Just a heads up, the IRS might consider this a hobby rather than a business if you never had income or customers. I tried to deduct expenses for my photography "business" a few years ago and got audited because I had no income for 2 years.

I was in a very similar situation when I started my CPA practice! The key distinction here is that you had legitimate business intent before circumstances changed due to your employment situation. This isn't a hobby case at all. You should definitely be able to claim these as startup costs under IRC Section 195. Since you invested with genuine profit motive and only stopped due to employment restrictions (not lack of interest), you can deduct up to $5,000 in startup expenses in the first year, with any remaining amount amortized over 15 years. Make sure to document everything: your original business plan, any research you did, receipts showing business intent, and especially your new employer's policy that prevented you from continuing. The IRS looks favorably on situations where external circumstances (like employment contracts) prevent business operations. One tip: If you think you might resume this business after leaving your current job, keep all your documentation. You could potentially carry forward unused startup costs to future tax years when the business becomes active.

Waiting for IRS letters is like watching paint dry while standing in quicksand. You're stuck and it feels like nothing is happening. Last year, I had a friend who waited 7 weeks for their verification letter! The whole system seems designed to test our patience. My advice? Call once a week to check status, document every call (who you spoke with, date/time), and if it's been more than 4 weeks, specifically ask for a supervisor who might have additional options.

I feel your pain! I'm in a similar boat - my verification letter was supposedly mailed March 20th and still nothing. It's so stressful when you're counting on that refund for something important like tuition. I've been calling weekly and each agent gives me a different timeline estimate. One said 2-3 weeks, another said up to 6 weeks. The inconsistency is almost as frustrating as the wait itself. At this point I'm considering trying some of the alternatives people mentioned here, like checking if there's a local taxpayer assistance center that might help without the letter. Hang in there! 🤞

As a tax professional who coordinates VITA training at several universities, I want to add some perspective on timing and expectations. The Link & Learn system downtime between May-August is actually beneficial - it gives the IRS time to incorporate new tax law changes and update materials for the upcoming filing season. Here's my recommended timeline for accounting students: - July-August: Research local VITA sites and contact coordinators to express interest - September: Access should be restored to Link & Learn with updated materials - October-November: Complete certification training and testing - December-January: Complete any additional site-specific training - February-April: Active volunteer season One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that many VITA sites prefer volunteers who can commit to the full season rather than just getting certified. When you contact sites, emphasize your commitment to volunteering through April, not just getting the certification. Also, consider pursuing the Advanced certification if you can - it opens up opportunities to prepare more complex returns and often leads to better networking opportunities with local CPAs and tax professionals who supervise VITA sites. The practical experience you'll gain is invaluable. I regularly have accounting firms contact me looking for students with VITA experience because they know these students have real-world tax prep skills, not just textbook knowledge.

As a former VITA volunteer who struggled with the same certification access issues, I completely understand your frustration! The system downtime is definitely real and poorly communicated to newcomers. Here's what finally worked for me: I contacted my university's Student Accounting Society, and they had a direct connection with a local VITA coordinator who was able to provide alternative access to training materials while the main system was down. Many accounting programs have these partnerships but don't always advertise them well. Also, if you're determined to get started right away, consider reaching out to local H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt offices. While not the same as VITA, many offer free training programs during their hiring seasons (usually starting in October) that can give you similar hands-on tax prep experience. Some of my classmates used this route to gain practical skills while waiting for VITA certification to become available. The key is to start building those professional relationships now, even while you're waiting for the technical issues to resolve. The connections you make often end up being more valuable than the certification itself. Don't give up - the practical experience really does set you apart in interviews!

Thanks for this comprehensive breakdown! As someone who got burned by unexpected fees last year, I really appreciate you taking the time to explain how SBTPG works. One thing I'd emphasize for anyone reading this - really pay attention during the filing process when you're choosing how to pay your tax prep fees. The "pay from refund" option can seem convenient, but between the tax prep fees and the additional refund transfer fees, you can end up paying significantly more than if you just paid upfront. Last year I chose the refund transfer option with TaxAct because I didn't want to pay $79 immediately, but ended up paying $79 + $39 in processing fees = $118 total. This year I just paid the prep fees upfront with my credit card and my refund came directly from the IRS about a week faster. The math doesn't always work out in favor of the convenience, especially if you're on a tight budget and every dollar of that refund matters. But at least now people can make an informed decision instead of being surprised like I was!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I work in tax preparation and see confusion about SBTPG every single year. One thing I always tell my clients is to carefully read through ALL the fee disclosures before hitting "submit" on their return. The refund transfer service can definitely be convenient if you don't have the cash upfront for tax prep fees, but it's important to understand the total cost. What I've noticed is that many people focus on the advertised price of the tax software ($39, $59, etc.) but don't factor in that additional $35-45 refund transfer fee. For folks who are tech-savvy and have relatively simple returns, consider using the IRS Free File program at https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free - it's completely free for people under certain income thresholds and your refund comes directly from the IRS with no third-party processors involved. Also, if you do use SBTPG and run into issues, definitely document everything. Keep screenshots of your taxpayer portal, save confirmation numbers, and note the dates and times of any phone calls. This makes resolving problems much faster if something goes wrong with your refund.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a tax preparer and wanted to add a few professional insights that might help clarify some points that have been discussed. First, regarding the 1099-INT question - you're absolutely correct that as an individual borrower, you don't issue these forms. The confusion often comes from people thinking about it backwards - borrowers don't give tax forms to lenders, it's the other way around when banks report interest they've paid TO you. On the AFR (Applicable Federal Rate) issue that several people mentioned - this is crucial and I'm glad it came up. The IRS publishes these rates monthly, and for December 2024, the short-term AFR is 4.57%. Since your proposed 3% rate is below this, the difference could be considered a gift. However, for a $15,000 loan, we're talking about roughly $235 in "foregone interest" annually, which is well below the $18,000 annual gift exclusion limit. One thing I always tell clients: even if the AFR creates a minor gift issue, it's often better to have a rate that works for your family situation and properly report any gift implications rather than avoiding family loans altogether. The paperwork is manageable and the savings compared to commercial rates usually make it worthwhile. Make sure your loan agreement includes a default provision and payment schedule - this really helps establish legitimacy if the IRS ever reviews the arrangement.

Based on all the great advice in this thread, I wanted to share my own experience with a similar family loan situation. Last year my grandfather loaned me $20,000 for a business startup at 2.5% interest, which we later discovered was below the AFR threshold. What we learned the hard way is that even though the "gift" portion was small (about $400 annually in foregone interest), we still needed to file Form 709 to properly document it. My grandfather's tax preparer caught this during his annual filing and we had to amend some paperwork. The key lesson: even small AFR discrepancies need proper documentation. We ended up keeping the 2.5% rate since it worked for our family situation, but made sure to file the gift tax return to stay compliant. The IRS doesn't actually collect gift tax until you exceed the lifetime exemption (over $13 million), but they do want the paperwork trail. For your $15,000 loan at 3% vs the current ~4.6% AFR, you'd be looking at about $240 in annual foregone interest - well below the $18,000 gift exclusion but still technically reportable. Just something to discuss with your uncle so he's aware of the potential paperwork on his end. The peace of mind from having everything properly documented was worth the extra effort!