Skip to content

Tax Optimization

Tax returns, interpreted year over year.

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.

Year over year

Decisions remembered

Evidence-backed

Every finding shows its basis

Packet-ready

Before the CPA meeting

01Tax Return Review

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.

Step 01

Upload Your Return

Drop in your 1040, K-1s, and business returns. Encrypted, never shared, never sold. We're not in the data business.

Step 02

We Read the Fine Print

Our system checks the planning categories supported by your return, grounds each finding in the available evidence, and applies deterministic coverage and restraint checks.

Step 03

Get Questions, Not Answers

We're not your CPA. You get a prioritized discussion order plus the complete finding register, with the context for why each question matters.

02S-Corp Salary Calculator

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.

Step 01

Plug In Your Numbers

Revenue, expenses, what you're currently paying yourself. Takes 30 seconds.

Step 02

See What You're Really Paying

The calculator shows the real cost of different salary levels, including payroll tax, income tax, and audit risk.

Step 03

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.

03Family Employment Calculator

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.

Step 01

Tell Us About Your Kids

Ages, your business structure, and what kind of work they could actually do. Be honest. The IRS is watching.

Step 02

Learn the Rules First

Age limits, reasonable pay rates, documentation requirements, what counts as 'real work.' No shortcuts.

Step 03

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.

04Why Bother?

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

A complex return is not forced into an arbitrary card count. Every material supported finding stays available after the priority shortlist.

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.

Decision support

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.
Decision checklist
  • 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 for your advisor
  • 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?

Related resources

Keep the tax plan moving

Pair tax insights with the right tools and follow-ups.

Tool

S-Corp Tax Savings Calculator

Estimate payroll-tax savings from a salary split.

Tool

S-Corp Reasonable Salary Calculator

Benchmark a defensible salary range.

Tool

Estimated Tax Catch-Up

Quick deadline check with a checklist for your CPA.

Tool

Estimated Tax Safe Harbor Calculator

Find the minimum quarterly target to reduce penalties.

Tool

Year-End Tax Projection

One-page report for high-income planning windows.

Resource

Year-End Tax Planning Guide

Checklist-driven Q4 planning for high-income households.

Statistics

Wealth Transfer Statistics 2026

Estate tax thresholds and transfer data tied to planning.

Resource

S-corp Reasonable Compensation

Defensible salary range framework and sources.

Resource

QBI Deduction Planning

Eligibility checklist and IRS source links.

Feature

Play Builder

Surface additional strategies worth exploring.

Important Tax Information

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.

Get Started

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.

No credit card required to start

X1 Wealth is financial coordination and planning software built by Lever Wealth LLC. X1 Wealth is not a registered investment adviser.