Tax season shouldn’t feel mysterious or reactive—especially not in a year with major law changes. When the July 2025 tax bill passed, most business owners had no idea how much it would shift their budgeting, hiring, and investment decisions for the coming year. If you want to grow wisely, the real question is: how do you use these new rules in your favor?

On this episode of Become Sensible, I walk you through the biggest tax updates that matter for entrepreneurs and small business owners in 2025–2026. I explain why 100% bonus depreciation is back, how the expanded Section 179 deduction can help you control taxable income, why R&D expenses are fully deductible again, and what the new 1099-K thresholds mean for anyone using platforms like PayPal or Stripe. I also share the limits you need to prepare for—like shrinking meal deductions and rising healthcare costs for small teams. No politics, no jargon, just practical strategy you can apply immediately.

My goal is simple: to help you use the tax code as a strategic growth tool rather than something you only think about at year-end. “Smart business owners don’t just file taxes—they use taxes to guide better decisions.” If you want clarity on how these changes affect your budgets, investments, and long-term planning, this episode will give you exactly what you need.

• Bonus Depreciation – IRS Publication 946
• Section 179 Deduction – IRS Depreciation Guidance
• Domestic Research & Experimental (R&D) Expenditures – IRB 2025-38 / §174A
• Form 1099-K – Understanding Your Form
• Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction – IRS FAQs
• Employer-Provided Child Care Credit – About Form 8882

• Follow me, Fiona Nguyen, on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about Balannx.

• 0:00 – Why the 2025 tax law matters more than you think
• 1:30 – Bonus depreciation returns to 100%
• 3:00 – How Section 179 became more powerful
• 5:20 – R&D and experimentation expenses fully deductible again
• 6:40 – Better rules for interest deductions
• 8:40 – QBI deduction becomes permanent
• 10:00 – Expanded childcare credits for employers
• 12:00 – 1099-K reporting rollback
• 14:10 – Key limitations: loss caps, energy credit changes
• 16:00 – Meal deductions disappear in 2026
• 18:00 – Rising healthcare costs and planning ahead
• 20:00 – Final guidance for using tax strategy intentionally

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Most founders aren’t actually afraid of their numbers—they’re afraid of what those numbers might confirm about them. In this episode, I take you beneath the spreadsheets and tax forms to the deeper truth: money fear is a safety problem, not a financial one. And until you feel safe, no strategy will ever stick.

On this episode of Become Sensible, I break down why avoidance around money is so universal, why women entrepreneurs in particular face systemic financial gaps, and why your nervous system—not your bookkeeping—drives so much of your financial stress. We explore how identity wounds shape your reactions to IRS letters, unread bank statements, and messy bookkeeping. Then we shift into how to build safety, clarity, and control so your numbers become tools—not threats—for making confident decisions. I also share four small habits that completely transform your relationship with money over time.

When you understand your numbers, you rise differently. “Safety gives you clarity. Clarity gives you control. Control gives you power. And power gives you growth.”

Follow me, Fiona Nguyen, on LinkedIn. Learn more about Balannx.

• 0:00 – Why this episode goes deeper than tactics
• 0:54 – What founders are really afraid their numbers will reveal
• 2:00 – Money fear as an identity wound, not a math issue
• 3:24 – Why avoidance happens (and why it’s logical)
• 4:58 – How lack of financial education, especially for women, feeds overwhelm
• 6:26 – When your nervous system interprets money as danger
• 7:52 – Why safety must come before strategy
• 9:54 – How understanding numbers shifts decision-making power
• 11:44 – Using data and instincts together as a founder
• 12:42 – Four simple habits that build financial safety (Track one number weekly, 15-minute weekly review, One simple tax-year folder, Rewrite your money identity)
• 16:28 – Why founders rise when they feel safe, not shamed
• 18:10 – A reminder: you’re doing the best you can with the capacity you have
• 19:36 – Invitation to take the first step toward money safety

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As we close out Q4, many of us can feel the noise and pressure rising. When your numbers feel unclear or unstable, that’s your business telling you it needs attention. Before we start dreaming about big launches or expansion in 2026, we need a foundation strong enough to support it. Most founders skip the exact steps that make next year predictable—and it shows up as chaos later.

On this episode of Become Sensible, I walk you through the three phases of financial architecture you must complete before January 1. I share why validated numbers—not emotions—are the only responsible way to plan, how to stress-test your margins for rising costs, and how to stop the capital leaks that silently drain profit. We also break down what a real cashflow map looks like, the layers that create stability, and the owner-compensation strategy too many entrepreneurs ignore. This is about entering 2026 with confidence and clarity.

You’ll finish feeling grounded and ready to build—not just run—your business.

“Bad data leads to bad decisions. Validate your foundation before you draw the blueprint.”

Links

• Learn more about Balannx: https://balannx.com/

Connect

Follow me, Fiona Nguyen, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionahnguyen/

Learn more about Balannx: https://balannx.com/

Timestamps

• 0:00 – Why Q4 anxiety is a signal from your business
• 1:00 – Phase 1: Validation (bookkeeping, tax footprint, compliance)
• 7:00 – Phase 2: Strength Testing (margin stress test & capital leaks)
• 11:45 – Phase 3: Drawing Your 2026 Blueprint (cashflow map & allocation)
• 18:00 – The real reason founders fail: unmanaged cashflow

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.