Tax Guide for self employed and small businesses?

Question

HI BP

I am lost. I have been self employed for many years and recently now filing taxes for a real estate trust I operate. I do not understand the relationship between tax returns, borrowing money from banks, and limiting the taxes you pay to the government. I was fortunate enough to be able to save up and buy my home with cash but I am now trying to guarantee loans and everyone denies me.  The trust I run apparently is not credit worthy either despite two years of tax returns.

Does anyone have a guide for self employed people or small businesses that explains the ins and outs to taxes so you can reduce tax liability, but also get access to loans from banks? The banks all tell me that my trust and my personal returns do not show enough cash flow but they do not elaborate beyond that.

Thank you

Rich Hupper · Answer

@Ashish Acharya  I will look into that publication thank you.

Regarding the trust. I am the trustee. It owns two income producing properties that are debt free. Its major expenses are property taxes, utilities and maintenance. Not much beyond that. However rents are low.  Annual expenses are about 50% of income. The trust does not disperse any profit to beneficiaries.

Will banks ever look only at trust tax returns to guarantee a loan or will a personal guarantee from me always be needed?

What entities do banks lend directly to without personal guarantees ?

Thank you

Ashish Acharya · Answer

@Rich Hupper , if you want simple to understand guidance from IRS, looks for publications such as Pub 334. and others. That gives you an overall basic understanding of taxes. There are also multiple books that you can read. Just google.

The trust not being able to lend is another issue. You need to show the bank that you personally and within the trust are financially sound to lend money. Moreover, you need to present your financial is such a way that you can show cash flow before depreciation to the bank if some reason they are not looking at it.

You would have no problem if your investment was not within the trust, that is why it is recommended not to use trust when you start with few properties if you want to leverage.