24 Has anyone compared whether it's better to claim ABA therapy under the medical expense deduction instead of the dependent care credit? I heard you can't double-dip and claim the same expenses for both.

Great question about comparing the medical expense deduction vs dependent care credit! I actually ran into this exact dilemma last year with my daughter's speech therapy costs. Here's what I learned: The dependent care credit is usually better because it's a direct credit (reduces taxes owed dollar-for-dollar) vs a deduction (only reduces taxable income). Plus, medical expenses only help if you itemize AND they exceed 7.5% of your AGI. For example, if you're in the 22% tax bracket and claim $3,000 in medical deductions, you save about $660 in taxes. But if you use that same $3,000 for the dependent care credit at 20%, you save $600 directly off your tax bill - and potentially more if you qualify for a higher credit percentage based on income. However, if you already have massive medical bills that put you over the 7.5% threshold anyway, then adding the therapy to medical might make sense. I'd recommend calculating both scenarios to see which gives you better overall tax savings!

This is such a relief to read - I thought I was going crazy! Same exact situation here. Filed early February, called IRS last week and got the standard "processing delays, call back in a month" response. The very next day I tried checking WMR (literally my first time checking in over a week) and boom - locked out for "exceeding attempts." What really gets me is how this seems to happen RIGHT after calling them. Like there's something in their system that flags your account once you make contact with customer service? The timing is just too coincidental for all of us. I'm really hoping the theory about this being a processing stage indicator is correct. At this point I'll take any sign of progress, even if it's the system having a meltdown! The financial stress is real - between rent increases and everything else, this refund can't come soon enough. Thanks for posting this @Andre - at least we know we're not alone in this madness! 🙏

This is incredibly frustrating but honestly reassuring to see I'm not the only one! Filed in early February, called the IRS two weeks ago and got the exact same "longer processing times, call back in 4-6 weeks" script. Then yesterday - first time checking WMR in over a week - suddenly I'm locked out for "too many attempts." The pattern here is too obvious to ignore. It really does seem like calling their customer service somehow flags your account or triggers something in their system that causes the WMR lockout. The timing is just too coincidental for so many of us. What's giving me hope though is reading about people actually getting their refunds shortly after this lockout happens. If this really is some weird sign that our returns are moving through final processing, then maybe we're closer than we think? I'm in the same boat financially - really counting on this money and every day it's delayed makes things harder. But at least now I know this isn't just me going crazy or doing something wrong. The whole IRS system seems to be having major issues this year. Fingers crossed we all see our refunds soon! 🤞

Has anyone tried TaxSlayer? Their website says they include the American Opportunity Credit in their free version if your AGI is under $60k. I'm thinking of giving them a try this year.

I went through this exact same frustration last year! TurboTax definitely pulls that bait-and-switch move with the education credits. After doing some research, I ended up using Cash App Taxes and it was completely free for both federal and state, even with the American Opportunity Credit. One thing I learned is to always check the IRS Free File website first - they have a tool that helps you find which services you qualify for based on your income and tax situation. Most of the legitimate free options will tell you upfront what's included rather than surprising you at the end like TurboTax does. Just make sure you have your 1098-T form handy (from your school) before you start filing - you'll need the information from that form to claim the American Opportunity Credit properly. Good luck!

Has anyone used the "Schedule SE" worksheet in the tax software? I found it super helpful because it automatically calculates how much self-employment tax you owe taking into account your W-2 income. Saved me a ton of math!

This is exactly the kind of situation I went through last year! The key thing to remember is that self-employment tax is calculated on your net earnings from self-employment (after business expenses), and the Social Security portion does have that annual wage cap. For 2025, the Social Security wage base is $168,600. Since you're making $127,000 from your W-2 job, you have about $41,600 of "room" left before hitting the cap. This means only the first $41,600 of your self-employment earnings would be subject to the 12.4% Social Security portion of SE tax. However, ALL of your self-employment income will be subject to the 2.9% Medicare portion since there's no cap on Medicare taxes. Don't forget that you can deduct legitimate business expenses (computer equipment, software subscriptions, portion of home office, etc.) before calculating your SE tax. Also, you'll be able to deduct half of your self-employment tax as an adjustment to income, which helps reduce your overall tax burden. I'd definitely recommend making quarterly estimated payments if you haven't already - the underpayment penalties can be painful!

Has anyone used TurboTax to handle this kind of situation? I'm in a similar boat with about $4200 in unpaid commissions on my 1099-NEC and I'm wondering if the standard tax software can handle the amended return or if I need to go to a professional.

I'm dealing with something very similar right now - received a 1099-NEC for $2,800 that I never got paid. One thing that's been helpful for me is keeping a detailed spreadsheet of all my commission calculations alongside the communication records. Make sure to save any contracts or agreements you had with the company about commission structure. The IRS will want to see that you actually earned this money and that the company is legitimately required to pay you. Also document any other salespeople who are in the same situation - if this is a pattern of behavior by the company, that strengthens your case significantly. I'd recommend reaching out to your state's attorney general office too. Many states have specific protections for unpaid wages/commissions, and they sometimes have more teeth than labor departments when it comes to getting companies to pay up quickly.