Influential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saunders, MBA - Interview with Ben Golden President of Golden Tax Relief

Episode Date: December 18, 2025

Ben Golden is a speaker, author, serial entrepreneur, and elite tax strategist with over 25 years of experience in tax planning and resolution. Ben has been featured in the Top 100 Entrepreneurs, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. His firms have earned national recognition, including 2 time Top 400 Fastest Growing Companies with Inc. 500 and several BBB awards. Ben is a state wrestling champion, a Top-ranking all-American flag football referee, and a loving husband and father who supports business owners in reducing taxes, protecting wealth, and building a lasting legacy. Ben is most passionate about serving the community and giving back.Learn More: https://goldentaxrelief.com/ + http://bengolden360.com/Influential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-ben-golden-president-of-golden-tax-relief

Welcome to Influential Entrepreneurs, bringing you interviews with elite business leaders and experts, sharing tips and strategies for elevating your business to the next level. Here's your host, Mike Saunders. Hello and welcome to this episode of Influential Entrepreneurs. This is Mike Saunders, the authority positioning coach. Today we have with this Ben Golden, who's the president of Golden Tax Relief. Ben, welcome to the program. how are you doing today mike appreciate you having me hey doing great looking forward to talking with you because you know i'm a big word smith person i love using words the right way and i notice words

and when you hear things like guarantee or relief you know everyone wants tax relief so i'm excited to hear what you do with your clients but before we dive in give us a little bit of your story and background and then how did you get into the industry absolutely so i hail out of Alabama, and I'm here because I have some of my other companies here. And we also have a location in Chicago as well. Born and raised here in Alabama on a small farm, so those are sort of the roots that I have. And I have been doing taxes for about a quarter century now, and absolutely, absolutely love it. I enjoy helping people and advocating people. the right way. And I think we'll get into that a little bit later. But, you know, everyone needs a

true advocate, Mike. You know, you couldn't have said it any better. And I think it's too many times we do business with companies or consultants or service providers that you just kind of go, I'm just done. You know, I just don't, I can't put my figure on it or I can put my finger on it. And I just, we're just not resonating. So an advocate is huge. And an advocate gives us the word picture of someone that's coming alongside you, putting their arm around, you're going, I've got this, I know the way, let me guide you through it. What was it about your training that made you really focus on being that educator and advocate? Because I know that that's something that is very different in any industry. Yeah, so as a young professional, I was bullied by the IRS.

because I'm bullied by the IRS, I learned that if they're going to come after me being a professional, what are they going to do for the layperson that does not understand taxes, does not understand everything to do with the IRS? So because of that, I learned quickly that I needed to advocate because you may not be able to advocate for yourself. And so with the IRS attempting to force me to pay one of my client's debts, I got out of it because I already had an education. I had already taken several classes that I learned the procedures with the IRS.

And because of that, you know, I did not let the IRS attempt to bully me or, you know, use their authority, position, and power. in order to force me to pay a debt for something I didn't know. Yeah. You know, that's pretty powerful, and I know that you use those words really carefully bullying because it really is that or it feels that way as well. And you learn some lessons and then you go, how can I prevent other people? So you say that business owners are overpaying in taxes mainly because they just don't understand the rules. What are some of those misunderstandings that business owners have about

tax planning? And then what do you help do to help them, you know, really clarify that and then avoid it? Yeah, that's exactly right. And that's one of the core messages that I advocate for or talk about is just the fact that it's not that they're doing something wrong. It's just the fact that they're overpaying because they've never been taught how the tax system, well, how it really works, right? So the biggest misunderstanding is that tax planning is all about finding the write-offs. And to me, that's not really planning. That's more along lines of bookkeeping, more than true planning.

True tax planning, it's about structure. It's about understanding, you know, how. or what the IRS actually rewards and how the tax code is really written. And then how can you align your business within the rules instead of fighting against the rules? You know what I mean? Yeah, and you know you mentioned the tax code and I've heard this so I'm going to get pretty close so you can clarify it. isn't the tax code like 40,000 pages long? You know, you almost nailed it.

It's about 75,000 pages long. It's even worse. I knew it was something disgusting. It's almost double what you said. That's exactly right. Yeah. But the point is, who in the world running their business can even begin to comprehend what all is in it and what all would benefit them? And it's almost like you want to go, can I please get a big old PDF version of that,

upload it to your favorite AI, and then create a bot and just ask it, okay, what should I be doing? And I'm confident that that does not exist. But that's what you do for your clients is you need to know how to navigate through that and provide them some great paths. That's exactly right. And I look at myself more as an educator to clients, anything else. It's like, what does the tax code really allow and how does my structure support the goals as well? So how does the structure of the client support the goals that they have? And you're right, even if somebody put the entire tax code in PDF into some sort of AI, you know, they still have to ask the right questions and they have to know what questions they have to ask.

You know, I think that most CPAs, they, they know. never really take the time and work with clients to go through, what does the tax code allow for them? What structure supports the goals for the client? And not only that, but how does it protect them during an audit? You know, we want clients to feel more, I would say, empowered. Because I think the more that they understand about how the system works and how they are compliant, then I think it really connects to more of a long-term financial vision or a long-term goal for them. So I personally, I'm not really intimidated by the IRS. I feel like it's really my job to help the client be in control and feel like they understand more because they're in control.

You know, when people understand more about the rules, I think that they'll gain more of a peace of mind to know, hey, look, I am truly doing this right. And I think that that's really what true tax planning should deliver is that feeling of oh yeah i i think i got this sort of that piece of mind you know what i mean yeah and it kind of from the layperson in my perspective hearing you say that it makes me think of like the order taker like um okay i'll take three units of x and the person goes okay here you go versus the um educator and advocate that goes okay let's figure out why you're asking for

that what do you want to accomplish and in your case you are are having certain go-toes regarding right-offs or opportunities or strategies that you have in your back pocket. But then you're listening to the business owner going, okay, well, let's ask these questions and let's go a little bit deeper. And then you're kind of taking, you know, this piece and that piece and putting it together into that plan and strategy. And you've developed something called the Golden Path. Talk a little bit about that. That's right. So the Golden Path is a proven process that I've built after creating over 700 tax plans. Wow.

And, you know, I've helped more than 1,000 people navigate IRS issues as well. So I created the Golden Path, and it's a blueprint that ensures that clients are, they're not only just saving money this year, but it's building something that's sustainable, what I call evergreen, and compliant for the future. as well. Now, the Golden Path has three steps in it. Can I go over those real quick? Yeah, of course. Wonderful. Thanks. So the first step is what I call mapping the path. Now, that's where we start to understand where the client is today. I look at what their goals are, what are their fears, you know, what does their cash flow look like? And what areas are, what areas are

Are they, let's say, unintentionally leaking money to what I call, you know, tax strategies that aren't efficient, right? You know, most people have never had someone slow down and look at sort of the entire picture. And that's where I think clarity begins. You know, Mike, I'm a full believer that you never get on a train, plane, or bus without knowing the destination. You have to map out the path to know where you're going to go because, yeah, you could use a train, excuse me, you could use a bus to get to San Francisco from Alabama. It's just going to take you a lot longer. It may be more, you know, economical, but it's not going to be an easy path. Whereas it's like they've said begin with the end in mind.

That's exactly right. And that's what mapping the path is all about. We have to start with the end in mind. Now, the second step is all about using what I call the golden tools. You know, and this is where I ethically stacked strategies based on the IRS code, right, based on the regulations, based on the case law. Now, my background is a little bit more in tax resolution, and that gives me what I would consider an advantage because I believe I know what is going to trigger an audit. And because I know what's going to trigger the audit, I know how to avoid those triggers. So when using the tax code and case law as the foundation and sort of the guardrails,

then I think the strategy can be used as what I call the tool set or the tools to put that strategy in play. Okay? So number one, we map the path. number two, we use the golden tools, and then number three, we embark upon that quest. And this is all about implementation. A tax plan is absolutely worthless if it's not executed. And, you know, we walk a client step by step through what they need to do, what they need to do, when, how they need to do it, so they're confident, so they're

And so it's a proactive strategy. And so it reminds me of the old saying knowledge is power. You know, knowledge is not power. You've got to put it into action. And what you put together with the map and then the tools and you hand it to someone, let's say, or you go over it with them. That's wonderful. That's knowledge. But it does not do one thing until you implement.

I like that progression. That's exactly right. So I'm going to bring you back to the farm real quick. Is that okay, Mike? Yeah. So this is what I like to tell people. Have you ever had to go over a barbed wire fence? So if you had, you know that the first thing you do is you hold the barbed wire down and then you throw that first leg over.

That's just like starting the plan. If you start the plan, that's great. But if you let go of that bar wire when you're in the middle of it, it's going to grab you and it's not going to be, it definitely will be painful. It's not going to be easy, right? you've got to hold on to that bar wire until you implement until you throw that second leg over and now you can get really on that golden path, right? So if you don't implement, it's like you're not crossing over that bar wire fence. You know what I mean? Yeah.

Yeah, that's a good point. You know, you mentioned golden tools and I'm sure there's dozens and dozens. Give us an example of a golden tool, what that would look like. So the first thing that we look at is your entity. And are you inside the correct entity for not only asset protection, but also for income tax savings? So should you be an LLC, should you be a C corporation, we've all heard about an S corp. You know, that's one of the favorite things that a lot of people like to go to. But I like to map the path before we know, yeah, let's do an S corp or let's not.

It really depends on the circumstance more than anything else. But that's one of the first things that I look at. And it's not only about income tax savings, I look at other things like asset protection or do we want to build a legacy for the future and things of that nature too. You know, I'm not going to put something in play that's going to create friction in other areas or I do my best to stop friction in other areas. Yeah, that would be good. good example of one of the tools yeah yeah that's a good idea and and i would also venture to say this someone might hear a couple things like oh you need to make sure and and go google oh how can i and that is just a recipe for disaster i can only imagine because whatever google would say might not be right for them

and it might not be right at all that's exactly right i mean google's going to give you you know, conflicting statements sometimes. And then you start wondering, well, am I in the right place or should I be in this place? Or what should I do? You know, we've always heard your doctor tells you one thing. And then you go and you web MD it. And the next thing you know, you know, you've got something that's three times worse with seven times the side effects. And, you know, you're on death's doorway.

So, you know, I think Google and the Internet, it's wonderful, and it gives you a lot of information. I think information is the key, but it's not the only thing that you should pay attention to. Yep. Yep, that's a great point. You know, you mentioned the tax resolution, and I know you've helped hundreds or many hundreds of people with that, IRS resolution, problems, liens, all of that. What do entrepreneurs need to know about navigating through that? that and what is your first step when someone comes to you and says, I've got this issue, how are you going to help them, you know, not feel overwhelmed or intimidated?

Because anytime you hear those three letters, a little pit in your stomach seems to start welling up, huh? Exactly. You know, I think that, you know, those are the most feared letters in the alphabet when put together, right? It's right up there with IRS is right up there with FBI, right? We don't, nobody wants to see that coming. Or it's right up there with, I'm with the government, I'm here to help.

Ronald Reagan was 100% right, you know. That's one thing that is scary to hear. So, you know, if somebody faces IRS problems, you know, there's two things that the IRS is going to look at and say, number one, hey, you're under audit, we think you owe more. Or number two, you actually do owe more and you can't afford. afford to pay it, you know? Yeah. The first thing I tell business owners are people in problems is number one, look, you're not alone. And I, Mike, I've seen some really, really bad cases. Chances are, the case that they have is not the worst one that I've ever seen. Yeah. The IRS really has one job, and that's really to collect money. And they don't really care who they get it from. And when you're,

when you're dealing with them, you know, you are up against the, entire government, and they're not going to give you a guide. They're not going to say, oh, well, these are your options. They're just going to say, hey, you owe us this. And, you know, that's where I'm going to step in. That's where we want to step in. And my philosophy is pretty simple. I want to look at every tax problem through more than one lens. You know, I want to look at it from the legal standpoint, the law, and what does the IRS allow? And I also want to look at it from what is the situation and the human being behind the situation? Yeah. More likely than not, it's a great person that's fallen into a bad situation that has created where they are. You know,

people fall behind with the IRS because of many, many reasons that, you know, illness or divorce, or the death of a family member or or even something a little bit easier like bad bookkeeping or you know the company grew too fast and their their eye wasn't made on the right thing you know but the IRS doesn't care about the story but we do yeah and and if you can tell the story the right way ahead of time it's the thought that popped into my mind is It's like in sales, if you can present and explain and educate to overcome an objection before it comes up, then it's never friction. So if you can prep and do things ahead of time, then you're not going to have the potential audit or the things. You just need to be looking a few steps down the road.

That's exactly right. And because we've been through these cases and helped a lot of people, we've been in that position and we know what the next step is. We know how to determine the best path forward for the client if it's going to be, you know, a payment plan or penalty abatement or an offer and compromise, trying to negotiate the total amount that you pay, or fighting the IRS, IRS saying, hey, look, they really don't owe this money. And it could be as simple as getting someone into full compliance as well. You know, we've seen a lot of different things. And, you know, it means that our clients are going to get us a real solution. And not only a real solution, but we do our best to make sure that it's one that they can live with. And it's a solution that's what I consider ethical and it's backed by the tax

code so we're going to do everything in our power to work inside the lines that we're given to make sure that the client is well taken care of 100% well i tell you it's really interesting and powerful to hear that someone is out there being that guide advocate you know let me you know grab the machete and and forge ahead through the jungle and help the people out that are entrepreneurs and business owners with these, you know, prep with bookkeeping and tax prep to planning to then resolution if the time comes up. So this has been really enlightening, Ben. What's the best way that someone can learn a little bit more about what you do and reach out and connect? Yeah, absolutely. The best way to connect with me is to go to my

website, ben golden 360.com. That's ben golden 360.com. In the top, left, they can hit the connect, the contact button, and they can either call me, text me, or email me there. And then there again on that website, they can connect with me socially and learn a little bit more about me and about my businesses, even about my service animal Xiler. So, you know, Ben Golden-360.com, that's the best way to connect with me. excellent ben well thank you so much for coming on it's been a real pleasure chatting with you mike i appreciate it and thank you so very much you've been listening to influential entrepreneurs with mike saunders to learn more about the resources mentioned on today's show or

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