E47: The Three Entity Structure That Keeps Your Cash Your IP and Your Business Safe ft. Clint Coons

In this live session, attorney and Anderson Business Advisors co-founder Clint Coons breaks down the asset protection and tax strategies every business owner needs before a lawsuit, an audit, or a bad decision catches them off guard. With a portfolio of 200 properties and over 500 employees, Clint teaches from real experience — including stories about his wife, his daughter, and a client who paid hundreds of thousands in unnecessary taxes before finally listening. This episode is a practical playbook for structuring your business, protecting your intellectual property, and legally reducing what you owe the IRS — especially if you are investing in AI.   Timeline Highlights [00:01] Clint introduces Anderson Business Advisors and his background as an attorney and real estate investor [02:53] Why most business owners delay entity structuring until it is too late [03:14] How many business owners have been sued — and what the real cost of a lawsuit actually is [04:31] Why asset protection works best before a lawsuit not after the horse has left the barn [05:00] The business card mistake that can pierce your LLC protection without you knowing [08:31] How AI use creates new legal risks — discrimination claims copyright infringement and data exposure [10:15] The ADA compliance shakedown and how attorneys are weaponizing tech against small businesses [12:11] Real story — how a spouse driving for the business nearly created major liability [16:24] How real estate owned in your personal name can expose your entire business to lawsuits [22:08] The three entity structure — business LLC, IP LLC, and safe cash LLC explained [23:19] Why you should never let your business sit on a large cash balance [24:00] Using Wyoming LLCs to create a privacy shield no creditor can penetrate [26:46] The friendly lien strategy — how to loan money back to your own business for added protection [28:47] The four tax code sections every AI business owner needs to know right now [32:05] Section 162 ordinary business expenses — when in doubt deduct [32:56] How setting up as an S Corporation reduces employment taxes immediately [33:16] R&D tax credits for AI investment and how they compound over time [33:37] Section 199A — how to take 20% of your income completely tax free [34:21] Real example — how one business owner saved $23,000 in taxes using these four strategies [40:55] The cost mindset versus the investment mindset and why one keeps you stuck [42:37] How Clint got distracted by shiny AI tools and what his CEO told him that changed everything [44:18] Why focusing on high value work and delegating the rest is what actually scales a business   Five Key Takeaways Asset protection only works if it is in place before a lawsuit happens — not after. Separating your IP into its own LLC means you can lose a business and still generate income. Wyoming LLCs give you complete privacy that most other states simply do not offer. Investing in AI may qualify you for R&D tax credits that grow larger every year you use them. Stop asking what something costs and start asking what it is going to do for your business.   Closing If this episode opened your eyes to the gaps in your business structure and gave you a clearer picture of how to protect what you are building, be sure to follow, rate, review, and share the podcast. Your support helps us keep bringing sessions like this one to you. We'll see you in the next episode.