She's a lab/golden retriever mix! About 65 pounds and absolutely amazing for mobility support. The fence was essential because she needs regular exercise to stay healthy and on-task. If you're getting a service dog, definitely budget for secure fencing if you don't already have it - it's been a game changer for us.

This is such great advice about record keeping! I'm new to having a service dog and had no idea about tracking all these expenses. Do you have any tips on how to organize everything? Like should I keep a separate folder just for service dog expenses, or is there a specific way the IRS wants to see the documentation if they audit? Also, when you mention "specialized food" - does that mean any food for the service dog counts, or does it have to be a special prescription diet? My dog doesn't need prescription food but she does eat higher quality food than a regular pet would need to maintain her working condition.

@a1325cd877f3 Great question about organization! I keep a dedicated folder (both physical and digital) specifically for service dog expenses. I scan all receipts immediately and save them with descriptive filenames like "2024-03-15_Bella_VetBill_WorkingDogPhysical.pdf" so I can easily find them later. For the IRS, what matters most is proving the expense was medically necessary. I keep a letter from my doctor that specifically mentions my service dog's role in managing my mobility condition, and I reference this in my expense log whenever I have costs related to her care. Regarding food - regular dog food typically doesn't qualify as a medical expense, even for service dogs. However, if your dog requires a specific diet to maintain working ability (like joint supplements for mobility dogs or special nutrition for diabetic alert dogs), and you have documentation from a vet stating it's medically necessary for the dog's working function, that could potentially qualify. The key is always that medical necessity documentation!

@Fatima Al-Qasimi I completely understand prioritizing reliability during such a major life transition. From what I ve'researched, Navy Federal Credit Union and Alliant Credit Union consistently get high marks for tax refund processing - usually 7-10 business days. Local credit unions also tend to be excellent since they have fewer members and can process deposits more efficiently. Most credit unions have minimal fees often ($5-25 to open and) low minimum balances $25-100 (.)I d'suggest calling a few in your area and asking specifically about their tax season processing times. Some even guarantee refund deposit timelines. The peace of mind is definitely worth avoiding the Green Dot uncertainty that others have described here.

@Dmitry Petrov Your experience really highlights the core issue with Green Dot - the unpredictability and inconsistent customer service responses. Getting three different explanations for the same problem would drive me crazy, especially when dealing with something as important as a tax refund. It sounds like you made a smart decision switching to a credit union for next year. As someone new to this community, I m'curious - did the credit union you chose require membership eligibility criteria, or were you able to join easily? I m'also going through some major financial changes and looking for reliable options with transparent communication.

Exactly! Companies have to register in states where they have employees - it's not optional. They're just trying to avoid the administrative burden and possibly other business tax obligations.

This is really helpful advice! I'm dealing with something similar where my company is based in Texas (no state income tax) but I work remotely from Colorado. They're telling me they don't need to withhold anything for state taxes, but I'm pretty sure I still owe Colorado income tax on my earnings. Should I be setting aside money myself to pay Colorado quarterly, or is there a way to get my employer to withhold the right amount?

17 That's really helpful insider info! So if I ever win something like this, I should specifically request that the money be sent directly to my school rather than to me personally? Would that make a difference in how it's taxed?

Yes, having the funds sent directly to your school is generally preferable for several reasons. First, it creates a clearer paper trail showing the money went toward qualified education expenses. Second, when we receive funds directly from contest sponsors, we can often apply them in the most tax-advantageous way - prioritizing tuition and required fees first before any goes toward room and board. However, the tax treatment ultimately depends on how you use the money, not just how it's delivered. Even if you receive a check personally, you can still potentially claim the scholarship exclusion for amounts you spend on qualified expenses - you'll just need better documentation. The key is to communicate with your financial aid office as soon as you know you're receiving any outside scholarship or prize money. We can help coordinate the timing and application of funds to maximize the portion that qualifies for tax-free treatment under IRC 117.

This is really enlightening! As someone new to understanding these tax nuances, I'm curious about the timing aspect you mentioned. If someone wins the Dr. Pepper contest in December but doesn't start school until the following January, how would that affect the tax treatment? Would they have to pay taxes on the full amount in the year they won, or could they potentially defer some of the tax liability until they actually incur the qualified education expenses? Also, you mentioned spreading expenses across tax years - are there any IRS rules about how quickly you need to use scholarship/prize money for it to qualify for the education exclusion?

Great questions! The timing issue is actually one of the trickiest aspects of these contest winnings. Generally, the IRS follows a "taxable when received" principle for prizes under IRC 74, meaning you'd owe taxes on the full amount in the year you actually receive the money, regardless of when you spend it on education. However, for the scholarship exclusion under IRC 117, the IRS allows some flexibility. You can exclude amounts used for qualified education expenses in the same tax year you received the scholarship, OR in the immediately following tax year if the expenses are for an academic period that begins in the first three months of that following year. So if you win in December 2024 but start school in January 2025, you could potentially exclude qualified expenses from that spring semester when filing your 2024 taxes. But if school doesn't start until fall 2025, you'd likely need to pay taxes on the full amount in 2024 and couldn't claim the exclusion until your 2025 return. As for timing requirements, the IRS doesn't specify exactly how quickly you must spend scholarship money, but they do require that it be used for education expenses within a "reasonable" timeframe. Most tax professionals recommend using it within the same academic year or the immediately following one to avoid any questions.

Good point! In MA we can't deduct gambling losses at all on state taxes even if we itemize federally. It's completely different.

For home poker games, keeping your own detailed log is definitely the way to go - you don't need signatures from other players. Just document each session with date, location (can be "John's house" or similar), buy-in amount, cash-out amount, and net win/loss. Also note who was present if possible. The IRS doesn't have super specific guidance on informal gambling records, but they do want to see that you made a "contemporaneous" record (meaning you wrote it down around the time it happened, not reconstructed months later). A simple notebook or phone app where you log details right after each game is perfect. One tip: take a quick photo of your chips/cash before and after if you can do it discretely. It's not required but can be helpful backup documentation. The key is showing you made a good faith effort to track everything accurately and consistently.