Mike Browning

Tag: Capital Gains

  • Trump’s Not the Only One Who Does It (And You Should Too)

    Trump’s Not the Only One Who Does It (And You Should Too)

    And the people complaining about it? They probably do it as well.

    A few weeks ago I wrote something on here that went all the way back to the 2016 presidential debates. The moment where Hillary Clinton tried to score points by saying Donald Trump had paid little (if any) income taxes in several years, thinking it would make him look bad.

    Instead of running for cover, Trump handled it exactly right.

    His mic was still on, Hillary kept talking, and he just cut in:

    “That makes me smart.”

    Most politicians would have tried to hide from a charge like that. They’d scramble to justify why they didn’t pay more than legally required.

    And they’d lose the argument before it even started.

    Trump leaned into it. He made it clear he (or his accountants) used the rules as written, which is exactly what anyone with common sense would do.

    If anything, it would be irresponsible not to.

    At the time I wrote that, I offered a short info flyer explaining Section 1031 Exchanges and how they can be used to reduce or defer tax liability on real estate sales. You can get it below if you want.

    (Insert the usual disclaimer here:
    I’m not a CPA or attorney. I’m a real estate broker. This isn’t tax, legal, or financial advice. It’s informational. Read it, ask questions to the right professional, and make your own decisions.)

    Quite a few people downloaded it.

    Probably because many already knew the basics — 1031s aren’t a new trick.

    But another thought crossed my mind:

    Some folks may have avoided the info because they didn’t want to be “associated with Donald Trump.”

    So let’s get something out of the way.

    Using tax law to your advantage isn’t a Donald Trump thing. It’s not a Republican thing. It’s not a Democrat thing.

    It’s a smart thing.

    And people on all political sides do it — especially the ones who complain about it publicly.

    “That makes me smart” wasn’t the last thing Trump said that night.

    When the tax topic resurfaced, he pointed out that Hillary Clinton had been a U.S. Senator and could have tried to change the laws, but didn’t.

    Why?

    Because her friends use the exact same rules he does.

    If you’re not doing the same thing, the only person you’re hurting is yourself.

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    So if you own land or are thinking about selling, and you want to understand how real estate tax law actually works in the real world — not in political talking points — start here.

    Click to learn more.

  • Be Smart Like Donald Trump

    Be Smart Like Donald Trump

    Hillary might shame you if she knew. But the laws are the laws.

    If you’re like me, you figured out a long time ago that political debates are mostly useless for deciding who to vote for.

    But that doesn’t mean they’re not entertaining — especially if a certain someone’s involved.

    (You know who I’m talking about.)

    And sometimes, something gets said that’s worth remembering.

    In one of the 2016 debates, Hillary Clinton tried to shame Donald Trump for paying zero in income taxes some years.

    Trump cut her off and said, “That makes me smart.”

    Second-best line of the night, right behind “Because you’d be in jail.”

    But I digress.

    The point is: whatever you think of it, the tax laws are what they are.

    You might not like that a guy like Trump can structure things where he doesn’t pay much (or anything) in taxes. But that doesn’t make it illegal.

    You can try to change the laws (good luck), or you can use them to your advantage — within the rules.

    If you’re selling real estate, hopefully you’re looking at a nice gain.

    But with that comes Uncle Sam waiting for his share.

    Knowing a few basic rules can help you structure your sale in a way that keeps a lot more of what you’ve earned.

    That’s why I put together a short guide called “Minimize Your Capital Gains Taxes.”

    It walks through several of the best strategies used by experienced sellers — written in plain English, not accountant-speak.

    Here’s what it covers:

    • The IRS Exclusion Rule: How to qualify for the $250,000 / $500,000 gain exemption
    • Improving Your Basis: Why it pays to keep track of upgrades and improvements
    • 1031 Exchanges: How reinvesting the right way can defer taxes entirely
    • Timing & Strategy: Why a little planning before you sell can save a lot later

    It’s not a long read — five minutes tops — but it could save you thousands.

    Get the Report Here

    If you’re even thinking about selling property in the next year or two, it’s worth understanding how the numbers really work.

    And if you’d like me to show you what your land, lot, or home is worth in today’s market, I’ll include that too — no charge, no pressure, no tax lectures.

    Disclaimer:

    I’m not a CPA or tax attorney, and this guide isn’t tax or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so you should always consult qualified professionals before making financial decisions. This information is just meant to help you ask better questions and make better plans.

  • Don’t Let Taxes Eat Your Profit

    Don’t Let Taxes Eat Your Profit

    You earned it. The IRS doesn’t need all of it.

    When people sell property — whether it’s a home, a lot, or raw land — they usually focus on the price.
    And that makes sense.

    But what often gets overlooked is how much of that price you actually keep.

    Because depending on your situation, the IRS might be waiting to take a pretty big bite out of your profit.

    I’m not saying this to scare you. But I’ve seen more than a few sellers surprised by how much smaller their “take-home” ended up being.

    Here’s the thing: you don’t necessarily have to be one of them.

    If you know a few basic rules, you can structure your sale in a way that keeps a lot more of what you’ve earned.

    To make it easy, I’ve put together a short guide called “Minimize Your Capital Gains Taxes.”

    It walks through several of the best strategies used by experienced sellers — written in plain English, not accountant-speak.

    Here’s what it covers:

    • The IRS Exclusion Rule: How to qualify for the $250,000 / $500,000 gain exemption.
    • Improving Your Basis: Why it pays to keep track of upgrades, remodels, and improvements.
    • 1031 Exchanges: How reinvesting the right way can defer taxes altogether.
    • Timing & Strategy: Why a little planning before you sell can save a lot later.

    It’s not a long read — five minutes tops — but it could save you thousands.

    Get it Here

    If you’re even thinking about selling property in the next year or two, it’s worth understanding how the numbers really work.

    And if you’d like me to show you what your land, lot, or home is worth in today’s market, I’ll include that too — no charge, no pressure, no tax lectures.

    Disclaimer:

    I’m not a CPA or tax attorney, and this guide isn’t tax or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so you should always consult qualified professionals before making financial decisions. This information is just meant to help you ask better questions and make better plans.