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The Modern Entrepreneur Blog
Expert perspectives on financial planning, wealth management, and strategic advice for business owners.
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Financial insights for business owners.
Practical guidance on tax planning, investment strategy, and building lasting wealth.
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Tax Planning
November 3, 2026
How to Document a Reasonable S-Corp Salary for an Audit
Build a dated file before you pay yourself. It holds your duties and weekly hours, saved wage data for comparable roles in your metro, the specific salary you chose and why, and a signed approval, all backed by matching payroll records.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
October 29, 2026
What Makes an Advisor Modern When You Own a Business
For a business owner, a modern advisor coordinates with your CPA, attorney, and M&A advisor and keeps your personal plan aligned through a sale. The app is optional.
Read MoreTax Planning
October 27, 2026
S Corp Paycheck Calculator: How Owners Estimate Salary, Taxes and Take Home Pay
To estimate an S corp paycheck, set a reasonable salary for the work you do, divide by your pay periods, subtract pre-tax deductions and withheld taxes, and treat leftover profit as distributions.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
October 22, 2026
Under $1M, Your Business Is Priced on SDE, Not EBITDA
To value a business earning under about $1 million, multiply its seller's discretionary earnings (SDE) by roughly two to three, then check that against its hard asset value.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
October 20, 2026
Your Value Gap: What Your Business Must Actually Fund
Your business is as far from funding retirement as the gap between what a buyer would pay without you, after tax and fees, and the retirement number it must cover.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
October 15, 2026
Asset Sale vs Stock Sale: which costs the seller more tax
An asset sale usually costs the seller more tax, since parts of the price hit ordinary rates. A stock sale usually costs the buyer more, with no fresh basis to deduct.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
October 13, 2026
Your Business Sale Triggers an IRMAA Bill Two Years Later
Selling your business will raise your Medicare premiums if the gain lifts your income past the surcharge threshold, and the higher premium arrives two years after closing.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
October 8, 2026
New Comparability Plans Let Older Owners Take the Biggest Share
Yes. A cross-tested plan can legally give an owner in their 50s a far higher rate than younger staff, if each eligible employee gets the gateway minimum, at most 5% of pay.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
October 6, 2026
Your Pension Lump Sum Shrinks When Rates Rise. Time the Election.
Keep the monthly pension when it must support two lives or a big share of your spending. Take the lump sum when it does not, but check the rate year first.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
October 1, 2026
Do Newly Liquid Owners Actually Need an Annuity?
For many owners, no. A ladder of bonds maturing in the years you need cash can cover the income without a surrender period, leaving an annuity for any longevity gap.
Read MoreEstate Planning
September 29, 2026
The 2026 Estate Exemption Is Higher. Do Owners Still Plan?
Yes. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act set the 2026 basic exclusion amount, which refers to what passes free of federal estate tax, at $15 million per person, ending the sunset.
Read MoreTax Planning
September 24, 2026
Why a Business Sale Tax Calculator Is Off by Six Figures
Free business sale tax calculators apply a single federal long-term capital gains rate to your total estimated gain.
Read MoreTax Planning
September 22, 2026
One Plan for Selling Your Medical or Dental Practice
Selling a medical or dental practice and retiring well refers to sequencing three decisions together: the sale structure, the tax election, and the income draw.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
September 17, 2026
The 1.5% to 2% Wealth Software Fee Owners Never See
Bundled wealth management platforms typically charge 1.5% to 2%+ of assets under management annually once you include the advisory layer, platform fees, and fund expense ratios. A standalone fee-only fiduciary usually charges 0.75% to 1.0% all-in.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
September 15, 2026
How to Tell If an Advisor Really Coordinates Your Sale
Ask your advisor to show you a pre-close linked projection: a model that ties after-tax sale proceeds, your existing investable assets, and your annual retirement income need in a single year-by-year view. If they can produce one, they have done this before.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
September 10, 2026
The S-Corp Salary Trap That Shrinks Your Retirement
A low S-corp salary cuts payroll tax but can cost far more in lost Solo 401(k) room and Social Security. Run the real numbers before you decide.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
September 8, 2026
The Post-Sale Three: Decisions Software Can't Make
Three decisions after a business sale that no software will make for you, and what getting each of them wrong actually costs.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
September 3, 2026
The Owners I Worry About Have It All in One Company
Business owner concentration risk means having 80 to 90 percent of a founder's net worth locked in a single illiquid company, with no liquid alternative to fund retirement or absorb a business disruption.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
September 1, 2026
How to Retire When the Business Is a Job, Not an Asset
If your business runs on your skills, your relationships, or your reputation, it probably won't sell for life-changing money: and that's okay, as long as you know it early enough to act.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
August 27, 2026
No Sale, No Savings, 24 Months to Retire: What to Do
If your business won't sell and retirement is 24 months away, the recovery plan starts with liquidity you already have, not a sale that hasn't happened yet.
Read MoreInvestment Management
August 25, 2026
Fee-Only or Roll-Up: What 'Modern Wealth Management' Means
The short answer: " Modern wealth management" is a marketing phrase with no legal definition, any firm can use it. Fee-only means the advisor is paid exclusively by you , with no product revenue or referral payments.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
August 21, 2026
Why Deals Collapse After the LOI Is Signed
Deals collapse after the LOI is signed primarily because due diligence surfaces what the confidential information memorandum did not.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
August 20, 2026
Your Payroll, Not the IRS Limits, Picks Your Retirement Plan
The short answer: For most small businesses , the right retirement plan is the one your payroll can sustain when cash flow tightens, not just when business is strong.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
August 19, 2026
The Working-Capital Peg That Quietly Shrinks Your Sale Check
The working-capital peg is a contractual adjustment mechanism in a business sale that compares your company's actual net working capital at closing to an agreed-upon target, usually the trailing 12-month average.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
August 18, 2026
When Your Business Won't Sell and You Still Need to Retire
Yes, you can retire even if the business doesn't sell, but it requires shifting the plan from "wait for sale proceeds" to "build income that doesn't depend on the sale." That typically means maximizing retirement account contributions while you're still running the business,...
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
August 17, 2026
Is Your Business Big Enough for Private Equity to Care?
The short answer: Most private equity firms look seriously at businesses with at least $750,000 to $1 million in annual EBITDA , and a genuinely competitive multi-buyer process typically requires $2 million or more. But EBITDA threshold alone is not the full answer.
Read MoreTax Planning
August 14, 2026
How Much Salary Should an S-Corp Owner Pay Themselves
An S-Corp owner should pay themselves a salary equal to what they would pay a qualified employee to perform their exact job: no more, no less.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
August 12, 2026
How Long Selling a Business Really Takes, Start to Close
Most business sales take 18 months to 3 years from the decision to sell to money in the bank. The national average from listing to closing is roughly 9 months, but that ignores the 12 to 24 months of preparation that should happen before a business goes to market.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
August 10, 2026
Buyers Pay Less When a Company Can't Run Without You
The short answer: When a business can't operate without its owner, buyers pay less, typically leaving 15% to 40% on the table compared to what a comparable, independently-run business would command.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
August 7, 2026
The Pro-Rata Rule That Ruins a Backdoor Roth for Owners
The backdoor Roth IRA only works cleanly if every traditional-type IRA you own, including your SEP-IRA, carries a zero balance on December 31 of the conversion year.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
August 5, 2026
SEP-IRA vs Solo 401(k): which shelters more for one owner
If you have no non-spouse W-2 employees and earn less than roughly $250,000 in net self-employment income , a Solo 401(k) will almost certainly shelter more money from taxes than a SEP-IRA, often by $24,500 or more in a single year.
Read MoreCash Flow Planning
August 5, 2026
The 5-Step Money Order for Growth-Stage Founders
The 5-Step Money Order sequences every profit dollar in a specific order: first fund a 25-30% tax reserve in a dedicated account, then build six months of personal liquidity plus three months of business operating reserves in cash, then close insurance gaps (disability, life,...
Read MoreRisk Management
August 3, 2026
Does Your Life Insurance Cover Your Personal Guarantees?
Almost certainly not, unless you sized your coverage with those guarantees in mind. Standard life insurance recommendations are built around income replacement, not business liability.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
August 3, 2026
ESOP or a Third-Party Sale for Your Exit
An ESOP and a third-party sale are fundamentally different transactions with different tax outcomes, timelines, and implications for employees.
Read MoreEstate Planning
July 31, 2026
Should You Sell the Family Business or Hand It Down?
The short answer: There is no universally right answer: only the one that fits your retirement security, your family's readiness, and the tax math for your specific situation.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
July 30, 2026
Don't Bet Your Retirement on Selling the Business
Most owners plan to retire on a sale without knowing how far tax shrinks the proceeds. What to have ready before you count on it.
Read MoreTax Planning
July 28, 2026
The Real Tax Rate on a Business Sale Isn't 20%
The 20% capital gains rate is the floor. With the 3.8% surtax, state tax and recapture, most owners pay 35% to 45% on a business sale. Here is the math.
Read MoreTax Planning
May 6, 2026
The One Big Beautiful Bill: One Big Beautiful Blog
Comprehensive H.R. 1 tax analysis: permanent rates, business expensing, tip exemptions & Medicaid reforms. Expert financial planning insights.
Read MoreTax Planning
March 18, 2026
Understanding Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS)
How Qualified Small Business Stock works: the eligibility rules, the holding period, the gain that can be excluded, and where owners get tripped up.
Read MoreTax Planning
February 12, 2026
The Super Bowl tax trap: Why tax planning matters for business owners nearing exit
California’s “jock tax” is a lesson for business owners: the tax planning you do in the years before an exit shapes what you keep after the sale.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
January 27, 2026
The Solo 401(k)
Explore the Solo 401(k) pros and cons for self-employed individuals, including tax benefits, high contribution limits, and setup considerations.
Read MoreInvestment Management
October 7, 2025
Interest Rates Are Falling: Here Is How Smart Investors Should Respond
Learn how to adjust your investments, debt, and savings for a lowering interest rate environment with insights from Modern Wealth.
Read MoreInvestment Management
July 28, 2025
What Recent Trade Policy Shifts Mean for Markets
How shifting trade policies driven by politics, not just economics, are reshaping global markets and creating new investment considerations for portfolios.
Read MoreInvestment Management
July 17, 2025
Why Traditional Investment Advice Might Be Keeping You from Real Wealth
Most wealthy people broke diversification rules to build wealth. Learn why concentration vs diversification timing matters for business owners.
Read MoreInvestment Management
June 19, 2025
Why the Fed's Latest Move Matters to Your Money
The Fed is signalling higher inflation and slower growth. What that means for your plan, your investments and the decisions in front of you.
Read MoreInvestment Management
May 2, 2025
Q1 GDP Explained and What Investors Need to Know
A negative Q1 GDP report with a stronger economy underneath it: what actually drove the number, and what it means for owners and investors.
Read MoreInvestment Management
April 3, 2025
What Does Liberation Day Mean for Your Financial Plan?
A major shift in U.S. trade and tariff policy: what it could mean for inflation, for global trade, and for the plan you already have in place.
Read MoreInvestment Management
March 13, 2025
Understanding the Link Between Tariffs and Inflation
Are tariffs inflationary? Learn how they impact prices, interest rates, and your financial plan. Get expert insights from Modern Wealth.
Read MoreCash Flow Planning
January 31, 2025
Welcome to LifeHub at Modern Wealth
Life Hub, the visualization tool I use for retirement income, scenario analysis and tax planning, and what it makes easier to see.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
January 22, 2025
Modern Wealth's Retirement Optimizer
Retirement planning in Blue Bell, PA: a clearer view of what you can spend, where the income comes from, and when to adjust.
Read MoreInvestment Management
December 31, 2024
2025 Financial Outlook: Insights and Strategies for Entrepreneurs and Business Owners
The 2025 financial landscape for business owners and entrepreneurs: what is worth watching, and which decisions are worth making early.
Read MoreInvestment Management
November 1, 2024
Navigating the 2024 Election Season
How the 2024 election touches markets, why gridlock is often calm for investors, and why the long-term fundamentals still decide the outcome.
Read MoreInvestment Management
September 19, 2024
The Federal Reserve's Bold Move: The Impact of a Half-Point Rate Cut
What the Federal Reserve's half-point cut means for small businesses, inflation, housing and retirement, and what to do about it.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
August 17, 2024
How to Retire as a Small Business Owner
Retirement planning for small business owners: preparing the company, timing the handover, and building income that does not depend on a sale.
Read MoreInvestment Management
July 30, 2024
What Should Business Owners Do In the Current Interest Rate Environment
Navigating high interest rates: practical moves on debt, cash flow and growth, and the opportunities that open up when rates start to fall.
Read MoreCash Flow Planning
May 16, 2024
Financial Planning for Business Owners
Running a successful business requires more than just a great product or service. It also entails diligent financial planning and management.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
May 1, 2024
Business Valuation and Inflation
Discover how inflation impacts small business valuations and learn effective coping strategies to maximize value.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
April 1, 2024
The Decide Gate
Unlock the power of value acceleration with the Decide Gate methodology. Learn how to optimize growth and maximize value for your business.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
March 31, 2024
The Prepare Gate
Explore the Prepare Gate of Value Acceleration Methodology, focusing on execution, risk mitigation, and continuous improvement for business exits.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
March 30, 2024
The Discover Gate
Discover the foundational Discover Gate of Value Acceleration, focusing on thorough business valuation and strategic planning for effective exits.
Read MoreTax Planning
March 29, 2024
Business Transactions: Asset vs. Share Purchase
Uncover key differences between asset and share purchases in business transactions, including pros, cons, and crucial considerations for both options.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
March 29, 2024
The Five Stages of Value Maturity for a Business
Explore the Five Stages of Value Maturity to enhance business worth, from identification to management, for a successful exit strategy.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
March 29, 2024
The Intangible Capitals of the Modern Business
Discover the vital roles of intangible capitals in modern business, encompassing human, customer, structural, and social assets for future growth.
Read MoreRetirement Planning
March 29, 2024
Retirement Plans for Small Businesses: The 2026 Guide
Compare 2026 retirement plans for small business owners: Individual 401(k), SEP-IRA, SIMPLE-IRA, 401(k) and cash balance, with current IRS limits.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
February 19, 2024
The Wealth Gap
Understand the 'wealth gap' for business owners and strategies to bridge it for a secure retirement, with focus on asset diversification and planning.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
February 19, 2024
Unlocking Business Value
How the Value Acceleration Methodology and exit planning raise what a company is worth, and why most of that work happens years before a sale.
Read MoreBusiness Advisory
February 19, 2024
The Value Acceleration Methodology for Small Business Owners
The Exit Planning Institute's Value Acceleration Methodology: a way of driving, growing and protecting what a business is worth, step by step.
Read MoreReady to put these insights to work?
Schedule a complimentary Exploration Call to see how Modern Wealth can help you build and protect what you have earned.