Honestly all the chains are expensive imo. H&R Block charged me $320 last year for what I later found out was a pretty basic return. Try looking for an "enrolled agent" in your area - they're tax specialists who usually charge way less than CPAs or the big chains.

Great suggestions everyone! I'm definitely going to look into both the enrolled agent route and credit union options - hadn't considered either of those before posting. For anyone else reading this thread, I ended up calling around to a few places after reading these comments. What I found was that the chains really do vary a lot in pricing even within the same company - the H&R Block near my work quoted me $280 while one across town said $195 for basically the same services. Location seems to matter more than I expected. Also wanted to mention that several of the independent preparers I contacted were willing to give me a rough estimate over the phone once I described my situation (investment income, job change, etc.), which was way more helpful than the chains that just gave generic "starting at $X" pricing. Definitely worth making a few calls before deciding!

Just wanted to add something about in-game purchases that I learned the hard way after an audit. The IRS looks at whether the expense is "ordinary and necessary" for your business. My tax person advised me to keep a content log that shows: 1. What specific in-game item I purchased 2. Date purchased 3. Cost 4. What content I created using that item 5. How it contributed to my business (viewer engagement, subscriber growth, etc) For my Star Wars Battlefront streams, I was able to successfully deduct character skins because I could show specific streams where I featured them and the viewer engagement they generated. But random purchases I couldn't connect to specific content were disallowed.

Great question! As a small business streamer myself, I've navigated these same deduction questions. Here's what I've learned: For streaming equipment, you're generally in good shape - microphones, cameras, lighting, capture cards, and even a portion of your gaming PC (if used primarily for streaming) are typically deductible business expenses. Keep all receipts and document how each item directly supports your streaming business. The in-game purchases like your Star Citizen ships are definitely in a gray area, but they can be deductible if you can demonstrate they're "ordinary and necessary" for your content creation. The key is documentation - keep a log showing which purchases were featured in specific streams, how they contributed to viewer engagement, and any measurable business impact (subscriber growth, increased viewership, etc.). Other deductions to consider: portion of your internet bill, streaming software subscriptions (OBS plugins, Streamlabs, etc.), music licensing, website hosting costs, and if you have a dedicated streaming space that's used exclusively for business, you might qualify for the home office deduction. Pro tip: Start keeping detailed records now. Create a simple spreadsheet tracking all business-related purchases with dates, amounts, and business justification. This documentation will be invaluable if you're ever audited and will make tax filing much smoother. The fact that you're asking these questions shows you're taking the right approach - being proactive about proper record-keeping and legitimate deductions!

Has anyone compared FreeTaxUSA vs TaxHawk for 2024? I know they're owned by the same company but sometimes their features differ slightly.

Thanks for the heads up! I've been procrastinating on getting my tax stuff organized, so having FreeTaxUSA available early is perfect timing. I switched to them two years ago after getting fed up with TurboTax's pricing and haven't looked back. One thing I love about being able to access it this early is that I can play around with different scenarios - like seeing how much extra I might owe if I do some Roth conversions before year-end, or what my refund would look like if I max out my HSA contributions. Really helps with year-end tax planning instead of just scrambling to file in February. Has anyone noticed if they've added any new features for 2024, or is it pretty much the same interface as last year?

Instead of trying to find a payroll service that does both (which I don't think exists), I recommend getting a good accountant who specializes in small business/S Corps and an accounting system like QuickBooks. My process is: - Gusto handles my regular salary payroll - I take quarterly distributions based on my accountant's guidance - These distributions are just transfers from biz account to personal - In QuickBooks, I categorize them as "Owner's Draw - Your Name" - At tax time, my accountant makes sure everything is reported properly on my 1120S and K-1 Been doing this for 4 years with no issues. The important thing is having good documentation of why your salary is "reasonable" - that's what the IRS cares about, not whether distributions go through a payroll system (they shouldn't).

I've been running my single-member S Corp for about 18 months now and went through this exact same confusion when I started. You're absolutely right that Gusto and similar services don't handle distributions - and that's actually by design, not a limitation. Here's what I learned: distributions aren't "payroll" in the traditional sense, so they don't go through payroll processing systems. They're profit distributions that you take as an owner, and they're handled completely differently for tax purposes. My setup that works really well: - Gusto processes my monthly salary (which I set based on industry research for my role) - I take distributions quarterly by simply transferring money from business to personal account - I track everything in QuickBooks Online, categorizing distributions properly - My CPA handles the tax reporting on forms 1120S and K-1 The key is making sure your salary meets the "reasonable compensation" test. I researched what people in similar roles in my area earn and documented my reasoning. The IRS wants to see that you're not trying to avoid payroll taxes by taking everything as distributions. Don't stress about finding a single platform that does both - the two-part system actually makes more sense once you understand the tax implications. Focus on good documentation and you'll be fine!

I went through something very similar with my adopted cousin's child. The key thing that worked for me was getting a combination of DNA test results AND a detailed affidavit from older family members who could attest to the biological relationships before the adoption happened. Since you mentioned your adoptive mother is on your birth certificate, you might also want to check if there are any pre-adoption social services records that document your biological family connections - sometimes these are kept separate from sealed birth records. One thing that really helped me was creating a family tree diagram with all the documentation I had, and submitting that along with a detailed letter explaining the situation. The visual representation seemed to help the IRS agent understand the complex family dynamics. Also, definitely reach out to the Taxpayer Advocate Service if you haven't already - they were way more patient and helpful than regular IRS agents in understanding these complicated family situations.

I'm dealing with a somewhat similar situation right now! My case involves proving I'm related to my nephew through my half-brother, and it's been such a headache. What really helped me was contacting my state's vital records office to see if they had any pre-adoption documentation or records that might show biological family connections - sometimes these exist separately from the sealed adoption records. Also, don't overlook things like old family photos, Christmas cards, or even social media posts that might help establish the family relationship over time. I know it sounds silly, but I actually included some old family photos with names written on the back as part of my documentation package, along with more formal documents. One thing I learned is that it's really important to be super clear in your cover letter about WHY you're the appropriate person to claim your niece. The IRS wants to see that you're not just related, but that you actually provided the majority of her support and care. Document everything - housing costs, food, medical expenses, school supplies, etc. Good luck with this! The whole process is frustrating but you'll get through it.