Just wanna throw this out there... have you considered just dissolving the C-Corp if it's been inactive for a while and you don't plan to use it soon? Might be cheaper to dissolve now and form a new entity later when you actually need it versus paying ongoing maintenance costs (filing fees, registered agent fees, etc.) for a dormant company. Just a thought!

I've been through this exact same situation with my dormant C-Corp last year! One thing that helped me was using FreeTaxUSA Business - they offer C-Corp filing for around $80-90, which isn't free but is much cheaper than most alternatives. The interface is pretty user-friendly for zero-activity returns. Also, definitely look into your state's requirements like others mentioned. I almost got hit with penalties because I focused only on the federal filing and completely forgot about my state's annual report requirements. Even though my corp had zero activity, I still owed the minimum state fees. If you're really strapped for cash, you could try calling your local SCORE chapter - they sometimes have retired tax professionals who volunteer to help small business owners with basic questions. They might not prepare the return for you, but they could walk you through the process of doing it yourself.

Did you receive an acknowledgement email when you filed through MilTax? And have you checked if your state return (if applicable) shows as accepted? Sometimes that can give you a clue about federal processing too.

Hey Kevin! Fellow service member here - I totally get the confusion with the IRS transcript system. It's like trying to navigate different military forms when you need specific paperwork. You're absolutely right that you selected the wrong transcript type. The Wage and Income Transcript only shows what employers and other payers reported to the IRS (like your W-2s), not whether your actual tax return was filed or processed. Since you filed through MilTax about 3 weeks ago, you'll want to check either the "Return Transcript" to see your filed return details, or better yet, the "Account Transcript" which shows all account activity including when your return was received and processed. The processing timeline is typically 21 days for e-filed returns, so you're right in that window. Also, don't forget you can use the "Where's My Refund" tool for a quick status check - it's usually more up-to-date than the transcripts during processing.

21 One thing nobody's mentioned - don't forget about the stepped-up basis for capital gains purposes when you inherited the house. If you do end up selling for more than the loan amount (even if it's less than what your parent paid), you likely won't owe capital gains tax because your basis is the fair market value at the time of death, not what your parent paid for it.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - inherited my grandmother's house with a reverse mortgage through a beneficiary deed in Ohio. The accumulated interest is around $73,000 and we're looking at a potential short sale too. From what I've learned through my research and conversations with professionals, the previous comments are spot-on about not being able to deduct the interest that accrued during your mom's lifetime. That was really disappointing to hear since my realtor had suggested the same thing yours did. One thing I wanted to add that might be helpful - make sure you understand the timeline requirements with reverse mortgages after inheriting. Most lenders give you about 6 months to either pay off the loan or list the property for sale, but you can usually get extensions if you're actively working on a short sale. Document everything with the lender because some are more flexible than others. Also, if you haven't already, request a current payoff statement from the reverse mortgage company. The balance can change daily with interest and fees, so you'll want the most current numbers when negotiating the short sale with potential buyers and the lender. Good luck with your CPA meeting next week - definitely bring all your documentation including the beneficiary deed, recent mortgage statements, and any correspondence with the lender about the short sale process.

Has anyone used their passive losses when refinancing a property? My CPA mentioned something about this but wasn't very clear and I'm wondering if it's even possible.

One thing to keep in mind about passive loss carryovers is that they're tracked separately for each passive activity. So if you have two rental properties, the suspended losses from Property A can only be released when you dispose of Property A - you can't use them when you sell Property B. This is important for planning purposes if you're thinking about which property to sell first. Also, since you mentioned your income is over $150k, you might want to consider the timing of any property sales. If you have a year where your income drops (maybe due to retirement, job change, or large business deductions), that could be an optimal time to sell and realize those passive losses against your regular income. The tax savings could be substantial depending on how much you have accumulated.

Lots of great advice here but I wanted to add that you should also check if your state has income tax too! I messed up my first year in college by only worrying about federal taxes and completely forgot about state taxes. Ended up owing a few hundred dollars to my state that I hadn't budgeted for.

As someone who's been through this exact situation, I'd recommend keeping detailed records of your income from each job throughout the year. Since your hours are so inconsistent, it'll help you track whether you're on pace to earn more or less than you initially estimated when you set up your W-4s. I use a simple spreadsheet to track my weekly earnings from each job, and I review it monthly to see if I need to adjust my withholding. If you find you're earning significantly more than expected from one job, you might want to increase your additional withholding on that W-4 to avoid a surprise tax bill. Also, don't forget to save all your pay stubs and any receipts for work-related expenses (like uniforms, transportation between jobs, etc.) - some of these might be deductible depending on your situation. The key is staying organized throughout the year rather than scrambling to figure everything out at tax time.