Is no one else bothered by the fact that TT basically gives itself an interest-free loan from your refund and then charges YOU for the privilege?? The more I think about it, the more annoyed I get. They're literally using our money to float their business for a few weeks and then charging us for it.

This is exactly why I switched to doing my own taxes using the IRS Free File Fillable Forms. Yes, it takes a bit more work to understand the forms, but at least I know exactly where every dollar is going and I'm not getting hit with surprise fees. The whole SBTPG situation is a perfect example of how these tax prep companies make their money - not just from the software fees, but from all these ancillary services that most people don't even realize they're signing up for. When you're going through the filing process, they make it seem like paying with your refund is just a convenient option, but they don't clearly explain that convenience costs you an extra $40. For anyone who wants to avoid this next year, either pay the software fee upfront or look into the actual IRS Free File options that others have mentioned. Don't let these companies profit off your own money!

dont stress about it, they usually come right b4 tax season starts

Just wanted to add that if your brother moved since last year, he should definitely update his address with the IRS before they mail out the new PIN. They don't forward these letters and if it goes to the old address, he'll have to jump through hoops to get a replacement. The address update can be done online or by calling them directly.

One thing nobody's mentioned - you should check if you qualify as "Head of Household" instead of married filing separately. If you: 1) Were separated from your spouse for last 6 months of 2024 2) Paid more than half the cost of keeping up your home 3) Had a "qualifying person" (like your kids) living with you for more than half the year 4) Will file a separate return from your spouse Then HOH status gives you a bigger standard deduction ($20,800 vs $13,850) and better tax rates than married filing separately. Since your kids lived with you 7 months, they could qualify you for this better filing status!

@Chloe Green - I went through a very similar situation during my divorce. Here are the key points that helped me navigate this: **Filing Status**: Since you were still legally married on December 31, 2024, you must choose between "married filing jointly" or "married filing separately." You cannot file as single or head of household without a legal separation decree. **Dependents**: The IRS uses the "residency test" - whoever the children lived with for more than half the year (more than 183 days) generally gets to claim them. Since your kids lived with you for 7 months before moving to their dad's, you likely have the stronger claim. However, make sure there's no existing court order from your first marriage that gives their biological father the right to claim them. **Joint vs. Separate**: Run the numbers both ways! Joint filing usually saves money due to better tax brackets and higher standard deduction, but if you're concerned about your husband's tax compliance or want to limit your liability, separate filing might be worth the extra tax cost for peace of mind. **Documentation**: Keep detailed records of where the kids lived each night in 2024, plus receipts for their support (housing, food, clothes, medical, etc.). If their father tries to claim them too, you'll need this documentation. Consider consulting a tax professional for your specific situation - the potential savings from getting this right could be substantial with two dependents involved.

Has anyone dealt with the situation where a parent gets too much Social Security to qualify as a dependent? My dad gets about $2,300/month and I heard there's a gross income limit.

Based on your situation, it sounds like you have a strong case for claiming your mom as a dependent! Since you're covering rent ($1,650/month) and utilities ($300/month), that's already $23,400 annually just in housing costs. Add groceries on top of that, and you're definitely providing more than half her total support. The key thing with her Social Security is that it likely won't count against the gross income limit since she's probably not required to file a tax return. Social Security benefits are only counted toward the $5,150 gross income test if she has enough other income to require filing a return. Since her $1,875/month Social Security ($22,500/year) is her only income and she's using it for personal expenses rather than basic living costs, you should be good to claim her. Plus, as others mentioned, this could qualify you for head of household status which would save you significant money on taxes! I'd recommend keeping detailed records of all the expenses you pay for her throughout the year - rent receipts, utility bills, grocery receipts - just in case the IRS ever asks for documentation.

Has anyone tried Cash App Taxes? I heard they're completely free for both federal AND state. My friend said they got a bigger refund there than TurboTax too?

Just to add another perspective - I've been doing this comparison shopping for years and it's definitely worth it! One thing I learned the hard way is to make sure you're entering your information exactly the same way across all platforms. Sometimes a small difference in how you categorize something (like whether certain expenses go in one field vs another) can create artificial differences in your refund calculation. Also, if you do find significant differences between platforms, don't just go with the highest refund automatically. Take a closer look at what's different - sometimes the higher refund comes from a more aggressive interpretation of tax rules that might not hold up if you ever get audited. The sweet spot is finding legitimate deductions you missed, not wishful thinking about what might qualify. Good luck with your comparison shopping! With just W2 income and no major complications, you should have plenty of good free options to choose from.