I'm a tax preparer and see this exact situation frequently during tax season. Let me clarify a few key points that might help you make the best decision: First, you're absolutely right to be concerned about the FAFSA implications, but the good news is that having your own child makes you an independent student regardless of who claims you on taxes. Your boyfriend's income won't affect your aid eligibility. Regarding whether he "has to" claim you - dependency is optional even when you meet the requirements. The IRS allows eligible dependents to be claimed, but doesn't require it. This gives you flexibility to choose the scenario that benefits your household most. For the tax calculations, here's what to consider: - If your boyfriend claims both you and your child, he gets Head of Household status, Child Tax Credit (up to $2,000), and potentially other credits - If you file independently and claim your child, you might qualify for EITC and the Child Tax Credit yourself, but your boyfriend would file as Single Given your low income ($2,700), you likely won't owe any federal taxes either way. The question becomes which scenario generates the largest combined refund for your household. I'd strongly recommend using tax software to model both scenarios before deciding. Most preparers can run these calculations for you if you bring both sets of documents. The difference could be substantial - often $2,000-3,000 in similar situations I've seen. Your financial aid should be safe either way, so focus on maximizing your tax benefits!

I'm also navigating a similar situation and wanted to add something that hasn't been mentioned yet - timing considerations for your FAFSA filing. Since you're already receiving aid for this academic year, your current FAFSA was based on your previous tax information when you were likely independent. For next year's FAFSA (2025-2026), you'll be reporting 2023 tax information, which would include whatever decision you make about filing status this tax season. The reassuring news that everyone has shared about having a child making you independent for FAFSA is absolutely correct. But I'd recommend filing your FAFSA as early as possible after October 1st (when the new form opens) regardless of which tax approach you choose. This ensures you get priority consideration for aid, especially if your school has limited funding for certain grant programs. Also, keep detailed records of your living situation and expenses. If there are ever questions about your independent status, having documentation of your household composition and who pays for what can be helpful. This is especially important since you're in an unmarried relationship with shared financial responsibilities. The fact that your aid is likely protected gives you the freedom to focus purely on tax optimization, which is actually a great position to be in compared to many students who have to choose between tax benefits and financial aid eligibility.

Try checking your tax software account instead of waiting for an email! I was feeling so anxious about not getting my acceptance notification, but when I logged into my TurboTax account, it showed my return was accepted 3 hours after filing! The email notification system sometimes lags behind the actual status. I'm so happy I checked there first instead of worrying needlessly!

I got same-day acceptance this year too! Filed on Tuesday morning around 10am and received the acceptance email by 4pm the same day. My return was pretty straightforward though - just W-2 income and standard deduction. From what I've read, the IRS processes simple returns much faster than complex ones with multiple forms and schedules. The acceptance really is just confirmation they received your return without any obvious errors, so don't stress if it takes a day or two. Good luck with your first joint return!

I went through a very similar Head of Household audit situation about 6 months ago! Like you, I was supporting my entire household but didn't have utility bills in my name. Here's what ultimately got me through the audit successfully: The IRS accepted my case based on three main pieces of evidence: 1) Bank statements showing consistent cash withdrawals that matched utility payment amounts and dates, 2) A notarized statement from my mother confirming I paid all household expenses, and 3) Property tax records (which it sounds like you have!). The property tax payments you mentioned are actually huge - the IRS considers this one of the most important household maintenance expenses. That alone might be sufficient evidence, especially combined with the school records proving the kids lived with you. One tip that really helped me: create a simple spreadsheet showing your monthly household contributions versus what other household members paid. Even rough estimates work if you can back them up with bank statements. The IRS wants to see you paid more than 50% of household costs, and it sounds like you clearly did. Don't stress too much - you seem to have solid documentation. The audit process is nerve-wracking but very manageable when you have legitimate expenses like you do. You've got this!

I'm a tax professional and want to emphasize that you're actually in a much stronger position than many people who get audited for Head of Household status. The property tax payments you mentioned are considered one of the most significant household maintenance expenses by the IRS - often more important than utility bills because they represent a substantial financial commitment to maintaining the home. Here's what I'd recommend for your audit response: 1) Gather those property tax receipts showing the $2,600 you paid, 2) Pull bank statements showing the pattern of cash withdrawals that correspond to utility payment dates, 3) Get a signed statement from your mother confirming you paid the household expenses, and 4) Include the school records you mentioned for the kids. The key is showing you provided more than half the cost of keeping up the home. Property taxes alone might represent a significant portion of that threshold, especially when combined with your other documented expenses. Don't panic - Head of Household audits are actually quite common and the IRS is usually reasonable when you can demonstrate legitimate household support. The fact that you were genuinely the sole provider and have documentation to prove it puts you in good shape. Stay organized with your paperwork and respond promptly to any IRS requests. You'll get through this!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm currently serving on a civil jury trial that's expected to last another two weeks, and I had no idea about any of these tax implications when I started. My employer has a hybrid policy - they pay my full salary for the first 5 days of jury service, but after that I'm on unpaid leave and can keep whatever the court pays me. So far I've received about $180 from the court (we get $40/day here), and since I'm past the 5-day mark, I'll need to report all of it as other income. What I'm wondering is whether I need to report the first 5 days worth of jury pay differently since my employer was paying my salary during that time but didn't require me to turn over the jury pay to them. From reading through all these comments, it sounds like since my employer didn't require me to reimburse them with the jury pay from those first 5 days, I still need to report ALL of the jury duty compensation as income - is that right? The policy seems to be that unless the employer both pays your salary AND requires you to give them the jury pay, you have to report it all. Also, does anyone know if there are any special considerations for longer jury service periods? I'm looking at probably $600+ total by the time this trial is finished. Thanks for all the great information everyone has shared!

I'm dealing with a slightly different scenario and wanted to see if anyone has experience with this. I served jury duty last year for 3 days and received $120 total from the court. My employer has a policy where they continue paying full salary during jury duty, but they don't require employees to turn over the jury pay - we get to keep it as a "bonus" for performing our civic duty. Based on everything I've read in this thread, it sounds like I need to report the full $120 as other income on Schedule 1, line 8z since my employer didn't require me to reimburse them, even though they continued paying my regular salary. Is that correct? I'm also curious if anyone knows whether this kind of employer policy (letting you keep jury pay as essentially a bonus) affects anything else tax-wise. My company is pretty generous with policies like this, but I want to make sure I'm handling the tax reporting correctly. Thanks for all the great information in this thread - it's been really helpful for understanding these situations!

One more thing - did your 1099-INT from Robinhood have any entries in Box 2 (Early withdrawal penalty)? I'm also an NRA and noticed that even though the interest itself is exempt, if there are any early withdrawal penalties, those are handled differently.

I want to add something important that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you have the proper documentation to support the NRA exemption. Even though the interest is generally exempt, you should keep records showing your non-resident status. If Robinhood didn't have your proper tax status on file (Form W-8BEN), they might have withheld taxes at 30%. In that case, you'd actually need to file Form 1040NR to get a refund of the overwithholding, even though the underlying interest income isn't taxable. Also, double-check that your 1099-INT specifically shows interest from bank deposits versus money market funds. While both are typically exempt for NRAs, the specific exemption sections are different and it's good to understand exactly which applies to your situation.