As someone who's dealt with this exact situation, I can confirm what others have said - rent reimbursements from roommates aren't taxable income even if you get a 1099-K. The key is documentation. I'd recommend setting up a simple spreadsheet tracking: (1) money received from your sister each month, (2) the full rent payment to your landlord, and (3) screenshots of the Cash App transactions with clear descriptions like "July rent - Paolo's half." One thing I haven't seen mentioned - if your sister is also on the lease, that actually strengthens your case that this is just cost-sharing between co-tenants, not rental income. The IRS differentiates between someone paying you rent as their landlord versus splitting costs as co-tenants. Also consider asking your sister to include a memo with each transfer like "My half of rent for [Month]" - it makes the purpose crystal clear if anyone ever reviews the transactions.

I went through this exact same situation last year and can offer some practical advice. Like others have mentioned, the rent money passing through your account isn't taxable income - it's a personal reimbursement between co-tenants. Here's what I did to protect myself: I created a simple monthly routine where I screenshot each Cash App transaction from my roommate with the rent description, then screenshot my bank account showing the full rent payment going to the landlord. I keep these in a dedicated folder on my phone and back them up to cloud storage. When I did receive a 1099-K, I worked with my tax preparer to report it properly. We included the full 1099-K amount on Schedule 1, then used the "Other adjustments" section to deduct the non-taxable roommate reimbursements, effectively zeroing out that portion. The IRS never questioned it because the documentation was clear - consistent monthly amounts labeled as rent, matching outgoing payments to the landlord, and both names on the lease showing we're co-tenants splitting costs rather than a landlord-tenant relationship. One tip: consider having your sister add your apartment address in the Cash App memo field along with "rent" - it makes it even clearer what the money is for if anyone ever reviews the transactions.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress! As a fellow single parent, I know how devastating an unexpected $270/month increase can be to a tight budget. Based on what everyone's shared here, it sounds like you've already identified the main culprit - that 1,000 sq ft error in the county records! That's almost certainly why your assessment doubled while your neighbors stayed the same. A 57% increase in recorded square footage would absolutely explain a 95% jump in property value. Here's what I'd recommend doing immediately: 1. Gather your original purchase paperwork, closing documents, or any floor plans that show the correct 1,750 sq ft 2. Take photos of each room to document what you actually have vs. what they think you have 3. Print out your neighbors' assessments from the county website to show the disparity 4. File that appeal ASAP - most counties have deadlines (usually 30-60 days from when you received the notice) The good news is that square footage errors are usually pretty straightforward to fix once you have documentation. The bad news is you'll likely still need to pay the full amount by the due date even while appealing, but you should get a substantial refund once it's corrected. You've got this! With that obvious error in their records, you have a really strong case for getting this fixed.

I've been reading through all these responses and wanted to add one more important tip - document EVERYTHING during this process! Keep records of every phone call you make (date, time, who you spoke with, what was discussed), save copies of all paperwork you submit, and take photos of any documents you hand-deliver. I learned this the hard way when dealing with a similar assessment error a few years ago. The county "lost" my initial appeal paperwork, and because I didn't have proof of when I submitted it, I almost missed the deadline to refile. Now I always get receipt confirmations and keep a paper trail for anything involving government offices. Also, if you do end up needing to pay the full amount while appealing, make sure to note on your payment that it's "paid under protest" and keep a copy of that notation. This can be important if you need to pursue additional remedies later. Given that you've already found the square footage error, you're in a much better position than most people facing these sudden increases. That's concrete, measurable proof that should be pretty hard for them to dispute!

Don't forget that there's a $10,000 cap on the total state and local tax (SALT) deduction. This includes state income taxes (or sales taxes if you choose that instead) PLUS your property taxes from both 5b and 5c combined. So if you're already over $10k with just your state income tax and real estate taxes, finding more to add to line 5c won't help your federal return. This is especially important if you live in a high-tax state like NY, CA, NJ, etc.

The $10,000 SALT cap is still in effect for 2025 - there hasn't been any legislation passed to change it yet. The cap was set to expire after 2025 under the original Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but Congress would need to act to either extend it, modify it, or let it sunset. Some proposals have been floating around to raise the cap to $15,000 or $20,000, or to eliminate it entirely, but nothing has been finalized. Given the political dynamics, it's unlikely we'll see changes before the 2025 filing season. So for now, if you're in a high-tax state and already hitting the $10k limit with income tax and property tax, adding personal property taxes won't provide additional federal benefit - though it's still worth tracking for potential future changes and for state return purposes if your state allows itemized deductions.

I went through this exact same situation last year when I got my EIN through a service. Like you, I was really confused and worried when I saw someone else's name on the documentation. What helped me understand it better was thinking of it like hiring a lawyer or accountant to represent you - they can act on your behalf for specific purposes, but that doesn't make them the owner of your business. The third-party designee is essentially the same concept. The key thing that put my mind at ease was realizing that all my banking, tax filings, and business operations have worked perfectly fine with this setup. Banks, the IRS, and other institutions recognize that third-party designees are common and legitimate. If you're still feeling uncertain, you might want to keep a copy of your original application or any communication with the service that shows they were authorized to act on your behalf. I've never needed it, but it gives you documentation of the relationship if anyone ever questions it.

I had a very similar experience when I got my EIN through a service last year. At first I was really concerned seeing someone else's name on the documentation, but after doing some research and talking to other business owners, I learned this is completely standard practice. The way it was explained to me is that when you use a service to help with your EIN application, they become your "authorized representative" for that specific transaction. It's similar to how a tax preparer can be authorized to communicate with the IRS about your return - they're acting on your behalf, but you still own everything. What really put my mind at ease was that I've been using my EIN for over a year now for banking, contracts, and tax filings without any issues. The IRS, banks, and other institutions are very familiar with this arrangement and recognize it as legitimate. Just make sure to keep your EIN confirmation letter in a safe place - that's your proof of the EIN belonging to your business regardless of who helped you obtain it. You're all set to use it for any official business purposes!

21 Has anyone considered just shipping the items instead of carrying them? I use freight forwarders between Asian countries all the time and it's often cheaper than paying airline excess baggage + customs at the airport.

I went through something similar bringing electronics from South Korea to Vietnam last year. One thing I learned the hard way is that Indonesia actually has pretty strict rules about bringing in multiple identical items - they have specific guidelines that flag anything that looks like it's for commercial resale rather than personal use. For your Dyson situation, you'll definitely want to check Indonesia's import regulations on beauty electronics. They classify hair styling tools under a specific tariff code that can attract luxury taxes on top of regular duties. The total could easily hit 40-50% of your purchase value. My suggestion would be to contact the Indonesian customs office directly before your trip to get the exact calculation. They have a pre-clearance system where you can declare items in advance and get confirmation of the exact fees. This prevents any surprises or disputes at the airport. Also keep all your original receipts and consider getting them translated into Indonesian - it speeds up the process significantly. The key is being completely transparent about your intentions. If you're planning to resell, declare it as commercial import rather than trying to pass it off as personal use.