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Has anyone actually confirmed if this works with the latest version of FreeTaxUSA? I just tried to file and wasn't sure which section to put the crypto in.
I just did mine last week. In FreeTaxUSA, go to "Income" and then there's a section for "Capital Gains and Losses" where you can enter your crypto. They have a specific option for cryptocurrency now - it wasn't as obvious in previous years.
I went through this exact same situation a few months ago! The manual entry process in FreeTaxUSA really isn't as bad as it seems at first. What I did was open up my Coinbase Gain/Loss report and created a simple spreadsheet to separate everything by holding period (short-term vs long-term). Then I just added up the totals for proceeds and cost basis for each category. FreeTaxUSA makes it pretty straightforward - you don't need to list every individual transaction. One tip: make sure you double-check that your Coinbase report includes ALL your crypto activity for the year, including any transfers between wallets or other exchanges. I missed some DeFi transactions initially and had to go back and add those manually to my calculations. The whole process took me maybe an hour once I got organized, which beats paying extra for premium tax software just for the import feature. Plus you'll have a better understanding of your crypto taxes for next year!
This is really helpful! I'm in a similar boat and was dreading the manual entry process. Quick question - when you mention DeFi transactions, are you talking about things like providing liquidity or yield farming? I did some of that on Uniswap but wasn't sure if those needed to be reported separately from my regular Coinbase trades. Also, did you have to calculate the USD value at the time of each DeFi transaction, or could you use end-of-year values?
Has anyone used H&R Block for rental property taxes? Their website says they handle them but I'm not sure if the standard preparers have enough specialized knowledge for this.
I used them last year for my rental and had a terrible experience. The first preparer clearly didn't understand passive activity loss limitations and made a huge error that would have cost me thousands. I had to request a different preparer and even then felt like I was explaining things to them rather than the other way around. If you go with H&R Block, make sure to specifically request someone who specializes in investment properties. The regular preparers mostly handle W2 and simple returns.
Thanks for sharing your experience. That's exactly what I was worried about - ending up with someone who mainly handles simple returns. I'll definitely ask specifically for an investment property specialist if I decide to go with them. Might be worth paying a bit more for someone with specific rental property experience instead.
I went through a similar situation last year when I bought my first rental property. The price jump from simple software to professional preparation was shocking at first, but it ended up being worth every penny. What really helped me was getting quotes from 3 different tax preparers and asking each one to break down exactly what services were included. One charged $650 but only covered federal returns - I would have paid extra for state filings. Another quoted $800 but included both state returns, depreciation setup, and a consultation about tax planning strategies for next year. I ended up going with an enrolled agent who charged $725 and found deductions I never would have known about - things like the home office portion for managing the rental, mileage for property visits, and startup costs I could write off. The extra deductions more than paid for the professional fee. My advice: get at least 2-3 quotes, ask specifically about their experience with out-of-state rentals, and make sure they include both state returns in their quoted price. The $750 you were quoted might actually be reasonable depending on what's included.
This is really helpful advice! I'm in a similar situation and hadn't thought about asking for a breakdown of services included. The point about home office deductions for managing the rental is interesting - I spend a lot of time on bookkeeping and tenant communication from home but didn't realize that might be deductible. How did you document the home office usage for the rental business? And did your enrolled agent help you set up a system for tracking expenses going forward, or was that something you had to figure out on your own?
I'm really sorry for your family's loss, and I commend you for thinking ahead about the tax implications during what must be a difficult time. From what you've described, your grandmother's cattle operation sounds like it was a legitimate farming business, especially if she was deducting expenses on her tax returns. This actually works in your family's favor because of something called "stepped-up basis." When assets are inherited, their tax basis gets adjusted to the fair market value on the date of death. This means your dad and his siblings won't owe taxes on any appreciation that happened during your grandmother's lifetime - only on any gains between when they inherited and when they sell. Since they're selling relatively quickly after her passing, there should be minimal taxable gain, if any. However, a few important considerations: 1. **Document everything**: Get written appraisals of the cattle as of the date of death to establish the stepped-up basis properly 2. **Review her tax records**: Look for Schedule F forms to understand how she reported the farm operation 3. **Breeding vs. market cattle**: If these were breeding cattle held over 24 months (sounds likely), they may qualify for favorable capital gains treatment With five heirs and $65,000 in proceeds, I'd strongly recommend having everyone work with the same CPA who specializes in farm estates. The upfront cost of proper professional advice will be much less than dealing with potential IRS issues later. You're asking the right questions at the right time - that proactive approach will save your family significant stress and potential tax problems down the road.
Thank you so much for this clear explanation! As someone new to dealing with inheritance tax issues, the stepped-up basis concept was really confusing until I read your breakdown. It's reassuring to know that the family likely won't face major tax consequences since they're selling quickly after inheritance. Your advice about documenting everything really resonates with me - I can see how having proper appraisals and records would be crucial if the IRS ever has questions. I'm definitely going to encourage my dad to push for getting a livestock appraiser involved before they finalize the sales. One thing I'm curious about - you mentioned that breeding cattle held over 24 months get capital gains treatment. Since most of Grandma's herd were breeding animals she'd kept for years, would this mean the tax rate would be lower than regular income tax for the family members? Most of them are in pretty standard income brackets. I really appreciate everyone's advice on this thread about working with a single farm estate specialist. It sounds like that's going to be the key to making sure everyone handles this correctly and consistently.
I'm so sorry for your family's loss. Having gone through a similar situation with my father's small cattle operation in Missouri, I wanted to share a few things that might help your family navigate this process. The stepped-up basis everyone has mentioned is absolutely correct and will likely save your family significant taxes. Since your grandmother was running what sounds like a legitimate breeding operation, the cattle should receive that stepped-up basis to fair market value at death, meaning minimal taxable gain when sold shortly after. One thing I learned the hard way - make sure to check if your grandmother had any installment sales contracts or breeding agreements with neighbors that might affect ownership of some cattle. We discovered after the fact that three of our "inherited" cattle were actually owned jointly with a neighboring farm through a breeding partnership. Also, if the family is planning to sell the land eventually too, consider whether any of the siblings might want to continue agricultural use for tax purposes. There are some beneficial provisions for heirs who maintain agricultural operations, even if just temporarily. The advice about working with a single farm estate CPA is spot-on. We made the mistake of having different siblings consult different accountants initially, which created confusion that took months to sort out. Having everyone on the same page from the start will save you tremendous headaches. You're being very thoughtful to research this ahead of time - your family is lucky to have someone looking out for these details during such a difficult period.
I just went through this exact situation last year with my Etsy shop! Started in late 2023 with about $3,800 in startup costs but no sales until 2024. The key thing I learned is that you absolutely CAN claim these expenses even with zero income. In TurboTax, go to the Business section and select "I'll enter my business info myself" when it asks about 1099s. Then just enter $0 for income but add all your legitimate business expenses - tools, materials, website costs, home office, etc. One important tip: make sure you can justify that this is a real business and not a hobby. Keep records of your business activities, any marketing you did, your business plan (even informal), and evidence you intended to make a profit. The IRS gets suspicious of businesses that show losses year after year with no income. Your Schedule C loss will flow through to your main tax return and reduce your W-2 income, which could give you a nice refund! Just be prepared to explain your business activities if questioned.
This is really helpful! Did you run into any issues when filing with the zero income? I'm worried TurboTax might flag it as an error or something. Also, how did you handle the home office deduction - did you use the simplified method or actual expenses?
TurboTax actually handles zero income just fine - no error flags or anything! When you're in the business section, it will ask for your gross receipts/sales and you just enter 0. Then it walks you through all the expense categories normally. For the home office, I went with the simplified method (300 sq ft max at $5/sq ft) since my setup was pretty basic. It's way easier than tracking all the actual expenses and utilities. Just measure your dedicated workspace and multiply by $5 - you can deduct up to $1,500 this way. The whole process was actually smoother than I expected. My refund came through without any issues, and I haven't heard anything from the IRS about it.
Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this with a freelance writing business! You're absolutely on the right track with claiming those startup expenses as a net operating loss. One thing I'd emphasize is documentation - keep everything organized now because if you get questioned later, you'll need to show these were legitimate business expenses with profit intent. I created a simple spreadsheet tracking all my expenses with categories, dates, and business purposes. Also, don't forget about some of the less obvious deductible expenses: business cards, professional development (courses related to jewelry making), subscriptions to industry magazines, even mileage to purchase supplies. These can add up and increase your NOL. The good news is that once you start making sales in 2025, you'll have established your business legitimacy, making future tax years much smoother. Your 2024 loss documentation will actually help prove this has been a real business venture from the start.
Great point about the documentation! I'm definitely going to create that spreadsheet system you mentioned. Quick question - for business cards and professional development expenses, do those count as startup costs even if I ordered them in 2024 but haven't really "used" them for actual business yet? Like I got business cards printed but haven't handed any out since I don't have products ready to sell. Also, thanks for mentioning mileage - I completely forgot about tracking trips to the craft store for supplies! Do you know if there's a minimum amount you need to track, or should I log every single trip even if it's just a few miles?
Yes, business cards and professional development expenses absolutely count as startup costs even if you haven't used them yet! The key is that you purchased them with the intent to use them for your business. Having business cards printed shows you're serious about marketing and establishing your business - that's exactly the kind of documentation that proves legitimate business intent to the IRS. For mileage, you should track every business-related trip regardless of distance. Even a 2-mile round trip to pick up supplies adds up over time, and there's no minimum threshold. I use a simple app on my phone that logs the trips automatically, or you could just keep a small notebook in your car. Just make sure to note the business purpose for each trip (e.g., "purchased jewelry wire and clasps for inventory"). The IRS standard mileage rate for 2024 was 67 cents per mile for business use, so those short trips to craft stores can actually add meaningful deductions to your NOL. Every legitimate expense helps offset your other income!
Sean O'Donnell
keep checking ur bank account too sometimes the $ hits before transcripts update
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Kingston Bellamy
Been through this exact same situation last year! The April 15 date on your transcript is actually a good sign - it means they've moved your return into the final processing queue. The 570 code you're seeing just means they had a temporary hold while doing the accuracy review, but since your transcript updated on March 6th, that usually indicates they've completed their review process. Most people I know who got that same timeline received their refunds within 2-3 weeks of the transcript update. Your $5,993 refund amount looks solid based on what you're showing. Just keep checking your transcripts weekly for any new transaction codes - you'll probably see a 846 code pop up soon which means refund issued! The 60-day notice is just their standard CYA timeframe, but they rarely actually take that long once things start moving on the transcript side.
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