Vehicles strategies
20 plays in this category. Each one covers the mechanics, who it fits, and the estimated impact — then generates a deep dive against your own numbers.
- Vehicles
§168(k) + §179 Heavy Vehicle Deduction
6,000+ lb SUV/truck — deduct nearly the full price year 1.
$30K–$60K year-1 tax savings on qualifying vehicle - Vehicles
Fuel & Fleet Cards (WEX / Fleetcor / Shell) for Trade Businesses
Dedicated fuel cards with 25¢/gal rebates, 30-day float, and no personal guarantee.
$3K–$40K/yr fuel rebates + 15–30-day A/P float on fuel spend - Vehicles
GasBuddy + Upside + Fuel Card Triple-Stack
Stack app rebates + fuel card + rewards card for 40–60¢/gal off.
$600–$1,200/yr per driver, $3K–$15K/yr per small fleet - Vehicles
OTR Trucking Diesel Rebate Programs (TCH / EFS / Comdata)
Owner-operators get 20–60¢/gal off diesel via fleet fuel networks — no fee.
$4K–$12K/yr per truck in diesel rebates - Vehicles
§179 + Bonus Depreciation on Heavy SUV/Truck (>6,000 lb GVWR)
Write off up to 100% of a business vehicle over 6,000 lb GVWR in Year 1.
$15K–$40K Year-1 tax savings on $80K–$150K vehicle - Vehicles
Business Vehicle Lease vs Buy Tax Arbitrage
Lease deducts 100% of payments; buy deducts depreciation — pick by term and use.
$5K–$15K/yr vs mis-structured buy on a luxury sedan - Vehicles
EV Lease Loophole — Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit (§45W)
Lease any EV and get the full $7,500 credit — no income cap, no assembly rules.
$7,500 cap cost reduction on any EV lease - Vehicles
Used Clean Vehicle Credit (§25E) — $4,000 on Sub-$25K EVs
30% of purchase price up to $4,000 on qualifying used EVs from a licensed dealer.
$4,000 federal + up to $6,000 state stack - Vehicles
§30C EV Charger Credit — 30% of Home/Business Charger Install
30% credit up to $1,000 (home) / $100,000 (business) on EV charging equipment.
$1K residential / up to $100K business per location - Vehicles
State EV Rebate + Utility Rebate Stack
Stack state rebate + utility rebate + federal credit — $10K–$15K off an EV.
$10,000–$18,000 stacked incentives - Vehicles
S-Corp Accountable Plan Mileage Reimbursement
S-corp reimburses your personal car at IRS rate — tax-free to you, deductible to corp.
$3K–$6K/yr in avoided payroll tax vs W-2 auto allowance - Vehicles
Cross-State Vehicle Sales Tax Arbitrage (Montana LLC)
Montana LLC owns vehicle → 0% sales tax + no state income tax on registration.
6–10% of vehicle purchase price = $15K–$50K on exotic - Vehicles
One-Pay Lease — Trade Cash for a Discounted Money Factor
Prepay entire lease upfront in exchange for a ~0.0005 money factor cut.
$1,500–$3,500 per lease vs monthly-pay equivalent - Vehicles
End-of-Lease Buyout Arbitrage (Equity in Your Lease)
Buy out your lease at contract residual, sell to CarMax/Carvana for the market spread.
$2,000–$10,000 per lease - Vehicles
Credit Union Auto Loan Rate Match
Get pre-approved at PenFed/NFCU/DCU, force the dealer to beat it or lose the sale.
$1,500–$4,000 over loan life on $40K car - Vehicles
Manufacturer Loyalty + Conquest + Costco Auto Stack
Stack $500–$3,000 in factory rebates most buyers never claim.
$2,000–$5,000 in stacked rebates typically overlooked - Vehicles
Off-Lease CPO Arbitrage (12–24 Month Old Luxury)
Buy 1-yr off-lease luxury at 25–35% off MSRP with factory CPO warranty.
$15,000–$30,000 vs new on a $60K–$100K MSRP luxury - Vehicles
SBA 7(a) for Business Vehicle Fleet
10-year, 10% down SBA loan on commercial vehicles vs 5-yr 20% down traditional.
Preserve $30K–$80K working capital per vehicle vs conventional - Vehicles
Equipment Finance Agreement (EFA) — $10K Section 179 with No PG
No-PG business vehicle financing for established biz — $1 buyout for depreciation.
Off-balance-sheet during term + $30K–$60K §179 tax shield - Vehicles
FAVR Reimbursement Plan (Fixed + Variable Rate)
Tax-free vehicle reimbursement that beats the 67¢ IRS rate for high-mileage drivers.
$3K–$6K/employee/yr vs IRS-rate reimbursement, all tax-free