SOUTHLAKE, Texas. Karolyn Diaz CPA, a Southlake accounting firm serving startups and small business owners across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, has published a guide for business owners on using SEP IRAs and Solo 401(k)s to reduce taxable income. The article is available at kdiazcpa.com, with a companion video on the firm's YouTube channel.

The guide addresses a pattern the firm sees each year: owners who treat tax planning as a filing deadline rather than a year-round decision. It explains how a Simplified Employee Pension IRA works as an employer-only contribution, how a Solo 401(k) allows an owner without employees to contribute as both employer and employee, and why the choice between them depends on income, cash flow, and plans to hire.

Equal weight to the trade-offs

The article gives equal weight to the trade-offs. Contributions to either plan are generally locked until retirement age, so the guide asks owners to weigh current cash needs and reinvestment plans before contributing, and it notes that the amount an owner may contribute must be calculated rather than assumed, particularly in a loss year.

"Most business owners we meet stop at compliance. They file, they pay, and they move on," said Karolyn Diaz, CPA, founder of Karolyn Diaz CPA. "The decisions that change a tax bill happen months before the return is due. A retirement plan is one of the few tools that lowers taxable income this year and builds something for the owner at the same time, and it only works if you plan for it."

Who the guide is for

The guide is written for single-member LLC owners, self-employed professionals, and business owners with consistent or growing income. It is educational and does not replace individual advice; the firm offers an initial consultation for owners who want to know which plan fits and how much they can contribute.

The article was published in September 2026 and the companion video followed on the firm's YouTube channel, part of an ongoing series in which the firm explains tax strategy for business owners in plain language.

About Karolyn Diaz CPA

Karolyn Diaz CPA (Karolyn Diaz, CPA, PLLC) is a Southlake, Texas accounting firm serving startups and small business owners across the DFW metroplex, with a focus on minority and women-owned businesses. The firm provides accounting and bookkeeping, tax preparation and strategy, advisory and fractional CFO services, controller services, payroll coordination, and business startup services, in English and Spanish. Founder Karolyn Diaz is a Texas CPA with an MBA in Finance from the University of North Texas and more than ten years of corporate experience, including eight years at PwC and financial accounting advisory at Embark. She is a first-generation college graduate and serves as Treasurer and CFO of the Latina Wealth Circle Foundation. Learn more at https://www.kdiazcpa.com.

Media contact: Karolyn Diaz, CPA, Karolyn Diaz CPA, admin@kdiazcpa.com, +1-214-233-6520. 1560 E Southlake Blvd #256, Southlake, TX 76092.

Contact Information:

Karolyn Diaz CPA

1560 E Southlake Blvd #256
Southlake, TX 76092
United States

Karolyn Diaz
+1-214-233-6520
https://www.kdiazcpa.com