The reason I have fallen in love with real estate investing is because my father owns 30+ units in the area and has sparked my interest in becoming financially independent.

Honestly, you are doing some really sketchy things here and this will be a big mess if the IRS decides to audit you.

Minnesota is about as recession proof as a state can possibly get aside from Texas which is the only 100% independent state in the union.

Not sure if you want to be independent or join a team, but may be worth checking out the Keller Williams in the area.  

So when will you get started on your path to economic independence?

Yes, the plan I made many years ago had to be adjusted a few times, but the overarching vision has always been to follow the plan and reach economic independence.

I believe I picked my market, Kansas City, for the right reasons, which include:Diverse economiesPositive net migrationDeclining unemployment rateLandlord-friendlinessRising personal incomeHowever, I neglected to pick an optimal part of town by choosing to invest in the Independence submarket.

As Lance mentioned, it might be hard to justify paying a 4 year old anything material.And, if you're not going to pay him something material, it probably doesn't make sense to run payroll (which you should be doing) and go through the trouble of opening an IRA.Those individuals that pay their 4 year old $5k, $10k, etc a year are just playing the audit lottery.Where this strategy really shines is when you have a child old enough to do the work without needing constant supervision (or else they start playing with bugs). 

You have to do an audit, yourself.Steps:1. 

Typically, the refrigerator, stove, above stove microwave, dishwasher, HVAC, and water heater are on independent circuits, to name a few.