Talking Taxes In a Truck

Hosted by Brian Reardon

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Nov 2026

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Tax policy, politics, and more from a Main Street perspective.

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November 2, 2026Episode 5144 min

The BIG Buy, Borrow, Die Debate (Plus Bonus Post-Election Policy Outlook and Some BIG News!)

Is "buy, borrow, die" a giant loophole that lets the ultra-wealthy live tax-free, or a catchy slogan designed to raise your taxes? A recent Wall Street Journal piece put the idea back in the headlines, so Brian and George hit the debate stage to see who's right. But not before making a BIG announcement that might rock the tax world for years to come, plus they lay out the tax policy road ahead: the odds of a lame-duck tax package, what divided government could mean for the next two years, and the fiscal reckoning coming our way. Show Notes: S-CORP Washington Wire: Earn, Save, Invest, Grow, Borrow, Pay Interest, Repay the Loan, Die, Pay the Estate Tax Plucking the Golden Goose Substack: "Buy, Borrow, Die" Callas Strategy Group WSJ: The 'Buy, Borrow and Die' Wealth Strategy Has Become a $5 Trillion Market

October 19, 202631 min

The War On Pass-Throughs

Is pass-through taxation a giant loophole that steals money from the Federal government? A growing chorus Academics and journalists seem to think so. Does this new tact reflect an underlying reality or is it just the latest set of flawed talking points? To find out, we're joined by longtime ally George Callas, founder of the Callas Strategy Group and a DC tax policy veteran. George and Brian identify the questionable assumptions, outdated data, and misleading narratives underlying these claims. They also revisit the 1986 tax reform and explain why the rise of pass-through businesses are the solution to income inequality, not the cause of it. Show Notes: · Callas Strategy Group: https://georgecallas.com/ · Plucking the Golden Goose Substack: https://georgecallas.substack.com/p/welcome-to-plucking-the-golden-goose · S-Corp on Auten & Splinter's work: https://s-corp.org/2022/03/tax-hike-premise-takes-another-hit-debunking-saez-zucman-income-inequality-narrative/ · Washington Wire – Old Study, Same Bad Conclusions: https://s-corp.org/2026/10/old-study-same-bad-conclusions/

April 10, 2026Episode 4936 min

Ryan Ellis on Selling the WTFC, Reconciliation 2.0, SALT Games, and More

Tax season is in full swing, and on this episode we're joined again by Ryan Ellis, who brings a front-line perspective to the discussion as an IRS Enrolled Agent. His message is a timely one: Americans are benefiting in a big way from the Working Families Tax Cut Act, but too often don't connect those lower tax bills to the policy changes enacted last year, an important reminder as we head into a midterm cycle and a top priority for our Main Street Employers Coalition's ongoing outreach . From there, Ryan breaks down the outlook for "Reconciliation 2.0," before turning to the growing risks around SALT as New York pursues a "haircut" that could undermine our SALT Parity successes nationwide. We close with a look at the broader state tax landscape and the continued migration away from high-tax, high-regulation states, trends that show no signs of slowing. You can find Ryan's work at the Center for a Free Economy: https://www.centerfreeeconomy.org/ and @cfeconomy on X.com.

March 20, 2026Episode 4641 min

What Are They Thinking Out There?

On our latest episode we're joined by Jack Salmon, Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center and contributor to The Unseen and Unsaid . Jack helps us walk through how the aggressive tax policies being considered in California and Washington State will likely shrink the tax base in those states as high earners relocate, investment shifts elsewhere, and revenue projections miss the mark. We also touch on the federal tax outlook and some of the massive fraud being uncovered in federal healthcare programs.

January 30, 2026Episode 4735 min

Jared Walczak on the Wealth Tax Proposal That's Forcing Californians to Flee

On the latest episode of Talking Taxes in a Truck, we're joined by Jared Walczak, Senior Fellow at the Tax Foundation, to unpack California's proposed wealth tax and what it signals for state tax policy nationwide. Walczak explains why the unprecedented 5 percent tax – particularly its aggressive valuation rules for founders with super-voting shares – could dramatically overtax entrepreneurs, invite serious legal challenges, and accelerate capital and job flight. Jared also zooms out to talk national migration patterns, as many states move to cut taxes and boost competitiveness while a small number double down on higher taxes, intensifying interstate tax competition and taxpayer mobility.

December 19, 2025Episode 4633 min

Tom Nichols on the Backdoor Tax Hike That Needs to be Repealed

Our guest is Tom Nichols, partner at the Milwaukee-based Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols, longtime advisor to S-Corp, and author of an excellent new piece exposing the Section 461(l) Excess Business Loss limitation for the money-grabbing fraud it is. Tom walks through the provision's origins, the harm it does to affected businesses, and how flawed revenue estimates drove the policy. We also get into our SALT Parity efforts and how the state laws and legal analysis he drafted helped pave the way for $20 billion in annual tax savings for Main Street businesses.

October 22, 2025Episode 4533 min

Piper Sandler's Don Schneider on OB3's Big Refunds

S-Corp highlighted a recent report by economist Don Schneider quantifying the tax relief millions Americans can expect in the next year as a result of the OB3. It's a big number, so we invited Don, the Deputy Head of US policy at Piper Sandler, to explain why this could be the biggest refund season ever. Don also reviews the future of tariffs (and why they're likely here to stay even if courts weigh in) and shares his thoughts on why the government shutdown might end in early November.

September 30, 2025Episode 4422 min

The Shutdown Edition

Joe Lieber is a founder and co-managing partner of Capitol Policy Partners , a veteran DC insider and a longtime friend of the TTT podcast. With a government shutdown all but inevitable at this point, we asked Joe how long we can expect this fight to play out, whether a grand bargain is in the offing, and the implications of a prolonged funding lapse. Later we get into the prospects of a year-end tax package and whether businesses should or should not expect a second reconciliation bill (Too Big, Too Beautiful?).

September 17, 2025Episode 4331 min

EY's Dianne Mehany Decodes the Big Beautiful Bill

With the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Working Families Tax Cut?) officially the law of the land, how are private companies responding? And where does tax policy go from here? We invited EY Private National Tax Leader Dianne Mehany to the podcast to discuss those questions and more. Dianne breaks down the key provisions and how they're playing with clients (199A, SALT, estate tax). Later we discuss the legislative outlook, new country-by-country reporting requirements, and the advantages of a Ford F-150 over Uber.

April 30, 2025Episode 4238 min

Joe Lieber - Bullish on A Tax Deal

Joe Lieber is a founder and co-managing partner of Capitol Policy Partners , a veteran DC insider and a three-time TTT podcast guest! Joe kicks things off with an overview of the tariff debate and where he thinks things are headed, how the bond markets will react, and whether the levies can be rolled into the budget reconciliation package. We then turn to tax policy, where Joe gives his bull case for the massive tax and spending bill and how it will scale numerous hurdles to get to the President's desk.