Your tax return is the largest financial document your household produces each year. Tax Optimization reads last year's return against this year's structure, remembers what you decided last time, and packages the questions worth asking before your next CPA meeting.
Explore with a free account. Some planning and review tools require membership.
Tax review
Avery household
What changed since the last return?
2025 tax return
Business income reported
2024 tax return
Previous year for comparison
Household update
Considering a change in business structure
Two years of income. A new question about business structure.
The 2024 and 2025 returns provide the income history. The household’s new update adds a separate question: should the business structure change? The returns alone cannot answer that.
Bring the income history and current business plans to your CPA.
Ask which assumptions to model before making a change. This example does not estimate tax savings.
Illustrative example. Fictional household.
Read the return before the next CPA meeting.
Upload last year's return and we'll read it for you. Not to file it. We look for the things worth asking your CPA about, retain every material finding in the complete review, and put the clearest priorities first.
1.
Upload Your Return
Add your 1040, K-1s, and business returns. Choose what to share with your CPA.
2.
We Read the Fine Print
X1 reviews the planning topics supported by your return and keeps each finding connected to the evidence behind it.
3.
Prepare for your CPA meeting
See the questions to discuss first, followed by the full review and the supporting context.
Model a defensible salary range.
An S-corp salary should be defensible for the work performed and the facts of the business. Model a range, document the assumptions, and review it with your CPA.
1.
Plug In Your Numbers
Revenue, expenses, what you're currently paying yourself. Takes 30 seconds.
2.
See What You're Really Paying
The calculator shows the real cost of different salary levels, including payroll tax, income tax, and audit risk.
3.
Find the Range That Makes Sense
Not a magic number. A defensible range. Take it to your CPA and have a conversation grounded in actual math.
S-Corp Salary Optimizer
Find your optimal compensation
Business Revenue
$$450,000
Current Salary
$$180,000
Salary Scenarios
Current
$180,000
salary
Total Tax: $79,740
Optimal✓ Recommended
$120,000
salary
Total Tax: $66,960
Save $12,780
Aggressive
$90,000
salary
Total Tax: $60,570
Save $19,170
Questions for your CPA:
• Is my salary reasonable for my role?
• Should I adjust quarterly estimates?
• Are there additional deductions?
Illustrative example. Fictional household.
Model family employment before you act.
Family employment can be appropriate when the work, pay, records, and tax treatment are real. Model the scenario first, then confirm the requirements with your CPA.
1.
Tell Us About Your Kids
Ages, your business structure, and what kind of work they could actually do. Be honest. The IRS is watching.
2.
Learn the Rules First
Age limits, reasonable pay rates, documentation requirements, what counts as 'real work.' No shortcuts.
3.
See What It Could Save
Run the numbers on what shifting income to their bracket could mean. Then verify every bit of it with your CPA.
Family Employment
Hire your kids legally
Your business
Consulting Firm
Family member
Emma, 16: loves social media
Suggested role
Social Media Manager
15 hrs/wk × $25/hr × 52 wks
Annual pay
$19,500
Your marginal rate: 32%
Tax Impact
Child's tax$0
Under $15,000 standard deduction
Your savings$6,240
per year
IRS Compliance
Legitimate duties for your business
Reasonable comp: $25/hr (benchmark: $20-35)
Required: W-4, time log, job description
Illustrative example. Fictional household.
Your structure changes between annual CPA meetings.
Your ownership, income, and family circumstances can change between annual meetings. A current, cited question helps your CPA focus on the decision that needs professional judgment.
Keep the Complete Review
Start with the priorities, then explore the full review and its supporting evidence.
Know the Risks
Every strategy has trade-offs. We show you the compliance considerations so you go in with eyes open.
Do the Math First
Run the numbers before the meeting. Know what's at stake. Come with scenarios, not just questions.
Share With Your CPA
Export your analysis and share it. Good CPAs love prepared clients. It makes their job easier.
Stay Current
Tax law moves every year. What worked last cycle might not work now. The tools stay current and your decision memory carries forward.
Complement, Don't Replace
We're not trying to fire your CPA. We're trying to make your CPA meetings worth the money.
Make the CPA meeting productive
A clear definition and a short checklist keep the conversation focused on decisions, not theory.
What tax optimization means here
Tax optimization in X1 means turning your real tax data into a set of questions, scenarios, and handoffs for your CPA. It is a planning workflow, not filing or advice.
Before your next conversation
Do you have last year's returns and K-1s ready to review?
Has income, ownership, or entity structure changed since last year?
Are you making decisions without running a scenario first?
Do you know which strategies are legal but not appropriate for you?
Can you summarize the decision in one paragraph for your CPA?
Questions to bring to your professional
Which two strategies are most worth modeling this quarter?
What would materially change my effective tax rate this year?
What documentation would you want before we adjust the salary split?
Keep the tax plan moving
Pair tax insights with the right tools and follow-ups.
X1 Tax Tools provide educational information and calculations to help you understand potential tax strategies. They do not constitute tax advice. Tax situations vary by individual, and all strategies should be reviewed and implemented by a qualified CPA or tax professional.
X1 Wealth is a financial technology company, not a registered investment advisor, CPA firm, or law firm. Our tools provide educational information and should not be construed as personalized financial, tax, or legal advice.
Start with the return you already have.
Start with the return you already filed. X1 can help prepare the evidence-backed questions worth bringing to your CPA.
