Your congressman's office can help! Mine got involved and suddenly IRS started moving on my case real quick

I went through something similar last year. After 6 months of getting nowhere with regular customer service, I filed a complaint with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). You can do it online at treasury.gov/tigta. They actually investigate IRS processing delays and can force action on stuck cases. Also consider sending a certified letter to the IRS office that handles your region - sometimes written complaints get more attention than phone calls. Keep pushing and don't give up!

Remember that LLC registration and tax filing are two different things! I kept my Wyoming LLC registration even after moving to Oregon because Wyoming has better asset protection laws. But I still have to file and pay Oregon taxes as that's where I physically operate the business. You might want to consider maintaining your LLC registration in whichever state has more favorable business laws while still complying with tax filing requirements based on where you actually operate and have clients. Texas has some good liability protections for LLCs that Colorado doesn't.

Great discussion here! As someone who went through a similar LLC relocation from Nevada to Washington state, I wanted to add a few practical tips that helped me navigate this process. First, regarding the $78k income split - document EXACTLY when you moved and what income was earned where. The IRS and state tax agencies love clear documentation. I created a simple spreadsheet tracking income by client, date earned, and location where I performed the work. Second, don't overlook estimated tax payments! If you were making quarterly payments to Colorado and now need to make them elsewhere, you'll want to adjust your payment schedule mid-year to avoid penalties. Third, consider consulting with a tax professional who specializes in multi-state businesses before making any final decisions about dissolving your Colorado LLC registration. Sometimes maintaining registration in both states can be beneficial depending on your specific business structure and future plans. The tools mentioned above (taxr.ai and claimyr.com) sound helpful, but also make sure you're working with someone who understands the nuances of your specific industry and client relationships. State tax laws can be surprisingly specific about what constitutes "doing business" in a state. Good luck with your filings!

Does anyone know if you actually NEED to make this election for small rental property repairs? I've been reading that if all your repair expenses are under $2,500 per invoice, you might qualify to deduct them outright as repairs without making this formal election. I'm using Cash App Taxes too and can't figure out where to put this election statement, so I'm wondering if I can just skip it and still deduct my minor expenses.

I actually had this exact same issue with Cash App Taxes last year! After trying multiple approaches, I found the solution in an unexpected place. Go to your Schedule E section, select the specific rental property you're working on, then look for a section called "Property Details" or "Additional Property Information." Within that section, there should be a text field for "Notes" or "Comments" - it's usually near the bottom and easy to miss. I put my de minimis safe harbor election statement there using this language: "Taxpayer elects the de minimis safe harbor under Treasury Regulation Section 1.263(a)-3(h) for all eligible expenditures for the tax year ending December 31, 2024." My return was accepted without any issues, and I've used this same approach for two years now. The key is that the election needs to be associated with your rental property reporting, which Schedule E accomplishes perfectly. If you still can't find that field, try updating Cash App Taxes - they've moved some sections around in recent updates. Hope this helps!

Just a heads up to everyone having PIN problems - if you end up missing the filing deadline because of PIN issues, make sure you file for an extension using Form 4868! This gives you until October to file your actual return while you sort out the PIN stuff. The extension doesn't give you more time to pay though, so you should still estimate and pay any taxes you owe by the regular deadline to avoid penalties and interest.

Just wanted to add another option for folks dealing with PIN issues - if you're in a rural area or don't have reliable internet, you can also file a paper return without needing your IP PIN at all. You'll just need to include Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) with your paper return to explain why you can't provide the PIN electronically. The paper filing takes longer to process (usually 6-8 weeks vs 2-3 weeks for e-filing), but it's a solid backup option if you absolutely can't recover your PIN and are running up against the deadline. Just make sure to mail it certified mail so you have proof it was sent on time. This saved me two years ago when I had a similar PIN nightmare right before the deadline!

Don't forget about the educational component! If you pay for your au pair's educational requirements (often around $500), those can also be included in your dependent care expenses. Also, keep a log of any additional benefits you provide - like if you pay for their cell phone or transportation costs. Some of these might qualify as additional dependent care expenses if they're required as part of their childcare duties. One thing that surprised me was that you can still claim the dependent care credit even if you use dependent care FSA funds to pay for some of the au pair expenses. You just can't double-dip on the same expenses.

Great question! I've been hosting au pairs for three years now and can share some practical experience with the tax side. One thing I learned the hard way is to keep meticulous records from day one. I use a simple spreadsheet to track weekly stipend payments, program fees, educational expenses, and any other qualifying costs. This makes tax time so much easier. A few key points from my experience: - You'll need your au pair's SSN or ITIN for Form 2441, so make sure they get one early in their stay - Keep copies of all program documentation - the agency contract, visa paperwork, etc. This helps establish the legitimate childcare relationship - Document the hours your au pair works in childcare vs. light housework, since only childcare hours count toward the dependent care credit Also, don't overlook state-specific benefits. Some states have their own dependent care credits that can stack on top of the federal credit. Worth checking with a local tax professional who understands au pair arrangements. The savings really do add up - between the federal credit and our state credit, we save about $1,800 annually on our tax bill, which definitely helps offset the program costs!