I negotiated with my CPA to pay based on the actual tax savings they generate for me. Base fee is $900 for preparation, plus 10% of any tax savings they find beyond what I would have gotten with basic software. The first year they found an additional $9k in deductions I'd missed (so I paid $900 + $900), but now it's usually around $1200-1500 total. This incentivizes them to actually look for optimization opportunities instead of just filling out forms. Might be worth asking if any CPAs in your area work on this kind of model.

Based on what you've shared, $1800 for comprehensive tax planning that identifies $13k+ in annual savings sounds like excellent value. I pay around $1600 annually for similar services and my CPA has consistently found optimization strategies I never would have discovered on my own. The key is making sure they can clearly explain those savings opportunities and that they're legitimate strategies, not aggressive positions that could trigger audits. I'd recommend asking for a detailed breakdown of exactly how they plan to achieve those savings - a good CPA should be able to walk you through each strategy. Also consider the ongoing relationship value. The best CPAs don't just prepare your return once a year - they provide guidance throughout the year on timing decisions, estimated payments, and strategic planning. If this CPA offers that level of service, the fee becomes even more reasonable when you consider the year-round support.

Has anyone tried Cash App Taxes (formerly Credit Karma Tax)? I heard it's completely free for federal and state, even with self-employment income like Uber.

For someone new to self-filing with your income mix, I'd actually recommend starting with FreeTaxUSA or Cash App Taxes to get your feet wet without breaking the bank. Both handle W-2s, self-employment income from Uber, and investment income just fine. The key thing with Uber income is making sure you have good records of your business miles and any car expenses (gas, maintenance, etc.) - the software can only work with what you give it. If you didn't track miles throughout the year, you can estimate using your Uber driver app trip history, but start tracking now for next year. For Robinhood, wait until you get your 1099-B (usually available by mid-February) before filing. Most tax software can import this directly, which saves tons of time if you made a lot of trades. If you run into issues or want more hand-holding, you can always upgrade to TurboTax or H&R Block mid-process, but honestly your situation is pretty standard once you get the hang of it. The money you save on software can go toward better record-keeping tools for next year!

Has anyone had issues with Tithe.ly showing the wrong organization name? I donated to my church through the app, but when I downloaded my annual statement, it shows the parent denomination instead of my specific church. Will this cause problems with the IRS since technically they're different organizations with different tax IDs?

This is a really common situation, and you're absolutely fine using just your Tithe.ly records! I work in tax preparation and see this all the time. The IRS doesn't care WHERE the documentation comes from - they just need to see that you have proper records showing the charitable organization, dates, amounts, and confirmation that no goods/services were received in return. Your Tithe.ly statements should include all of this information. The key things to verify on your downloaded statement are: 1) Your church's actual name appears (not just "Tithe.ly") 2) All donation dates and amounts are listed 3) There's language confirming these were charitable contributions I've had clients successfully use documentation from Tithe.ly, Pushpay, Givelify, and other giving platforms without any issues. The IRS has actually become more accommodating of electronic giving records as digital donations have become so common. You don't need to have any awkward conversations with your church. Just download your annual giving statement from Tithe.ly and you're all set for tax filing. Keep the electronic records for at least 3 years and you'll be fully compliant.

I'm confused about one thing - I've always heard that tax prep fees are only deductible if you itemize deductions, but most people take the standard deduction now that it's so high. So how does this work for normal people? Can regular folks who take the standard deduction still write off TurboTax?

Great question! The key distinction here is your employment status. Since you mentioned you're self-employed, you're in luck - tax preparation expenses are deductible as business expenses on Schedule C, regardless of whether you itemize or take the standard deduction. For regular W-2 employees, tax prep costs used to be deductible as miscellaneous itemized deductions, but those were eliminated by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act starting in 2018. However, self-employed individuals can still deduct these costs because they're considered ordinary and necessary business expenses. So your eBay TurboTax purchase would be fully deductible on your Schedule C, along with any other legitimate tax prep expenses like professional fees, tax books, or software. Just make sure to keep good records of your purchases!

Happened to me. Turns out my identity verification wasn't fully processed. Had to go through ID.me again and then wait another 9 weeks! Hope that's not your case. You should get a letter if there's any issues like that.

This is so frustrating but unfortunately pretty common. I went through the same thing last year - transcript showed my deposit date but nothing appeared for over a week. In my case, it turned out my bank was doing additional verification on the deposit because it was a larger amount than usual. Have you tried calling your bank and specifically asking if they have any pending ACH deposits or if there are any holds on your account? Sometimes they don't see pending deposits in their regular system but can find them if they look specifically for ACH transfers. Also, keep checking your transcript daily - if any new codes appear (especially 570 or 971), that could explain the delay. The waiting is the worst part, but most of the time it does eventually show up.