The Liquid Lunch Project Find Hidden Money in Your Business: Julio Gonzalez on Tax Strategies
What if we told you the government owes you money…and you didn't even know it?
In this episode, Matt and Luigi sit down with Julio Gonzalez, founder and CEO of Engineered Tax Services, to peel back the curtain on how the tax code can actually become a tool — not a penalty — for entrepreneurs and real‑estate investors.
We talk about the game‑changer "big beautiful bill," why R&D tax credits matter even to non‑tech firms, how cost segregation among real‑estate players is far more than "just depreciation," and why your accountant might be asleep at the wheel.
Julio brings the engineering + tax combo that's usually reserved for the Fortune 500 … but we're showing you how to use it too.
🍸 What you'll hear in this episode:
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Julio explains how the R&D tax credit has been revived…and how business owners can go back three years to claim it.
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What qualifies as "R&D"? Even a honey company changing formulas counts: it's about improving processes and products.
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Cost segregation in real estate: how classifying non‑structural elements (HVAC, lighting, flooring) can allow huge write‑offs up front.
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Comparing an estimate vs. an engineered study for tax purposes, and why the IRS will toss the first and respect the second.
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How cost segregation ties into a 1031 exchange and impacts your basis, and what happens when you pass the property on via inheritance (step‑up basis).
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The future of accounting: AI, talent shortages, and how firms that can't keep up will lose.
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Julio's story: from Miami family‑house chaos to tax reform pioneer, bringing elite tax strategies to "regular" business owners.
💡 Notable Takeaway: The government doesn't have to be a 50% owner of your profit.
👤 About our Guest:
Julio Gonzalez is the founder & CEO of Engineered Tax Services (ETS), a national firm that blends engineering, tax, and accounting to bring specialty tax credits and cost‑segregation studies (historically for Fortune 500s) to entrepreneurs and real‑estate investors. His mission: tax equality for small business owners, converting tax liabilities into wealth‑building play.
🎧 Why Listen: If you own a business, invest in real estate, or are about to sell/transition your company, don't leave money on the table. Hit play, take notes, then connect with your CPA (and maybe Julio's team) to see if you're owed. This isn't a "maybe one day" strategy. Time is ticking.
🔗 Links + Stuff
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Free copy of Julio's book, Why Billionaires Love the Tax Code. Text "Y" to 26786