Robert Kiyosaki: How To Use Debt and Tax Laws To Make Money Now
Written by
Nicholas Morine
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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Robert Kiyosaki may be better-known for his current takes on investing via the purchase of silver, gold or bitcoin — with the precious metals being on a historic run-up as of late, per Forbes — but he also recently took the time to offer up a wealth-creation scenario that savvy investors might do well to scale up or down, as their means allow.
In a Facebook post, the “Rich Dad Poor Dad” author began his pitch by suggesting that the traditional advice around avoiding debt was flawed.
Kiyosaki said instead of working for money, rich people leverage debt to purchase assets that generate income and apply tax strategies to retain a greater share of their earnings. He then outlined his five-step example tied to real estate investments.
Step 1: Buy the Asset Using OPM (Other People’s Money)
Kiyosaki depicted an example of purchasing an apartment building for $10 million — $7.5 million from the bank and $2.5 million in down payment pooled from willing investors.
This hypothetical apartment complex brings in $750,000 in net operating income (NOI) annually or about a 7.5% cap rate (cap rate being the net income divided by the cost or value of the property). Kiyosaki figured that, after paying an estimated $569,000 a year in bank loans, $181,000 in cash flow remains.
Step 2: Leverage Depreciation To Slash Taxes
Here, Kiyosaki outlined that residential real estate depreciates over 27.5 years or $291,000 per year in his figuring. This leads to a $110,000 loss on paper, versus $181,000 in actual cash hitting one’s bank account.
“Result? No taxes owed. I got paid and legally showed a loss,” he wrote.
Step 3: Force Appreciation by Investing in Property Improvements
Next, Kiyosaki’s figurative landlord would drop serious coin on improving the apartment units, add more washers and dryers, add parking fees, charge pet rent — anything to drive NOI up by about $350,000.
Step 4: Cash-Out Refinancing or ‘Tax-Free Money’
Kiyosaki now assumes that the bank will go for a refinancing of the property at 70% of the newly-minted value.
His numbers: “New loan: $10.7 million. Pay off old loan: $7.5 million. Return investors’ money: $2.5 million. Extra cash out (tax-free): $700,000+”
If this works out as the author and finance guru suggested, the property owner is now sitting on $300,000 (or more) per year in cash flow.
Kiyosaki said he ends up not owing taxes thanks to depreciation benefits. The investors retain their equity shares and earn a portion of the cash flow relative to their investment amount. He said it’s a win-win setup, emphasizing that real estate is a team effort. He referred to this strategy as achieving “Infinite Returns,” where he invests none of his own capital, yet the asset continues to generate monthly income for him.
Step 5: ‘Never Sell — Refinance, Reinvest, Repeat’
After wrapping up his example, Kiyosaki noted that it was key to never sell the property — he stated that poor folks end up selling assets and paying taxes, while the rich refinance and simply buy more assets.
He added that if you don’t sell your assets, you avoid capital gains taxes and depreciation recapture, allowing your wealth to keep growing through compounding.
Editor’s note: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Always consider your individual circumstances and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
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