Four TikTok Tax ‘Hacks’ You Should Ignore

When it comes to managing your finances and taxes, consider advice from TikTok with a hefty grain of salt. Certain tax "loopholes" may go viral, but that doesn't mean they're good for your specific tax situation. TikTok's bite-sized videos have a habit of distilling nuanced tax strategies into just a few sentences—a recipe for misinformation. This advice is lightly misleading at best, and totally inaccurate at worst. Blindly following this advice could cost you in penalties, back taxes owed, and a tremendous hassle.

Let's take a look at the questionable TikTok tax advice I've seen and how you can make sure it doesn't lead you and your money astray.

Hiring your kids

Some videos suggest that business owners should hire and pay their children as employees. The claim is that this allows the child to contribute to a Roth IRA using their "earned income."

While it's true that only earned income can be contributed to a Roth IRA, hiring your kids has very specific requirements. The work they do must be legitimate and age-appropriate, and the pay must be reasonable for the job performed. Simply putting your children on payroll as a tax workaround could be considered fraud.

Hiring your dog

I've seen videos like this one garner hundreds of thousands of likes for the claim that you can write off your pet as a guard dog who protects your business. It's true that guard dog expenses are deductible if the dog is trained and of a breed fit for the job. Unfortunately, trying to deduct your corgi for occasionally barking at the door isn't going to get your very far with the IRS.

Writing off your Range Rover

Another viral claim about a legal "tax loophole" advises people to write off the cost of a luxury vehicle like a Range Rover or Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon on their taxes.

The truth is, according to the IRS Section 179 tax code, businesses may be able to write off a G-Wagon if it’s used for business purposes at least half of the time. Section 179 does allow businesses to deduct the full cost of certain assets like vehicles in the year they are placed into service, rather than depreciating the expense over several years. But there are very strict requirements. Additionally, there are limits on the deductible amount for luxury vehicles that exceed $19,800 for cars and $20,500 for trucks and vans in 2023.

Forming an LLC to deduct personal expenses

Luckily, this faulty advice seems to falling out of fashion, but sometimes old videos like this one make the rounds. Creators claim you can form a limited liability company (LLC) to deduct personal expenses like your mortgage, car payments, and even grocery bills as business expenses to reduce your taxes.

While LLCs can provide some tax benefits, simply forming one doesn't magically allow you to write off all your personal costs. There are strict rules about what qualifies as a legitimate business expense. Deducting personal expenses improperly could land you in hot water with the IRS.

The bottom line

When it comes to complex topics like these (and really all things tax-related), don't rely on brief videos from non-professionals. Improper tax strategies could inadvertently cost you much more in penalties, interest, and fees down the road.

Unless a TikTok video is from a credentialed tax expert giving a general overview of tax concepts, take it with a hefty scoop of skepticism. It's best to consult a qualified tax professional who can look at your specific situation and give you legitimate, tailored advice. What makes for a good viral video rarely translates to good tax planning.

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