One thing to be careful about - there's a lot of confusion between Economic Impact Payments (the actual stimulus payments) and the Recovery Rebate Credit (how you claim a missing payment on your tax return). Make sure you're using the correct terminology when filing your amended return. If you enter information in the wrong section, it can cause major delays. I learned this the hard way when my first amended return got rejected because I put the information in the wrong place.

Thanks for sharing your experience with FreeTaxUSA - that's really frustrating that they removed your EIP when you amended your return! I went through something similar last year. Just to clarify the process: you're absolutely right that you can still claim missing Economic Impact Payments, but you'll need to file Form 1040-X to amend the appropriate tax year. Since the third EIP was issued in 2021, you'd need to amend your 2021 return to claim it via the Recovery Rebate Credit. Before you start the amendment process, I'd strongly recommend getting your IRS account transcript (you can access this free on irs.gov) to confirm exactly which payments you received and when. This will give you the precise amounts to claim and prevent any errors on your amended return. You can definitely do this yourself without paying H&R Block's fees! The IRS has free fillable forms, or you could use tax software that supports amended returns. Just make sure you're entering the Recovery Rebate Credit information on the correct line (line 30 for both 2020 and 2021 returns) to avoid processing delays.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - inherited interest in a family trust in Canada after my aunt passed. The Form 3520 requirements are definitely overwhelming at first glance. From my research and consultation with a tax attorney, here's what I've learned: you absolutely need someone with international tax experience, not just a regular tax preparer. The complexity around foreign trusts, the various reporting thresholds, and the interaction between different sections of the form require specialized knowledge. I'd recommend getting quotes from both boutique international tax firms and larger firms with international departments. In my area (Chicago), I've gotten quotes ranging from $1,200 to $3,500 depending on complexity. The key questions to ask any professional: How many Form 3520s have they filed in the past year? Do they handle foreign trust reporting regularly? Can they explain the difference between beneficiary reporting vs. owner reporting? Don't wait too long to start this process - even with professional help, gathering all the required documentation from overseas can take time. Good luck!

I went through this exact situation last year when I inherited from a trust in the UK. For documentation, you'll typically need: the trust deed or trust instrument, any amendments to the trust, financial statements showing the trust's assets and distributions, documentation of your beneficiary status, records of any distributions you received, and sometimes valuations of trust assets. The trust administrators should know what's needed for US reporting, but if they don't, your tax professional can provide them with a specific list. Regarding firm size - I found it was definitely more about the individual practitioner's experience rather than firm size. I actually ended up going with a smaller boutique firm that specialized exclusively in US international tax compliance. The partner I worked with had filed hundreds of Form 3520s and could explain everything in plain English. The larger firms I consulted seemed to want to assign my case to junior staff, even though the fees were higher. My boutique firm was more responsive, spent more time explaining the process, and ultimately charged about $400 less than the Big Four quote I received. The key is asking specific questions about their Form 3520 experience during consultations. Anyone who hesitates or gives vague answers probably isn't the right fit for this specialized work.

Great question! You're definitely in a good position with the capital gains exclusion. Just wanted to add a few practical tips for when you actually sell: 1. Keep detailed records of ALL your improvements - not just the $50K in kitchen/bathroom renovations, but also things like new flooring, HVAC work, roofing, etc. Even smaller improvements can add up. 2. Don't forget about your original closing costs when you bought in 2021. Some of those (like title insurance, attorney fees, recording fees) can be added to your cost basis too. 3. When you sell, your selling expenses (realtor commissions, title fees, transfer taxes, etc.) also reduce your taxable gain, so factor those in. 4. Since you're moving for work, make sure to check if any of your moving expenses are deductible - the rules changed in recent years but there might still be some benefits available. Sounds like you'll likely walk away with most of that profit tax-free! Just make sure to keep all your documentation organized in case you ever need it down the road.

Mason, congratulations on what sounds like a great investment! Just to reinforce what others have said - you're absolutely in the clear for capital gains tax based on your situation. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet: since you're selling in a hot market, consider getting a professional appraisal done before listing. This can help establish the fair market value for tax purposes and ensure you're not leaving money on the table. Sometimes sellers in hot markets actually end up with higher profits than expected, and while you'd still be well under the $250K exclusion limit, it's good to have that documentation. Also, since you mentioned this is your first home sale, don't forget to factor in the typical selling costs (realtor fees are usually 5-6% of sale price, plus other closing costs). On a $475K sale, that's roughly $25-30K in expenses, but the good news is these reduce your taxable gain even further. You're doing everything right by planning ahead and asking these questions before listing. Best of luck with the sale and your relocation!

Something nobody's mentioned yet - don't forget about education credits! Whoever claims your daughter as a dependent is the only one who can claim education credits like the American Opportunity Credit (worth up to $2,500) or the Lifetime Learning Credit. These can be really valuable, so factor that into your decision if you and your ex are able to work together on this.

One important detail that could help clarify your situation - you mentioned your daughter "splits her time between our homes based on her preference" during breaks. You should keep detailed records of exactly which nights she stays where during school breaks this year, as the IRS counts actual nights spent, not just general time. Also, since you're providing 100% financial support from May forward, make sure you're documenting everything - tuition payments, housing costs, meal plans, books, personal expenses, etc. The IRS support test requires you to provide more than half of the child's total support for the entire year, not just part of it. Given that your ex provided support for the first 4 months and you're covering May-December, you'll need to calculate the actual dollar amounts to see who provided more than half the total yearly support. This calculation, combined with the residency determination, will determine who can rightfully claim her as a dependent.

Has anyone tried the IRS practice lab? It's completely free and available to accounting students through the VITA program. We used it in my tax class and while it's not the fanciest interface, it covers all the common scenarios you'd need for classwork.

Adding to the great suggestions here - if you're looking for something with a modern interface that's also educational, check out FreeTaxUSA's student program. They offer free access to their professional version for accounting students, and it has a really clean, intuitive workflow that's much more user-friendly than ProConnect. What I love about it is that it walks you through each section logically and has built-in error checking that catches mistakes before you complete the return. Super helpful for learning since it explains why certain entries might be incorrect. The reporting features are also great for presenting your work to professors. You can usually get approved for student access within 24 hours by submitting proof of enrollment. Might be worth trying while you're waiting for some of the other options mentioned here!