Has anyone considered pet insurance instead of trying to find tax deductions? I pay about $45/month for my lab mix, and when she needed knee surgery last year, they covered 90% after my $250 deductible. Saved me thousands! Not tax advice but might help with the financial burden next year.

I totally feel your pain with those unexpected vet bills! Unfortunately, as others have mentioned, regular veterinary expenses for pets aren't deductible as medical expenses on your tax return. The IRS is pretty clear that these deductions only apply to humans, not our furry family members. However, I noticed you mentioned Lucy appears in photos for your handmade dog accessories business - that could actually open up some possibilities! If you're legitimately using her as part of your business operations (product modeling, social media marketing, etc.), you might be able to deduct a portion of her expenses as business costs rather than trying to claim them as medical expenses. You'd need to keep detailed records of her business use versus personal time, document how her images generate business income, and track all expenses separately. It's definitely more complex than a standard medical deduction, but it could be a legitimate way to recover some of those costs. I'd suggest consulting with a tax professional who has experience with small business deductions to make sure you handle it properly. Also, definitely consider pet insurance going forward - it won't help with this year's taxes, but it could save you thousands on future vet bills!

One more tip for anyone filing last minute - make sure you save/print a copy of your return AND the confirmation page showing it was accepted. Screenshot the confirmation if using your phone. Last year I thought I filed on time but had no proof when the IRS claimed they never received it. Nightmare situation that took months to resolve!

Great advice from everyone here! Just wanted to add that if you're e-filing at the last minute, double-check that your software is actually submitting to the IRS and not just saving a draft. I made that mistake a few years ago - thought I had filed but just saved it locally on my computer. Also, if you're really cutting it close and worried about technical issues, consider having a backup plan. Some tax preparers offer same-day service, and while it's more expensive, it might be worth it for peace of mind if you're down to the wire. The October 15th deadline has been a lifesaver for me multiple times. Just remember - if you owe money, you should have already paid the estimated amount back in April to avoid interest charges, even with the extension!

This is really helpful information! I've been using traditional banks for years and never realized the difference was in the processing policies rather than actual transfer speeds. It makes sense that prepaid cards would use faster fund availability as a competitive advantage. I'm curious though - do you know if credit unions typically follow the same processing timeline as traditional banks, or do they have their own approach? I'm considering switching to a credit union next year and wondering if I should expect similar delays to what I've experienced with my current bank.

This matches my experience exactly! I switched from Chase to Green Dot last year specifically because I heard about faster refund processing, and it definitely delivered. What's interesting is that Green Dot sends you a notification as soon as they receive the deposit notification from the IRS, even before the funds are technically available. Chase never did that - I'd just wake up one day and the money would be there. The transparency alone makes the switch worth it. For anyone considering this, just keep in mind that while you get your refund faster, you'll want to plan ahead for transferring the money to a traditional account if you need to write checks or use services that don't accept prepaid cards.

Has anyone considered the pro/cons of NOT repaying the CARES withdrawal? I took about $30k out and am now able to repay, but I'm wondering if it might actually be better to just pay the taxes (I selected the 3-year option) and keep the money out? My reasoning is that I'm 52 and might get more benefit from using that money now rather than having it locked away until retirement.

I went through a very similar situation last year and want to share what I learned. First, definitely make sure you understand which tax treatment you originally elected for your CARES withdrawal - this makes a big difference in how the repayment works. One thing that caught me off guard was the timing. Even though you have until the 3-year deadline to repay, you need to make sure you do it in the right tax year if you want the tax benefits for that year. I almost missed this and would have had to wait until the following year to get my refund. Also, regarding your Roth conversion question - since you mentioned your income is still relatively low, this could be a great opportunity. You're essentially paying taxes now at lower rates to avoid potentially higher rates later. Just make sure you have enough cash outside of retirement accounts to pay the conversion taxes without touching the converted funds. Have you calculated what your total tax liability would be for both the CARES repayment (if you don't repay) and the Roth conversion? That might help you decide the optimal strategy.

sign up for those email alerts they mentioned! thats how i knew exactly when mine was approved last year

I've been through this exact same situation! Filed through Cash App for NY state taxes last year and got the same "processing" message. It's totally normal - that's just their standard first status for all returns. The fact that you can see your tax year (2024) and form type (IT-201) displayed correctly means Cash App transmitted everything properly to NY state. I'd definitely recommend signing up for those email alerts like others mentioned - that's how I found out when mine was approved. NY typically takes 2-3 weeks to process, sometimes longer during busy periods. Cash App is legit for tax filing, so don't worry about that part!