Has anyone had success getting their university to reinstate a certification program for education expenses? My school also eliminated theirs, citing "administrative burden" and "potential liability.

This is such a frustrating situation that many university employees face! I've been dealing with something similar at my institution. One approach that helped me was creating a detailed "business connection matrix" that mapped each course to specific job duties from my official position description. I literally created a spreadsheet with columns for: Course Name, Course Learning Objectives, Specific Job Duties Enhanced, and Examples of Application. This made it crystal clear how each credit hour directly improved skills I use daily in my current role. When I presented this to our benefits office, they still wouldn't certify it officially, but the documentation was so thorough that I felt confident taking the position on my tax return that these qualified as working condition fringe benefits. I included the matrix as supporting documentation and referenced it in my Form 8275 disclosure statement. The key insight I learned is that IRC 132(d) doesn't actually require employer certification - it just requires that the education would qualify as a deductible business expense if you paid for it yourself. Your employer's refusal to review doesn't change whether the education actually meets the tax code requirements. Have you considered reaching out to other employees in similar situations? Sometimes collective action can be more effective than individual requests for policy changes.

Remember that even if there's no structures, you're still liable for what happens on your property! My friend had an empty lot and some teens were drinking there, one fell and got hurt, and they sued him! Make sure you have liability insurance on that vacant land. Most regular homeowners policies won't cover empty lots that aren't adjacent to your primary residence.

@Aisha Mahmood - Definitely contact the Wisconsin county assessor's office ASAP! Since you inherited the land, the property taxes are likely still being assessed but might be going to your grandparents' old address or getting held up in the ownership transfer process. Wisconsin has some great programs for forest land - you might qualify for the Managed Forest Land (MFL) program which can reduce your property taxes by up to 80% if you commit to keeping it as forest for at least 25 years. Given that it's 3 acres of forest, this could save you hundreds of dollars annually. You'll need to get the deed properly transferred into your name first, then inquire about MFL enrollment. The Wisconsin DNR website has all the details about eligibility requirements. Don't wait too long though - property taxes accrue even if you're not receiving bills, and you don't want to end up with a big surprise bill later!

Varo is usually good. Mine came early. Check your account details. Make sure they're correct. IRS doesn't make mistakes often. But it happens. Give it until end of day tomorrow. Then worry. Most people get their money on time.

I'm in the exact same boat! DDD 3/18 with Varo and still nothing as of this morning. Last year my refund hit 2 days early around 6 AM, so I was expecting it yesterday or today. I've been checking the app obsessively too! 😅 From what I've read, Varo's early deposit timing can be inconsistent - sometimes it depends on when the IRS sends the ACH files to the banks. I'm trying not to panic yet since we still have until tomorrow, but the waiting is definitely nerve-wracking when you're counting on that money!

Dumb question maybe, but why does it matter what percentage is US Government Sourced Interest? Is this just for state tax purposes or does it affect federal taxes too?

Great question, Sean! You're absolutely correct about the BlackRock SGOV calculation - multiplying your total dividends by 96.45% is exactly the right approach. For SPDR BIL, I had the same issue last year. What worked for me was calling SPDR investor relations directly at 1-866-SPDR-ETF. They were able to email me the exact percentage within a few hours. For BIL in 2024, it was around 97.8% US Government Sourced Interest, but you'll want the current year's figure. One thing to watch out for - make sure you're looking at the right tax year's data. Some funds update their supplemental tax documents late in the year, so double-check the reporting period matches your tax year. Also, since this is your first time with government securities, remember to report this correctly on your state return if your state has income tax. The US Government Sourced portion should be exempt from state taxes in most states, which can save you a decent amount depending on your state's tax rate.

Has anyone tried writing off the mileage driving between client homes instead? I found that to be much more straightforward and actually worth more in deductions than trying to deal with all these meal expense complications. Last year I tracked over 8,000 miles just driving between pet sitting clients and that deduction was worth waaaaay more than my meal expenses would have been.

Great discussion everyone! As someone who's been dealing with similar tax questions for my small business, I wanted to add that documentation is absolutely key regardless of which deductions you pursue. For meals specifically, even if you do qualify for the travel deduction, the IRS requires you to keep records showing the business purpose, date, location, and amount of each expense. A simple spreadsheet noting which client you were serving and why the meal was necessary for business can make all the difference if you're ever questioned. I also second what others have said about mileage - it's often a bigger deduction and much clearer cut. Don't forget you can also deduct other business expenses like pet supplies, cleaning supplies for client homes, phone bills (business portion), and even professional liability insurance if you carry it. Sometimes focusing on these more straightforward deductions gives you better results than trying to navigate the gray areas around meal expenses.