Consultants and Money

Erica Goode
  • 5.0 (61)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A bi-weekly podcast show for solo-consultants who have questions on all things money. We'll talk through business taxes, paying yourself consistently, cashflow forecasting, and LLCs vs S-corps. Hosted by Erica Goode, CPA & CFO - a former Fortune 50 corporate finance director, former Big 4 public accountant, and current wife and mom.

  1. The Life First Accounting Firm Podcast

    SEASON 1 TRAILER

    The Life First Accounting Firm Podcast

    Check out the Life First Accounting Firm podcast on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube

    3 min

  2. FEB 17

    108. Why do I owe so much on my tax return?

    Work with Erica In this episode of the Consultants and Money podcast, Erica Goode discusses common frustrations during tax season, over owing more than expected. She provides a method for checking withholdings to avoid surprises at tax time and offers advice on adjusting W-4 forms for better tax planning. 00:00 Understanding Tax Season Frustrations 03:26 Spot Checking Your Withholdings 08:28 Adjusting Your W-4 for Better Withholdings

    10 min

  3. 12/09/2025

    107. Best Business Books of 2025

    Happy Holidays! Erica shares her annual list of favorite business books of the year in her final episode of 2025. 00:00 Welcome 00:50 Holiday Greetings and Year-End Reflections 01:19 Favorite Business Books of 2025 03:34 Book 1: Quit by Annie Duke 05:54 Book 2: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert 08:14 Book 3: Marketing Made Simple by Donald Miller 09:38 Book 4: The Five Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom 12:10 Book 5: Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement by Cody Garrett and Sean Mullaney 15:55 Honorable Mentions: Non-Business Reads 20:42 Holiday Wishes and Conclusion   ____________________ Books & Resources Referenced: Quit by Annie Duke | https://a.co/d/hoP7fHF Big Magic | https://a.co/d/0k4QNgJ Marketing Made Simple by Donald Miller | https://a.co/d/1UZyRh2 The 5 Types of Wealth | https://a.co/d/4ZLwpLH Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement by Cody Garrett and Sean Mullaney | https://a.co/d/cjPPMcm   The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter | https://a.co/d/cQ2KL08 The Wedding People by Alison Espach | https://a.co/d/j2Ce3mk Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds | https://a.co/d/4PtWU8T   Ep69 - SEP vs Solo 401k with Sean Mullaney, CPA ____________________ Connect with Erica | LinkedIn | Website | Newsletter

    21 min

  4. 11/25/2025

    106. Profit ≠ Paycheck: The 50/25/25 Rule to Create Personal Stability

    Erica talks through the often-ignored issue of why business profits don't always translate into personal take-home pay. She introduces the 50/25/25 Rule to help consultants achieve financial stability, explaining how to divide profits into owner distributions, tax liabilities, and business reserves. Erica also discusses the nuances of tax planning based on location and household income.   00:00 Intro 00:51 The Profit and Paycheck Disconnect 01:27 Introducing the 50-25-25 Rule 02:53 Breaking Down the 50-25-25 Rule 05:28 Implementing the Rule with Rolling Averages 06:36 Adjusting for Taxes 08:03 Creating Financial Stability and Confidence 08:48 Final Thoughts   www.ericagoode.com ____________________ Resources Referenced: 103. Forecasting for Real Life | https://www.ericagoode.com/podcast/ep103 ____________________ Connect with Erica | LinkedIn | Website | Newsletter

    10 min

  5. 11/11/2025

    105. Tax Surprises Suck: How to Get Out of Reactive Mode for Good

    www.EricaGoode.com In this episode, Erica discusses the common issue of unexpected tax bills and provides strategies on how to avoid them. She explains why tax surprises happen to solo consultants, the concept of Safe Harbor in tax payments, and the importance of setting aside an appropriate percentage of profits for taxes.   00:51 Dealing with Surprise Tax Bills 02:36 Understanding Safe Harbor 04:21 Setting Aside Money for Taxes 05:52 Managing Tax Payments 06:56 Proactive Tax Planning ____________________ Connect with Erica | LinkedIn | Website | Newsletter

    10 min

  6. 10/28/2025

    104. From C-Suite to Startup: Money Questions with Julie Masson

    In this episode, Erica welcomes Julie Maison, a Chief Communications Officer for nonprofits and churches. This episode is an open Q&A session where Erica answers questions many new business owners have, including accounting concepts like cash and accrual basis accounting, the differences between an LLC and S-Corp, and the importance of accurate bookkeeping.   00:00 Introduction 00:54 Meet Julie Maison: Communications Expert 02:08 Julie's Journey to Entrepreneurship 04:20 Navigating the Challenges of a New Business 09:55 Understanding Accounting Basics 10:58 Cash vs. Accrual Accounting Explained 17:32 Planning for Financial Success 19:35 Example of Setting Aside Money for Taxes 20:11 Owner's Distribution vs. Salary 23:51 Owner's Distribution Framework 25:43 Sole Proprietorship vs. S Corp 30:05 Strategic Cash Flow Planning 32:43 Common Financial Mistakes 37:28 Retirement Savings for Entrepreneurs   EricaGoode.com ____________________ Resources Referenced: Ep4 - Ep7 Consultants & Money: Business Money 101 series Ep86 - Retirement Plans for Consultants ____________________   Connect with Julie | LinkedIn | Website Connect with Erica | LinkedIn | Website | Newsletter

    39 min

  7. 10/14/2025

    103. Forecasting for Real Life: How to Plan for Paychecks, Hiring, and Dry Spells

    Erica explains the importance of financial forecasting for solo consultants and small businesses. She covers how forecasting can help in stabilizing income, planning for hires, and managing cash flow during slow periods. Erica provides practical steps to start forecasting, such as listing current revenue, fixed monthly costs, owner distributions, and upcoming expenses. 00:00 Intro 01:15 Understanding Forecasting 03:18 The Importance of Forecasting for Business Owners 06:09 Steps to Start Forecasting 07:35 Practical Exercise for Forecasting 09:07 Client Case Study on Forecasting 11:12 Final Thoughts on Forecasting EricaGoode.com ____________________ Connect with Erica | LinkedIn | Website | Newsletter

    12 min

  8. 09/30/2025

    102. What Clean Books Actually Look Like (And Why Yours Might Not Be as Clean as You Think)

    In this episode, Erica talks through into the fundamentals of maintaining 'clean' business books. She explains what clean books should look like, the common issues that can arise, and how these issues can affect financial planning and tax reporting. Erica provides tips on identifying and rectifying issues such as inconsistent categorization, unreconciled balance sheets, uncategorized expenses, misreported owner distributions, and mixing personal and business expenses. She also offers actionable steps for consultants to take to ensure their books are accurate and useful.   00:00 Introduction to Consultants and Money 00:52 Understanding Clean Books 01:53 Signs Your Books Aren't Clean 04:38 Common Bookkeeping Mistakes 06:06 What Clean Books Look Like 07:20 Key Financial Reports 08:02 Steps to Fix Your Books 09:06 Conclusion and Final Tips www.EricaGoode.com ____________________ Connect with Erica | LinkedIn | Website | Newsletter

    9 min
See All (113)

Trailers

5
out of 5
61 Ratings

About

A bi-weekly podcast show for solo-consultants who have questions on all things money. We'll talk through business taxes, paying yourself consistently, cashflow forecasting, and LLCs vs S-corps. Hosted by Erica Goode, CPA & CFO - a former Fortune 50 corporate finance director, former Big 4 public accountant, and current wife and mom.

Information

  • Creator
    Erica Goode
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    113
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Consultants and Money

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