Don't overlook ATX. It's middle of the road on pricing but has a great interface and decent support. I handle about 75 returns each season with it after leaving my full-time tax job. One thing to consider: if you'll be filing any business returns (1120, 1120S, 1065) in addition to individual returns, some of the cheaper options mentioned here won't cut it. ATX has affordable bundles that include business returns.

As someone who just started doing side returns this past season (about 12 clients), I can share what worked for me. I ended up going with Drake after researching all these options, and I'm glad I did. The unlimited federal + all states for one price was the deciding factor. Even though I only needed 3 states this year, knowing I won't get hit with surprise per-state fees as I grow was huge. The learning curve from UltraTax wasn't bad - took me a weekend to get comfortable with the interface. One tip: Drake offers a significant discount if you purchase early in the year (like June/July). I got mine for about 40% off the regular price. Their customer service during tax season was also excellent - never waited more than 5 minutes on hold. For anyone just starting out, I'd definitely recommend Drake if you plan to grow beyond 20 returns eventually. The upfront cost pays for itself once you hit that volume.

Has anyone ever considered giving up their US green card to solve this problem? I'm thinking about moving back to India in a few years, and the double taxation is making me wonder if maintaining US person status is worth it.

I went through a similar nightmare with NRI double taxation and wanted to share what worked for me. The key insight I learned is that you need to be extremely strategic about which provisions of the India-US tax treaty you invoke for each type of income. For rental income from Indian property, make sure you're applying Article 6 correctly - the income is taxable in India, but you can claim foreign tax credit in the US. For interest from fixed deposits, check if it qualifies for the reduced withholding rates under Article 11. One thing that really helped me was maintaining detailed records of all taxes paid in India with challan numbers and dates. When claiming FTC in the US using Form 1116, the IRS wants to see proof of actual tax payments, not just TDS certificates. Also, consider the timing of your investments. If you're planning any major asset sales in India, coordinate with a tax advisor who understands both systems. I made the mistake of selling some property without considering the US tax implications and ended up with a much higher effective tax rate than necessary. The most important thing is don't try to handle this alone - the interaction between the two tax systems is incredibly complex and the penalties for getting it wrong are severe in both countries.

Has anyone used CrossLink? My buddy uses it for his tax practice and says it's pretty good for the price. Apparently they have a pay-per-return option that might make sense for someone just starting out?

Another option to consider is TaxSlayer Pro - I've been using it for three years now and it's been solid for my practice. The pricing is reasonable (around $1,200 for unlimited federal returns), and they have good customer support during tax season. What I like about TaxSlayer Pro is that it has a clean interface that's not overwhelming for newer preparers, but still has all the professional features you need. They also include bank products if you want to offer refund advances to clients, which can be a nice revenue stream. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given - make sure whatever software you choose integrates well with client management. You'll want to track client information, documents received, appointment scheduling, etc. Some software includes basic client management, others require separate tools. This becomes really important once you get beyond 20-30 clients. Also, consider the learning curve timing. Tax season comes fast, so pick something you can get comfortable with quickly rather than the most feature-rich option that might take months to master.

I can totally understand your panic when seeing "Examination of tax return" on your transcript! I had the exact same reaction when I first encountered code 420 on mine. The good news is that everyone here is absolutely right - that $0.00 amount is actually the best possible outcome. What you experienced was most likely an automated document matching examination. The IRS has systems that flag returns for verification, especially those with higher income amounts like yours ($183,265). They simply cross-checked your reported figures against the W-2s, 1099s, and other third-party documents they already have on file from your employers and financial institutions. Since the examination resulted in $0.00 (meaning no additional tax owed or refund due), it indicates everything matched up perfectly and they closed the case without any changes to your return. The timing - filing in March 2023 with the examination code appearing in July 2023 - is completely typical for this type of automated review. The fact that you haven't received any formal notices (CP2000, Letter 525, etc.) after more than a year strongly confirms this examination was completed successfully. The IRS is legally required to send official correspondence if they find discrepancies or need additional documentation from you. For your mortgage application, this shouldn't be a concern at all. Lenders are familiar with these codes and understand they're routine processing rather than indicators of tax problems. You're all set!

I had a very similar situation with code 420 on my 2022 transcript! Like others have mentioned, that $0.00 amount is actually great news - it means the IRS completed their review and found no issues requiring changes. From my research and experience, code 420 typically appears when the IRS conducts what's called a "correspondence examination" - basically an automated review where they match your reported income against third-party documents like W-2s and 1099s they received directly from employers, banks, etc. Given your income level ($183,265) and the large payment you made ($201,000), it makes perfect sense that your return would be flagged for this type of verification. It's actually a sign that their systems are working properly to ensure accuracy. The timeline fits too - you filed in March 2023, examination code appeared in July 2023, which is typical processing time for these reviews. Since it's been over a year without any CP2000 or formal audit notices, the examination was almost certainly closed successfully. For complete peace of mind, definitely call 1-800-829-1040 to get official confirmation, but everything about your situation screams "routine verification completed with no issues." Your mortgage lender will understand these codes are normal processing, so you should be good to go!

Kinda silly question but does the price of the tote matter? Like if I spent $800 on a designer work bag, can I still deduct the whole thing or will the IRS be like "you could've bought a cheaper bag"?

Great question! I'm also relatively new to 1099 work and had similar concerns about what I could deduct. One thing that helped me was keeping a simple business expense log where I write down the date, amount, and business purpose for each purchase. For your tote bag situation, I'd suggest writing something like "Professional tote bag - exclusively used for transporting laptop, client documents, and business materials to meetings and co-working space." This creates a clear paper trail showing business intent. Also, don't worry about it being from Mercari - the IRS cares about the business purpose, not the retailer. Just make sure you have that receipt/purchase confirmation saved somewhere safe. Since you're under the $2,500 threshold, you can deduct it all in one year instead of depreciating it, which makes your taxes simpler too.