Introduction
Few figures in the financial education space generate as much curiosity — and as many Google searches — as Ron Fossum Jr. Some people find him through his Tax Hacker Podcast. Others come across his name while researching tax reduction strategies for small business owners. And a meaningful number arrive via his SEC regulatory history, trying to piece together exactly who he is before deciding whether to trust him with their finances.
This article covers all of it. No spin, no cheerleading, no hit piece — just a thorough, fact-based account of Ron Fossum Jr.’s background, career, credentials, controversies, and current work. By the time you finish reading, you will have everything you need to make an informed judgment.
Who Is Ron Fossum Jr.?
Early Life and Background
Ron Fossum Jr. was born on January 17, 1967, in Anchorage, Alaska. He stayed in Alaska until around age 15, when his family relocated to Casper, Wyoming, where he graduated high school in 1985. In 1992 he moved to the Seattle area, and at 27 married his wife, Sharon.
His educational background is not extensively documented in public records. What stands out instead is his pattern of combining hands-on business experience with ongoing financial certifications — a path more common among entrepreneurial financial advisors than those who follow a traditional academic route.
Credentials and Designations
Ron Fossum Jr. holds the designations of CMP (Certified Management Planner), CSA (Certified Senior Advisor), and RFC (Registered Financial Consultant). He has also qualified for the Million Dollar Round Table, which he describes as the premier association for financial professionals — typically restricted to the top 1% of financial service professionals globally.
These designations do not function the same way as a CPA or CFP license. Anyone evaluating his credentials should verify each designation’s current standing independently through the issuing organization.
Ron Fossum Jr.’s Career Timeline
Insurance and Early Financial Services
Ron Fossum entered the insurance industry in 1999 and, within eight months, became one of the top-selling agents for Mutual of Omaha. He quickly expanded his practice to cover all forms of insurance, investments, tax structuring, and planning services.
That rapid rise gave him exposure to a wide range of business owners across different industries — experience that would later shape his approach to tax strategy and financial advisory work.
Real Estate and Business Ownership
Ron Fossum Jr. has built, bought, and sold over a dozen companies throughout his career. One notable chapter involved purchasing 400 homes during the real estate crisis — a contrarian move that paid off substantially. He has also experienced significant losses, including an investment in oil in 2015, approximately 18 months before prices dropped from $145 to $28 per barrel.
That combination of wins and failures is something he discusses openly in interviews. It’s an unusual approach for someone in the financial services world, where professionals often project only polished success stories.
Evolution into Tax Strategy
With over 20 years of experience in financial strategy, tax planning, and business consulting, Ron Fossum Jr. became nationally recognized as a tax strategist and financial educator focused on helping business owners and high-income earners legally reduce their tax liability.
His shift toward tax strategy reflected a gap he observed repeatedly: most financial planners focus only on assets, and most tax planners focus only on liabilities. His approach aims to address both sides of the balance sheet simultaneously to accelerate client goals.
What Ron Fossum Jr. Does Today
TaxPlanWealth.com
Ron Fossum Jr. runs his own tax planning practice, TaxPlanWealth.com, with an entire focus on reducing clients’ tax bills by 50% or more — legally, morally, and ethically.
The service targets three main client types:
- Small business owners looking to restructure their entities for tax efficiency
- Real estate investors seeking legal deductions, depreciation strategies, and entity protection
- High-income earners who feel they are overpaying and want a proactive annual strategy
According to the IRS, the average small business owner overpays taxes by $12,000–$17,000 per year due to missed deductions and poor planning — a figure that underscores why services like this have a genuine market.
Fractional CFO Services
In addition to his tax planning practice, Ron Fossum Jr. serves as a fractional CFO, providing financial management and advice to multiple companies on a part-time or project basis.
A Fractional CFO gives growing companies access to senior-level financial leadership without the cost of a full-time hire — a model that has grown substantially in the U.S. over the last decade. According to a 2023 report by the CFO Alliance, demand for fractional CFO services grew by over 35% between 2019 and 2023 as small businesses sought enterprise-grade financial guidance post-pandemic.
The Tax Hacker Podcast
Ron Fossum Jr. hosts the Tax Hacker Podcast, where he simplifies complex tax strategies for everyday entrepreneurs. The podcast covers topics like entity structuring, real estate tax plays, S-Corp election timing, and deduction categories that most business owners overlook.
Podcast episodes frequently feature guest interviews and real case studies — a format that has earned him a consistent listener base among business owners who want actionable tax education rather than abstract theory.
Speaking Engagements and Media
Ron Fossum Jr. has shared the stage with notable figures including John Mackey, Les Brown, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Ryan Moran, Jeff Hoffman, Alicia Silverstone, JP Sears, and Mike Dillard.
He has been featured on Fox Business, MSNBC, NBC, and ABC as a tax expert, and was also interviewed and featured in the CD portion of Success magazine. His public appearances typically focus on legal tax reduction frameworks and real estate investing strategy.
Core Services Offered by Ron Fossum Jr.
Understanding what he actually delivers helps separate substance from marketing. His primary service areas include:
- Tax Planning Reviews — a comprehensive analysis of a client’s current tax position with specific, actionable recommendations
- Entity Structuring — advising on LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or trust structures based on income level and business type
- Asset Protection Planning — corporate veil strategies and structuring to separate personal and business liability
- Real Estate Tax Strategies — depreciation acceleration, cost segregation, and 1031 exchange guidance
- Fractional CFO Engagements — ongoing financial management for companies that need CFO-level oversight without the full-time cost
- Board of Advisors Roles — Ron Fossum Jr. has served on the board of advisors for numerous companies across various industries, providing strategic advice, insights, and guidance to help businesses achieve their goals.
The SEC Matter: A Complete, Factual Account
What the SEC Alleged
This section deserves a thorough treatment because it is widely searched and often misrepresented in both directions — either buried or exaggerated.
According to the SEC’s complaint, from approximately March 2011 to June 2016, Ron Fossum Jr. raised more than $20 million from over one hundred investors through unregistered securities offerings of three investment funds he owned and controlled: Accelerated Asset Group, LLC; Smart Money Secured Income Fund, LLC; and Turnkey Investment Fund, LLC.
The SEC alleged that Fossum raised $20 million from more than 100 investors, promising returns of 8% to 12% annually, purportedly through investing in distressed debt, oil and gas, and real estate. The funds filed for bankruptcy in June 2016, and the SEC stated that it was “not probable” there would be sufficient assets for any meaningful repayment of the $20 million raised.
The Consent Judgment
In June 2018, a federal court entered a final consent judgment against Fossum. Under that judgment, he agreed to pay back $840,729 plus prejudgment interest of $110,823, was assessed a civil penalty of $320,000, and was permanently enjoined from violating various sections of U.S. securities law. He was also barred from participating in roles as a broker, dealer, or investment adviser.
The total financial consequence came to approximately $1.27 million in combined disgorgement, interest, and civil penalties.
What the Judgment Was — and Was Not
Ron Fossum Jr. was not convicted of a criminal offense. The SEC case resulted in a consent judgment and civil penalties, but no criminal trial or conviction. A consent judgment is a legal agreement where the defendant agrees to certain terms without admitting or denying all allegations — it does not carry the same status as a criminal conviction.
The distinction matters for context, but so does the substance: over 100 investors lost money, funds went bankrupt, and a federal court imposed permanent injunctions and significant financial penalties. Both facts deserve equal weight when evaluating his background.
How Ron Fossum Jr. Has Addressed It
In his own public statements, Ron Fossum Jr. has addressed the SEC matter directly: “Like many entrepreneurs, I’ve navigated both wins and losses. That experience taught me invaluable lessons about compliance, transparency, and the weight of responsibility that comes with leadership. Since then, I’ve dedicated my career to helping others avoid costly mistakes by building ethical, tax-smart strategies rooted in integrity and real-world knowledge.”
Whether that transparency is sufficient is a judgment each prospective client must make for themselves.
What Due Diligence Looks Like Before Hiring a Tax Strategist
Anyone evaluating Ron Fossum Jr. — or any financial advisor in the tax strategy space — should complete the following steps before engaging:
- Verify current registrations via FINRA BrokerCheck and the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database
- Check state licensing for any tax preparation or financial advisory work in your state
- Request a written engagement agreement before paying any fees
- Ask specifically about the SEC matter and review the publicly available court documents directly
- Speak with current or past clients independently, not through referrals provided by the advisor
- Confirm that all strategies recommended are reviewed by a licensed CPA who is not affiliated with the advisor
The IRS estimates that fraudulent tax scheme promoters cost American taxpayers billions annually. Due diligence is not optional — it is the baseline expectation for any engagement that involves your finances.
Client Feedback: What People Report
Client reviews on his website describe his work positively: one client noted being able to reduce taxes by over 75% in a single year, while others praised his team as “the most kind, attentive, and wildly knowledgeable experts.”
These testimonials are self-selected and published on his own platform, so they should be weighed accordingly. Independent reviews on third-party platforms provide a more balanced picture and are worth seeking out before making any financial commitment.
FAQ: Common Questions About Ron Fossum Jr.
1. Was Ron Fossum Jr. convicted of a crime?
No. The SEC enforcement action against Ron Fossum Jr. resulted in a civil consent judgment, not a criminal conviction. He agreed to pay disgorgement, interest, and a civil penalty totaling approximately $1.27 million and accepted permanent injunctions against securities violations. He did not admit or deny all allegations as part of the settlement. The matter was civil and regulatory, not criminal — an important distinction, though not one that diminishes the seriousness of the case.
2. What services does Ron Fossum Jr. currently offer?
Ron Fossum Jr. currently offers tax planning through TaxPlanWealth.com, fractional CFO services, entity structuring advice, asset protection planning, and board of advisors engagements. He also hosts the Tax Hacker Podcast and takes speaking engagements focused on legal tax reduction for business owners and real estate investors. His services are aimed at entrepreneurs, high-income earners, and real estate investors seeking proactive, strategy-driven financial planning.
3. Is Ron Fossum Jr. a licensed CPA?
Based on publicly available information, Ron Fossum Jr. is not a licensed CPA (Certified Public Accountant). He holds the CMP, CSA, and RFC designations. His work operates in the tax strategy and financial planning space rather than as a licensed tax preparer or CPA. Anyone using his strategies should ensure they are also reviewed and implemented by a licensed CPA or tax attorney who carries formal regulatory accountability and professional liability.
4. Can Ron Fossum Jr. really reduce taxes by 50% or more?
The claim is ambitious, but legal tax reduction of this magnitude is achievable in specific situations — particularly for business owners who have never used entity structuring, S-Corp elections, or proactive deduction planning. The actual reduction will vary widely based on each client’s income level, entity type, industry, and existing tax structure. No tax reduction outcome is guaranteed, and any strategy must comply with current IRS rules. Independent verification by a licensed CPA is always recommended before implementation.
5. How should I evaluate a tax strategist like Ron Fossum Jr.?
Start with independent verification: check FINRA BrokerCheck, the SEC’s IAPD database, and your state’s licensing board. Ask for references that you source independently, not through the advisor. Request written engagement agreements before any payment. Review all recommended strategies with a licensed CPA. Evaluate whether promised results sound realistic given your specific financial situation. The hallmarks of a trustworthy tax professional are transparency about credentials, willingness to work alongside your existing advisors, and strategies documented clearly in writing.
Conclusion
Ron Fossum Jr. is a complex professional whose story contains genuine expertise, notable media presence, real client results, and a serious regulatory chapter that anyone considering his services should understand fully before proceeding.
His career trajectory — from insurance sales to real estate investing, financial education, and tax strategy — gives him practical experience that purely academic advisors often lack. His willingness to discuss the SEC matter publicly, rather than hide it, reflects a transparency that at least some clients find credible.
At the same time, the facts of the SEC case are documented in federal court records and are not in dispute: over 100 investors lost money, three funds went bankrupt, and a consent judgment imposed permanent securities industry restrictions and over $1.27 million in financial consequences.
The right approach is to engage with all of this honestly. If you are researching Ron Fossum Jr. with a view to working with him, conduct thorough due diligence using independent sources, verify every credential, and ensure any tax strategy he recommends is reviewed by a licensed CPA or tax attorney before implementation.
Take action: Start your due diligence now — visit FINRA BrokerCheck, review the SEC’s public filings, and speak with an independent CPA before making any financial decisions based on the advice of any tax strategist, including Ron Fossum Jr.
