Tax Secrets for Real People, with Hannah Cole

Money Girl

Macmillan Holdings, LLC

Education, Business, Investing, Entrepreneurship, How To

4.6 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 11 March 2026

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

1002. Taxes don’t have to be a source of shame or a "black box" of confusion. Whether you’re a lifelong artist, a side-hustler, or a traditional employee, understanding the tax code is the ultimate power move for your bank account.

In this episode, Laura sits down with Hannah Cole, an Enrolled Agent, working artist, and founder of Sunlight Tax. Hannah specializes in bringing "tax literacy to the humans"—specifically those who feel like the "black sheep" of the business world. They dive into the mindset shifts needed to conquer financial fear and the tangible steps you can take to legally pay less to the IRS.

What We Discuss:

The Mindset Shift: Why money is "neutral" and how to stop letting "starving artist" stereotypes gatekeep your wealth.
The Cost of Confusion: Why a lack of tax literacy costs the average American over $1,000 a year (and much more for entrepreneurs).
Self-Employment 101: A breakdown of the 15.3% self-employment tax and why your "boss hat" and "employee hat" both owe a cut.
"One Big Beautiful Bill" Updates: How new laws affecting overtime, tips, and the SALT deduction (increased to $40,000) change your 2025/2026 filings.
The "Trump Account": What new parents need to know about the $1,000 government contribution for babies born in 2025 and beyond.
Deduction Goldmines: From startup expenses you can claim retroactively to the VIN Decoder tool for car loan interest deductions.
Tax Calm: Practical "Atomic Habits" to make bookkeeping feel like a peaceful ritual rather than a chore.

Find Hannah at SunlightTax.com.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	If you're like most people, the topic of taxes is quite intimidating and may even make you feel
0:12.0	overwhelmed every year, especially if you're self-employed. But no matter your comfort level
0:17.8	with taxes, I have a special guest who can make even the most complex
0:22.2	IRS codes feel lighter and easier. First, I want to welcome you back to the Money Girl
0:27.8	podcast. I'm Laura Adams, an award-winning author, spokesperson, money speaker, and founder of the
0:34.0	money stack. That's my substack newsletter. And of course, host of this podcast,
0:39.5	Money Girl with over 44 million downloads. You can always connect with me, send your money question,
0:46.0	and sign up for the money stack, and learn more at laura d.adams.com. Joining me today is Hannah Cole. She's the founder of Sunlight Tax, where she specializes in
0:58.4	friendly, informative tax education for creatives, artists, and people who feel like the
1:03.9	black sheep of the business world. She's the author of the brand new book, Taxes for Humans,
1:09.9	simplify your taxes and Change the World
1:12.5	When You're Self-employed. And there's also a companion workbook. Hannah is also the host of the
1:18.7	Sunlight Tax Podcast. What I find so interesting about Hannah is that she's a long-time
1:26.7	working artist who also became an enrolled
1:30.3	agent. That's a tax credential awarded by the IRS. She's dedicated her career to empowering people
1:36.9	to understand their taxes, conquer their financial fears, and maximize their tax benefits.
1:43.1	So whether you're a creative entrepreneur or an employee
1:47.1	who just wants to understand how to legally pay less tax, this episode is for you.
1:53.2	Hannah and I discuss ways to shift your money mindset and overcome any negative money emotions.
1:59.7	We talk about misconceptions that creatives and entrepreneurs have about taxes.
2:05.2	We cover common tax mistakes that are extremely expensive.
2:09.3	We cover changes that are in the one big beautiful bill that affect your taxes now.
	...

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