Viral Tax Tricks vs. Real Strategy
- David Freeze
- Oct 4
- 2 min read
It’s hard to scroll through social media without seeing someone explaining how to “pay zero taxes” or “turn your lifestyle into deductions.” The videos are slick, the presenters sound confident, and the claims can seem irresistible.
Out of curiosity, I spent about fifteen minutes scrolling through what TikTok now calls tax strategist content. It was equal parts laughable and alarming. Most of the people giving advice weren’t CPAs or bound by any professional code of ethics, yet they were teaching millions of viewers how to “write off” their vacations and “eliminate” their income tax. I honestly don’t know how some of them avoid lawsuits.
At Freeze | Sulkov Advisors, we want our clients to understand why real tax planning looks—and feels—so different.
The Problem with Social Media Tax Advice
Most bad advice starts with a grain of truth and ends with a missing paragraph of IRS code.
Oversimplification – A 30-second clip can’t explain the difference between an allowable deduction and a prohibited transaction. Important details—like substantiation rules or at-risk limitations—simply get skipped.
Exaggerated results – “Zero taxes” makes for a good headline, but in practice, the tax code is a web of conditions, tests, and thresholds.
Audit exposure – The IRS has specifically increased enforcement in several areas these influencers highlight, including short-term rentals, real estate professional status, and home-office claims.
What’s Actually Real
Real planning doesn’t happen in clips. It happens in context.
Some of the ideas floating around are based on legitimate code sections:
Short-term rental exceptions can allow certain losses to offset income—but only if average-stay and participation rules are met.
Cost segregation and bonus depreciation can accelerate deductions—but only with a qualified study and solid documentation.
The difference between real strategy and online myth is discipline and evidence.
For a closer look at how these principles translate into real-world planning, see the Tax Strategy & Optimization page.
Red Flags to Watch For
If the advice you hear includes phrases like:
“Guaranteed to pay no taxes”
“Just make it an S-Corp and write off everything”
“Rent your house to your business for any amount you want”
…it’s time to pause. These aren’t creative strategies—they’re audit magnets.
How We Work
At Freeze | Sulkov Advisors, our approach is grounded in:
Evidence – Every position must be defensible.
Personalization – Every client’s facts are different.
Compliance – We plan as though the IRS is looking over our shoulder—because someday, they might be.
The Bottom Line
Social media can spark curiosity, but real planning happens in context, not in a clip. If you’ve seen a “strategy” online and wonder whether it’s legitimate, bring it to us. We’ll tell you what’s real, what’s risky, and what it takes to make it work the right way.
Advisory-first planning doesn’t chase trends—it builds enduring results.
Ready to build something enduring?
Let’s turn tax code into strategy—designed for your goals, not the latest trend.