Has anyone tried MileIQ for retroactively creating logs? My accountant mentioned it but I'm not sure if it can help with past years or just going forward.

One thing that really helped me when I had to reconstruct my 2017 mileage logs was creating a "typical week" template first. I looked at my calendar patterns and identified my regular business destinations, then calculated standard routes between them. For example, if I went to Client A every Monday and Client B every Wednesday, I could establish those as baseline trips and then look for variations. This approach helped me avoid over-estimating miles while still capturing the bulk of my business travel. Also, don't forget to check your car insurance records - sometimes they have annual mileage estimates that can help validate your totals. And if you had any major car repairs or oil changes, those service records often include odometer readings that can serve as checkpoints for your reconstruction. The IRS generally accepts reasonable reconstructions as long as you can show you made a good faith effort using available evidence. Document your methodology clearly - explain what sources you used and how you calculated the mileage. This transparency actually helps your case if you're ever questioned about it.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation where my client filed Form 966 but now wants to continue operations. One thing I wanted to add from my experience - make sure to document the timing of when the abandonment decision was made versus when any liquidating distributions might have already occurred. If partial distributions were made after the Form 966 filing but before the abandonment, those might need special treatment. The IRS could view those as liquidating distributions even if the overall plan is later abandoned. I learned this the hard way when a client had already distributed some assets to shareholders before changing their mind. Also, keep detailed records of the corporate decision-making process. The IRS may want to see evidence that the abandonment was a legitimate business decision and not just tax avoidance. Board minutes, shareholder resolutions, and documentation of the changed business circumstances can all be important if you're ever questioned about the abandonment. The guidance about sending a statement to the IRS service center is spot on - just make sure it's comprehensive and references all the relevant dates and corporate actions.

Great thread everyone! I'm a tax advisor who's handled several Form 966 reversals, and I wanted to add a few practical points that might help others in similar situations. First, timing is crucial when documenting the abandonment. The IRS generally wants to see that the decision to abandon was made for legitimate business reasons, not just to avoid tax consequences. Make sure your corporate minutes clearly state the business justification for continuing operations. Second, if you're in a state that requires annual franchise tax filings, check whether your Form 966 filing affected your state tax status. Some states automatically change your filing requirements once they're notified of dissolution plans, so you may need to update your state tax registration as well. Finally, consider the impact on any tax elections that might have been made in conjunction with the liquidation plan. For example, if you made a Section 338 election or any other special elections related to the liquidation, you'll need to evaluate whether those need to be addressed separately. The advice about sending a signed statement to the IRS service center is absolutely correct - just make sure it includes the EIN, original Form 966 filing date, and a clear statement that the plan has been formally abandoned by appropriate corporate action with the date of that action.

Quick tip - don't forget to separate out the land value! I made this mistake my first year with a rental property and had my depreciation rejected. You can only depreciate the building, not the land. Most tax assessor records break this out. Also, keep in mind that gifted property has different holding period rules for capital gains when you eventually sell. The holding period includes the time your dad owned it too!

This is a really complex situation, but you're asking the right questions! Based on what you've described, it sounds like you have a mixed gift/inheritance scenario which does complicate the basis calculation. One thing I'd suggest is checking if your dad filed Form 709 (gift tax return) when he added you to the deed in 2016. Even if no gift tax was owed (due to the annual exclusion or lifetime exemption), he may have filed one anyway. If he did, that form would show the fair market value of the property at the time of the gift, which would be incredibly helpful for your basis calculation. If you can't find a Form 709, using the 2016 tax assessment as a starting point isn't unreasonable, but as others mentioned, you might want to adjust it upward since assessments are typically below market value. You could research what similar properties in your neighborhood sold for in 2016 to get a sense of whether the assessment was in the right ballpark. Also, don't forget to account for any improvements your dad made to the property after his original purchase - those would increase his basis, which would then carry over to you for the gifted portion. The depreciation calculation can definitely be overwhelming, but taking it step by step and documenting your reasoning will serve you well if you're ever questioned about it later.

I just went through this exact decision last month and ended up going with TurboTax's refund advance. The main selling point for me was avoiding the prepaid card situation that HR Block requires. What really helped me make the decision was doing a side-by-side comparison of the fees and requirements. TurboTax's advance had no upfront fees (they make money on the tax prep), while HR Block's Emerald Card has some hidden costs if you're not careful about ATM usage. The approval process with TurboTax was surprisingly quick - I submitted my application around 2 PM on a Tuesday and had the money in my checking account by Thursday morning. They approved me for $3,800 of my projected $4,900 refund. One tip I'd share: make sure you have your previous year's AGI handy when you apply, as both services use this for identity verification. Also, if you're planning to direct deposit to a new bank account, do a small test deposit first to make sure the routing and account numbers are correct. With your $5,400 expected refund, you should have no trouble getting approved for a substantial advance from either service. But honestly, the convenience of TurboTax's direct deposit approach made it a no-brainer for me.

I've been comparing refund advance options too, and one thing that helped me decide was looking at the customer service experiences people have had with each service. From what I've researched, TurboTax tends to have better support for advance-related issues since everything is handled through their main customer service channels. With HR Block's Emerald Card system, you sometimes end up having to deal with both HR Block AND the card issuer if there are problems, which can create a runaround situation. Another factor to consider is what happens if your actual refund ends up being less than projected. Both services will still get their money back first (they're protected), but TurboTax's direct deposit system seems to handle the reconciliation more smoothly. I've heard of cases where people with the Emerald Card had to wait longer to access remaining funds when there were discrepancies. For someone expecting a $5,400 refund like you, the streamlined approach of TurboTax probably makes the most sense. The direct deposit eliminates potential card-related delays, and their approval rates seem pretty consistent for straightforward tax situations. Just make sure to double-check all your income figures before applying - accuracy really is key to avoiding complications down the road!

That's fantastic news! The status change you're describing is definitely a positive sign that you've cleared the verification hurdle. I went through something very similar about 6 weeks ago with some new 1099-B forms from stock trades, and that exact same progression happened - "still being processed" with verification notice for about 3 weeks, then suddenly it switched to just "being processed" with no verification language. What really stood out to me reading your post is how you mentioned being "usually pretty organized" - that actually works in your favor here. The IRS verification process seems to be more about confirming identity when there are new income sources rather than looking for problems with your actual filing. Investment income, especially if it's your first year reporting it or if the amounts are significantly different from previous years, almost always triggers some additional review. From my experience and what I've seen others share, you're probably looking at about 7-14 days before you see the next status update. The verification notice disappearing completely is really the key indicator that you've moved past the security review phase. Keep checking WMR daily, but try not to stress about it too much - it sounds like you're through the hardest part of the wait now!

This is exactly the progression you want to see! I had a very similar experience last year when I started reporting some dividend income from my brokerage account. That status change from "still being processed" with the verification notice to just "being processed" without it is a really reliable indicator that you've successfully cleared the identity verification stage. The IRS verification system is actually pretty sophisticated - they don't remove that verification prompt unless they've completed whatever identity confirmation checks they needed to run. Investment income, particularly if it's new for your tax situation or represents a significant change from previous years, almost always triggers additional review during processing. Based on my experience and what I've observed from others in similar situations, you're now probably looking at about 5-10 business days before you see the status update to "approved," followed by your refund being issued within 1-3 business days after that. The complete disappearance of that verification language is really the key signal here - it indicates you've moved past the security review phase. Keep monitoring WMR daily, but you should be able to relax a bit now. The verification hold was definitely the biggest potential bottleneck, and it sounds like you've successfully navigated through that stage. Your organized approach to taxes likely helped ensure everything was in order for their review!