎓 Is Room & Board Scholarship Taxable?

Short answer: Yes — in most cases.

Many families assume that all scholarship money is tax-free. Not exactly.

Here’s how it works:

✅ Tax-Free (Qualified Education Expenses):
• Tuition
• Required enrollment fees
• Required books and supplies

⚠️ Taxable:
• Room & board
• Meal plans
• Travel
• Living expenses
• Any amount over qualified expenses

If scholarship funds are used for housing or meals, that portion is generally considered taxable income — even if you never received a 1099.

Planning ahead can prevent surprise tax bills, especially for dependent students.

If you have a student in college, this is something you absolutely want to review before filing.

02/24/2026

Self-Storage Business
Schedule E vs. Schedule C — What You Need to Know

ANIMA CPA LLC | Tax Planning & Wealth Strategy

1️⃣ Most Self-Storage Is Rental (Schedule E)

If you are renting storage units where:

Customers have exclusive use of their unit

Rentals are typically month-to-month

You provide minimal services (security, gate access, lighting)

You are not providing labor, moving services, or handling inventory

Then your activity is generally considered rental real estate.

Reported On:

Schedule E

Tax Treatment:

Net income is NOT subject to self-employment (SE) tax

Losses are generally passive

Passive losses may be limited and carried forward

2️⃣ What Does “Passive Loss” Mean?

If your storage activity shows a loss:

The loss may not offset W-2 income or other active income

The loss is carried forward

You benefit when:

The property produces passive income in future years

You sell the property in a taxable transaction

You qualify as a real estate professional and materially participate

Losses are tracked on Form 8582 and are not lost — only deferred.

3️⃣ When Would It Be Schedule C?

Your storage operation may be reported on Schedule C if it is NOT a rental activity.

This can happen if:

Average customer use is very short-term (like daily rentals)

You provide significant personal services

You actively manage and materially participate in a non-rental operation

Examples:

Providing moving labor

Handling inventory for customers

Frequent on-site service support beyond basic maintenance

Important Difference:
Schedule E Schedule C
Self-Employment Tax on Profit No Yes
Loss May Offset W-2 Income Usually No Yes (if materially participating)

While Schedule C may allow current loss usage, future profits will be subject to self-employment tax, which increases overall tax cost.

4️⃣ Why Proper Classification Matters

Incorrectly reporting rental activity on Schedule C may:

Trigger unnecessary SE tax

Increase audit risk

Create long-term tax inefficiencies

Most traditional self-storage operations are properly reported on Schedule E.

5️⃣ Planning Opportunities

We evaluate:

Whether the activity qualifies as rental

Real estate professional status eligibility

Grouping elections under passive activity rules

Long-term disposition strategy

Depreciation and cost segregation opportunities

Proper structuring can significantly impact lifetime tax results.

Questions about your storage operation?
Schedule a planning consultation before filing — classification decisions affect long-term tax strategy.

ANIMA CPA LLC
Tax Planning | Advisory | Real Estate Strategy

02/23/2026

❄️ Storm Update: Our office is closed today due to severe weather.