ow Businesses Can Unlock Hidden Tax Incentives: Insights from Q and Joe Fortune
B2B Vault: The Biz-to-Biz Podcast, powered by Nationwide Payment Systems and our all-in-one gateway NPSOne, is all about educating business owners on the tools, strategies, and opportunities that help them grow. In this episode, host Allen Kopelman sat down with Q and Joe Fortune of Good Fortune to talk about an overlooked business advantage: government-backed tax incentives that can save companies thousands of dollars per employee, per year.
From payroll tax credits to hiring incentives and wellness-based programs, there are dozens of ways for businesses with as few as 10 employees to put money back into their operations—yet less than 1% of eligible businesses are actually taking advantage.
- 🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube: How Businesses Can Unlock Hidden Tax Incentives | B2B Vault Podcast
Meet Q and Joe Fortune
Q Fortune describes himself as the “Papa Bear” of the family business. After a career in corporate America, he was pulled out of retirement by his son Joe to help scale their company. Together, they’ve built Good Fortune, a family-run firm that specializes in helping businesses unlock tax benefits that most accountants or owners don’t even know exist.
Joe Fortune comes from a background in entertainment, art, and tech, but ultimately found his passion in helping companies create efficiency through tax savings. Today, he leads the charge on identifying programs like the Preventative Health Initiative (PHI) wellness credit, as well as dozens of other hidden opportunities built into the IRS code.
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How the Wellness Tax Incentive Works
One of the Fortune team’s most popular strategies leverages a payroll-based wellness incentive:
- Businesses with 10+ W-2 employees can qualify.
- By offering employees access to a wellness program, the company reduces its FICA tax burden.
- Savings average $500–$600 per employee per year.
- 75% of the savings go directly into employee benefits (like cash-value life insurance and telemedicine), while the business retains 25%.
It’s not “free money”—it’s a structured reallocation of payroll taxes that the government designed to encourage healthier, more productive employees.
Beyond Wellness: Other Incentives Businesses Miss
Q and Joe explained that there are over 2,100 business-related tax codes on the books. A few standouts include:
- R&D Credits: For businesses developing new processes, technology, or products.
- Cost Segregation: Real estate-based depreciation that can accelerate tax write-offs.
- Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC): Incentives for hiring veterans, individuals with disabilities, or other designated groups (worth up to $9,600 per hire).
- Employee Retention and Payroll-Related Credits: Still available in some cases, though heavily regulated after pandemic abuse.
While Fortune’s clients range from businesses with 10 employees to those with 30,000, the majority of eligible U.S. businesses simply never claim what’s available.
Why Aren’t More Companies Taking Advantage?
Despite the potential savings, less than 1% of qualifying U.S. businesses utilize these programs. Why?
- Lack of awareness: many owners and even CPAs don’t know the programs exist.
- Fear of complexity: business owners assume applying will be time-consuming.
- Misconceptions about “free money”: when in reality, these are compliance-driven credits tied to payroll and hiring.
The good news? The programs are designed to be plug-and-play. Fortune’s team handles the compliance and backend, requiring minimal effort from the employer beyond standard payroll reporting.
Who Qualifies?
- Companies with 10+ employees (Fortune’s sweet spot is 50–200).
- Both for-profit businesses and nonprofits (as long as they pay payroll).
- Industries with W-2 employees in management, administration, and operations roles.
- Smaller companies with 5–9 employees may soon see options as insurers like New York Life develop expanded programs.
Why This Matters in 2025
With rising wages, insurance premiums, and retention challenges, businesses need every advantage they can find. These incentives not only free up cash flow but also help companies attract and retain talent by funding health and financial wellness benefits without increasing payroll costs.
As Q put it: “The same multinational companies like Apple, Google, and Staples use these programs to keep 30–40% more of their revenue. The same tools are available to small businesses—if they know where to look.”
How to Learn More
Interested in exploring tax incentives for your business?
- Visit GoodFortune.biz to connect with Q and Joe Fortune.
- Listen to the full episode of B2B Vault: The Biz-to-Biz Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
- Explore smart invoicing, payment links, and integrated payment solutions at NationwidePaymentSystems.com.
Final Thoughts
Running a business is expensive—and nothing is getting cheaper. But with the right partners and knowledge, you can reclaim thousands of dollars that are already available to you through payroll and hiring tax incentives.
At Nationwide Payment Systems, we’re committed to helping businesses find efficiencies not just in payments, but across all areas of operations. That’s why we bring experts like Q and Joe Fortune onto the B2B Vault Podcast—to keep you informed, prepared, and profitable.
Listen to the Full Episode
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FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum number of employees needed to qualify for payroll tax incentives?
Typically, you need at least 10 W-2 employees to qualify.
How much can a business save per employee?
Most businesses save an average of $500–$600 per employee annually.
Do nonprofits qualify for these incentives?
Yes, as long as they run payroll, nonprofits can access these programs.
What kinds of benefits do employees receive from these incentives?
Employees can access wellness benefits, telemedicine, and even cash-value life insurance policies.
How does business benefit directly?
Employers keep 25% of the payroll tax savings while providing valuable benefits that help with retention and recruiting.
