You need to find out who requested this verification. Most common requestors: - Mortgage lenders - Student loan servicers - Financial aid offices - State benefit programs (SNAP, Medicaid, etc) - Court-ordered proceedings (child support, bankruptcy) Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and specifically ask who requested the verification. They should be able to tell you.

That future date is definitely a red flag, but I've seen this before with IRS system glitches. The fact that you mentioned applying for mortgage pre-approval 2 months ago is likely your answer - lenders routinely request verification of non-filing directly from the IRS as part of their underwriting process, often without explicitly telling borrowers they're doing this. The "sa.www4.irs.gov" subdomain you mentioned is actually legitimate - it's one of their secure application servers. However, I'd still recommend calling the IRS directly at 800-829-1040 (look up the number yourself, don't use what's on the letter) to confirm they sent this and to ask specifically who requested the verification. Also, try creating an account on irs.gov to access your tax transcript online. If you can't access it or see any suspicious activity, that would be a bigger concern than this letter with the weird date.

dont overthink this. i literally just walked into h&r block last february with all my papers in a shoebox. the lady was super nice and did everything for me. was like $250 total. so much easier than turbotax!!

Great question! I'd echo what others have said about meeting with an accountant before year-end - there's definitely value in tax planning vs. just tax preparation. One thing that helped me when I made the switch from DIY software was to gather my previous 2-3 years of tax returns before meeting with potential accountants. Even though you don't need current year documents yet, having your historical returns lets them quickly assess your situation and identify patterns or missed opportunities from previous years. Also, don't just focus on the biggest firms in your area. Some of the best tax advice I've gotten came from smaller practices where the CPA actually does the work personally rather than handing it off to junior staff. Ask about their typical client profile and make sure they have experience with situations similar to yours. The consultation fee you pay now will likely save you much more than that in optimized tax strategies, plus you'll avoid the April rush when everyone's scrambling to find help!

something ppl overlook - make sure ur nephew isn't counting on claiming educational tax credits himself!! if u pay tuition directly to school as a gift, he cant claim the lifetime learning credit or tuition deduction on that amount even if he meets income requirements. had this happen in my family and my cousin lost out on like $2000 tax credit bc grandpa paid tuition directly to school.

Great question! I went through this exact situation when helping my daughter with her master's program. The educational expense exclusion under IRC Section 2503(e) absolutely applies to graduate school tuition - there's no distinction between undergraduate and graduate levels. However, I'd strongly recommend considering the tax credit implications that others have mentioned. For your nephew's MBA, you might want to explore a hybrid approach: pay a portion directly to the school (to take advantage of the unlimited exclusion) and gift him some funds directly (within the $17,000 annual limit) so he can potentially claim education credits. Also, make sure to keep detailed records of any direct payments to the institution. I always request a receipt showing the payment was made directly for tuition on behalf of the student - this documentation has been helpful for my own tax records. The $35,000 you mentioned is substantial, so definitely worth running the numbers on which approach maximizes the overall tax benefit for your family!

Quick question for anyone who's been through this - if I go ahead and file with the documentation showing both forms (incorrect 1095-A and correct 1095-B), will this trigger an audit? I'm nervous about drawing attention to my return.

I went through this exact same situation last year! The key thing to understand is that you don't actually need the Marketplace to fix the 1095-A to file your taxes correctly. Since you have your 1095-B showing employer coverage for all of 2023, you can file with confidence. Here's what I did: I completed Form 8962 but entered zero for any months where I actually had employer coverage (even though the 1095-A showed otherwise). The IRS computer systems will match up your forms eventually, and having both the incorrect 1095-A and correct 1095-B as documentation protects you. I also wrote a simple explanation letter that I attached to my return explaining the coverage transition and why the 1095-A was incorrect. Something like: "The enclosed 1095-A shows coverage for January 2023, however I had employer-sponsored coverage through [employer name] for the entire year as documented by the enclosed 1095-B. No advance premium tax credits were received for 2023." Filed electronically with no issues and never heard back from the IRS about it. Don't let this incorrect form hold up your filing - you have all the documentation you need to file accurately!

Has anyone used any tax software that's particularly good with these forestry credits and deductions? I tried talking to a guy at H&R Block and he looked at me like I had three heads when I asked about timber taxation.

I've been dealing with forest land taxation for about 8 years now, and I can confirm that while 45Q doesn't apply to regular timberland ownership, there are definitely other opportunities worth exploring. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) if any of your land qualifies. It's more common for agricultural land, but forested areas can sometimes qualify for CRP payments while also getting property tax benefits. Also, depending on your state, you might want to look into whether your 30 acres could qualify as a "tree farm" under the American Tree Farm System. This certification can open up additional tax advantages and sometimes makes you eligible for cost-share programs for forest management activities. The key is documentation - start keeping records of any expenses related to the property (even just trail maintenance or boundary marking) because these can often be deducted if you're managing the land for timber production, even if you're not actively harvesting yet.