HVAC vets, how are you actually saving for retirement with these crazy material costs?

Man, been crawling through attics in the Chicago area my whole career, installing Trane units and dealing with R-410A shortages that jack up everything. I'm 45 now and looking at my QuickBooks, realizing I havent put squat into a Roth IRA because every job's eating up profits just to keep the van running. Saw a thread on r/HVAC about guys using ServiceTitan for better tracking, but even that costs $200/month. Out here the winters are brutal, so we're slammed with heat pump installs, but I feel like I'm just spinning wheels. Anyone else in the same boat, or am I missing some tax trick for 401k contributions on service calls? Heard in the HVAC Techs Network group that some deduct tool depreciation like the Milwaukee M18 kits. FML, need to get my shit together before I'm too beat up to work.

Set up an SEP IRA, you can dump up to 25% of your net self-employment income in there tax-deferred. Ties right into your HVAC service revenue without much hassle.

lol my retirement plan is hoping the Carrier Infinity I install today lasts till im dead.

Same here, brother. Those material markups are killing any chance of building a nest egg.

Insurance companies and suppliers are screwing us all with these hikes. Rage against the machine, HVAC style.

Private equity buying up Trane dealers left and right, jacking prices even higher. We're all getting bent over.

Tried saving for a rainy day but then R-410A went scarce and poof, there goes the fund.

Every time I think I've got extra, a refrigerant reclaim job turns into a full system swap. Sucks.

Watch out for those aggressive 401k fees, they eat your gains faster than a bad superheat reading.

I max out my IRA every year by cutting non-essentials like fancy tools. Basic Ridgid gauges get the job done.

Proud to say I hit 50k in my Roth last year off heat pump installs alone. Discipline pays off.

Roth IRAs are overrated for us trades guys, better off in real estate flips from your HVAC side hustle. Fight me.

SharkBite for plumbing but for savings? Nah, traditional IRA locks you in too much for volatile HVAC income.

Feels like we're all just one bad season away from broke. Hang in there, man.

Don't ignore workers comp deductions for retirement planning, they can shield a ton if you get injured on a duct run.

God, the stress of balancing books after a long day brazing lines is real. I hate it.

Automate transfers to a high-yield savings right after invoicing. Works wonders for emergency fund building.

I get it, those Chicago winters mean big bills too. You're not alone in the grind.

Track every Freon charge and mileage for max deductions. CPA told me it added 5k to my take-home last year.

Frustrated as hell with how taxes eat into overtime from AC breakdowns. Need a better system.