professionals’ insights on business entity choice

Quoted on Forbes | May 8, 2026

In a recent Forbes Advisor article, CPAs and attorneys break down the entity choice mistakes business owners regret most. The biggest issues come from choosing a structure without thinking ahead, paying owners the wrong way, forming corporations too early, or ignoring future exit plans.

Our team highlights how the wrong entity can quietly lead to higher taxes and unnecessary costs for years. The takeaway is simple. Your business structure should match how you earn, pay yourself, grow, and eventually exit.

Americans Making This Salary Are Likely To See Bigger Refunds

Syndicated on Yahoo Finance | April 5, 2026

Middle‑income households earning $50,000 – $150,000 are projected to see the largest refund increases this year, with averages rising by roughly $1,000. Families with children, tipped and overtime workers, and some older taxpayers will also see lower taxable income under updated rules. But a bigger refund doesn’t necessarily mean a bigger benefit – rather it just means you overpaid more during the year.

Our firm provides insights into how new rules allow many taxpayers to “double dip,” taking the standard deduction while still layering on certain additional deductions. Refund size ultimately depends on taxeswithheld throughout the year.

5 tax loopholes of the ultra-wealthy

Featured on AOL | March 3, 2026

Our firm was previously featured in GoBanking Rates for this article and we were since syndicated on AOL.

We contributed to the article by explaining how high‑income households rely on investments, real estate, and business ownership rather than wages, to give them tax advantages.

6 Tax Decisions People Regret Making Too Late in the Year

Syndicated on Yahoo Finance | February 20, 2026

People regret making tax decisions too late of in the year – especially when they treat taxes as a once‑a‑year task instead of an ongoing strategy. The piece outlines common pitfalls like delaying retirement contributions, missing Roth conversion windows, overlooking loss‑harvesting opportunities, and underestimating quarterly payments.

Our contribution to this article emphasizes how early planning around employer plans, defined benefit options, and contribution timing gives taxpayers far more flexibility and reduces last‑minute scrambling.

6 Tax Write-Offs Freelancers Should Claim This Season

Quoted on GOBanking Rates | February 16, 2026

Freelancers and gig workers often miss valuable deductions simply because they don’t know what qualifies. A recent MoneyLion article breaks down the most overlooked write‑offs — from essential tools and software to mileage, education, health insurance, and even unpaid iinvoices.

Our firm offered guidance on the importance of keeping receipts for business purchases and understanding when education expenses are deductible.

5 Tax loopholes of the ultra-wealthy 

Featured on GOBanking Rates | January 27, 2026

The ultra‑wealthy slash their tax bills using strategies like long‑term capital gains rates, step‑up in basis, borrowing against assets, and aggressive tax‑loss harvesting — plus business‑only credits that most Americans never qualify for.

The wealthy don’t earn like wage‑earners; they structure income through investments, real estate, and businesses, giving them access to tax advantages most households never see.

LLC Vs. C-Corp: What’s The Difference? 

Featured on Forbes | January 15, 2026

LLC vs. C‑Corp: LLCs offer flexible management and pass‑through taxation, making them simple and owner‑friendly. C‑Corps bring stricter structure, double taxation, and the ability to issue stock—ideal for raising capital and scaling nationally.

An LLC offers flexibility and simplicity and is ideal for small to medium-size businesses seeking liability protection without a bunch of complicated rules

Accountants: What’s in store for 2026

Featured on The Net Gains | January 06, 2026

The accounting profession evolved rapidly in 2025, driven by the shift from AI experimentation to standard practice and a stronger focus on advisory services.

To help professionals navigate 2026, experts provide actionable insights on adapting your career and firm to these permanent shifts in the industry landscape.

Should You Stop Using Autopay in 2026? Experts Weigh In

Featured on GoBanking Rates | January 09, 2026

Autopay can still be useful in 2026, said Taylor Kovar, founder and CEO of 11 Financial, but only if consumers stop treating it as a “set-it-and-forget-it” system. Bob Chitrathorn, CPFA, CFO and vice president of wealth planning at Simplified Wealth Management, added that, “Autopay has turned into auto-ignore … The biggest danger of autopay is that it lulls people into a false sense of control.”

There’s still time to boost your 2025 tax refund—as long as you act before December 31.

Featured on Investopedia | December 18, 2025

If you’re expecting a significant payment from a client or year-end bonus, it can be smart to hold off until January to bill it or collect it. You’re not avoiding income; you’re simply managing when it appears on your return.

How State Taxes Might Reduce Your Social Security Check

Featured on Yahoo Finance | September 6, 2025

Before you file for Social Security, take time to learn your state’s tax rules, since not every state taxes benefits, said Hector Castaneda, CPA and principal at Castaneda CPA & Associates.

What the Big Beautiful Bill Means for You: New IRS Guidelines Break It Down

Featured on GoBanking Rates | August 15, 2025

The IRS has released new guidelines to help taxpayers understand the Big Beautiful Bill, a sweeping tax reform law now in effect for the 2025 filing season. Aimed at middle-class workers, boomers and retirees, the bill introduces major changes — including new deductions for seniors and the elimination of federal income tax on tips, car loan interest and overtime pay.

These 5 Tax Hacks Could Get You Audited

Featured on Yahoo Finance | July 21, 2025

Other personal expenses masquerading as business deductions include calling a vacation a “work trip,” or writing off beauty supplies and memberships, according to Hector Castaneda, CPA, founder and principal at Castaneda CPA & Associates.

The Solar Tax Credit is Ending: What That Means for Homeowners

Featured on Nerd Wallet | July 18, 2025

Homeowners who want to claim the solar tax credit for the 2025 tax year need to make a financial transaction before the new December 31 deadline, says Hector Castaneda, a certified professional accountant and president of Castaneda CPA and Associates. That means either paying with cash or financing the purchase ahead of the deadline.

BITCOIN INVESTMENTS & TAXES

Featured on Forbes | July 21, 2025

“Think of bitcoin as more like digital property rather than digital cash, which in the eyes of the IRS is treated as such, meaning it’s taxed like an investment. Bitcoin will be tied to an IRS tax if it is sold, traded or switched for another cryptocurrency,” says Hector Castaneda, a certified public accountant and principal at Castaneda CPA and Associates.

5 Things the Upper Middle Class Should Do To Prepare for Trump’s Income Tax Plan

Featured on Yahoo Finance | June 19, 2025

At over 1,000 pages long, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act certainly qualifies as “big.” It includes dozens of provisions that affect upper-middle-class taxpayers, from preserving the child tax credit to eliminating income taxes on tips and overtime to most workers and more. But many of those provisions don’t actually require any planning or preparation.

4 Types of People Who Will Lose (and Make) Money Due to Trump’s New Tax Initiatives

Featured on Yahoo Finance | June 14, 2025

“Wealthy individuals will likely seize the opportunity of idle capital gains, given their new ability to offset this with additional depreciation,” said Hector Castaneda, certified public accountant (CPA) and principal at Castaneda CPA & Associates.

8 CPAs share their No. 1 piece of advice for this tax season and beyond

Featured on Market Watch | February 7, 2025

“Right now, the best thing to do is try to prepare yourself for the best-case scenario –  if all, some, or none of the [tax] provisions are passed,” Castaneda says. “The least likely of the changes proposed are eliminating the income tax brackets and replacing the loss of revenue by increasing tariffs.”
As far as the most likely, he and other CPAs believe Trump will extend several provisions that are set to expire in 2025, such as the Qualified Business Income Tax Deduction and 100% bonus depreciation.

Learn to become a certified public accountant (CPA)

Featured on Accounting Education | January 17, 2025

“Accounting is an incredibly dynamic career,” Hector Castaneda, CPA, and Principal at Castaneda CPA & Associates, PS explained. “It’s not unusual for an accounting role to range from clerical data entry to traveling to a seminar on a remote island to learn how nano chips are sourced into inventory. The possibilities are boundless, and so are the surprises.”