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The 5 Biggest Tax Mistakes Real Estate Agents Make (and How to Avoid Them)

You help your clients avoid costly mistakes. Why not protect yourself the same way at tax time?

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As a real estate agent, you negotiate deals, protect your clients’ financial interests, and make sure they don’t overpay. But when it comes to your own finances, are you making the same effort?

Every year, agents lose thousands of dollars simply by failing to track deductions, mismanaging expenses, or waiting until April to think about taxes. The IRS isn’t going to remind you to claim those deductions—you have to do it yourself.

To help you keep more of what you earn, here are the five biggest tax mistakes agents make and how to fix them.

Note: We are not accountants and recommend consulting with a tax professional for advice on anything mentioned here.

🚨 Mistake #1: Not Tracking Every Deductible Expense

You wouldn't let your clients ignore a good deal, so why ignore tax deductions that could save you thousands? Every mile, marketing dollar, and business meal adds up, but if you’re not tracking them, you’re handing free money to the IRS.

✅ Fix It: Use an automated tracking system like Realtyzam to ensure every transaction is accounted for. Keeping up with expenses year-round prevents scrambling at tax time.

🚨 Mistake #2: Mixing Business and Personal Finances

If you don’t keep your business and personal transactions separate, tax season turns into a guessing game. Your CPA (or worse, the IRS) won’t appreciate the mess.

✅ Fix It: Open a dedicated business bank account and credit card. Keeping finances separate makes record-keeping effortless and protects you in case of an audit.

🚨 Mistake #3: Forgetting to Track Mileage

Between showings, listing appointments, and client meetings, the mileage can really add up. With the current IRS mileage deduction of 67 cents per mile, tracking how much you drive can save you quite a bit of money.

Fix It: Use a digital mileage log or an app that automatically tracks your business-related driving, ensuring you claim every mile you’re entitled to.

🚨 Mistake #4: Scrambling at Tax Time

Waiting until April to get organized is like trying to negotiate an inspection resolution an hour before the deadline passes. It’s stressful, messy, and almost guarantees you’ll miss something.

✅ Fix It: Use available tools to automatically maintain and organize records throughout the year. Schedule regular financial check-ins and generate automated reports to eliminate last-minute tax stress.

🚨 Mistake #5: Overpaying the IRS

Real estate is about maximizing value, and that includes your own income. The agents who track their deductions properly keep more of what they earn. Those who don’t? They’re giving the IRS a bigger payday than necessary.

✅ Fix It: Educate yourself on all the deductions available to real estate agents. Work with a tax professional to ensure you’re not overpaying, and use financial tracking tools to capture every deductible expense.

AVOID TAX MISTAKES WITH REALTYZAM

Save more of your hard-earned money by tracking every deductible expense throughout the year using tools like RealtyZam.

It's specifically designed for real estate agents, allowing you to automatically track income and expenses. You can even sync it with your bank accounts (no more manual tracking) and generate detailed tax reports in seconds.

Realtyzam helps you:

✅ Track tax-deductible expenses automatically.

✅ Connect bank and credit card accounts, sync transactions, and categorize every expense.

✅ Generate year-end tax reports with one click and send them to your accountant.

How much is it?

Realtyzam is 100% free to use during the 30-day free trial (no credit card required).

If you're a new agent or are getting back into production, the platform is still free after 30 days until you sell 2 properties or log $3,000 of income and expenses.

Realtyzam is tax deductible too, making the actual cost 15-35% less depending on your tax bracket.

Ready to stop overpaying and start tracking smarter? Try RealtyZam today and tell them Breakthrough sent you!

Taking small steps now to organize your expenses and deductions can save you thousands when tax time rolls around. Whether it’s setting up better financial tracking, working with a professional, or simply keeping a closer eye on your spending, these changes will help you stay in control and keep more of your hard-earned income.

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