Has anyone dealt with Bonfire specifically for mission trip fundraising? Do they automatically check the 501(c)3 box or do you have to select it? Also wondering if they send the 1099 forms directly or if you have to request them?

I'm dealing with something similar right now! My church youth group is doing a mission trip to Honduras this summer and I also set up a Bonfire campaign. From what I've learned talking to other people who've done this, the key thing is that you personally are NOT a 501(c)3 even though your trip is through a church that is. The mistake people make is thinking that because the trip has a charitable purpose, they can claim non-profit status. But the IRS looks at who actually received the money - and that's you as an individual, not the church organization. I've been keeping detailed records of everything - not just receipts but also documentation from my church about the trip's charitable mission, photos from our preparation meetings, and a letter from the youth pastor explaining the service work we'll be doing. This way if I need to show the IRS that the expenses were for legitimate charitable work, I have proof. One thing that helped me understand this better was talking to someone at my church who handles their finances. They explained that if they had run the fundraiser through the church's accounts, it would be different - but since the money came directly to me through Bonfire, I need to report it as income and then document the trip expenses. Hope this helps and good luck with your Guatemala trip!

Has anyone successfully gotten a refund when sales tax was charged incorrectly? I had a situation where I bought something to be delivered to my office in Oregon (no sales tax) but they charged Washington sales tax because our company headquarters is there.

This is a really common confusion! You're absolutely correct that you owe Massachusetts sales tax since that's where the furniture was delivered. The key principle is "destination-based sourcing" - tax is determined by where the goods end up being used, not where you physically place the order. Think of it this way: if you had driven to New Hampshire, bought the furniture in person, and then brought it back to your Massachusetts apartment, you would technically owe Massachusetts "use tax" (same 6.25% rate) that you'd need to self-report on your state tax return. The current system where retailers collect based on delivery address actually makes this automatic and simpler for everyone. The $300 difference stings, but unfortunately there's no recourse here - the company charged you correctly according to current tax law. This has been the standard since the 2018 Supreme Court Wayfair decision made it so retailers have to collect tax based on where items are shipped rather than where they have physical stores.

One thing to consider is whether to structure as a subsidiary or branch. They have different tax implications. A subsidiary is a separate legal entity subject to UK tax, while a branch is more directly connected to the US parent. For a photography business, the income might be considered FDII (Foreign-Derived Intangible Income) if services are provided to non-US clients, which has tax incentives. The 2017 tax reform changed a lot of these rules.

I went through this exact thing with my consulting business last year. The UK subsidiary ended up being its own corporation that paid UK taxes, but we still had to deal with US tax implications. The most annoying part was filling out Form 5471 - it's super complicated and the penalties for doing it wrong are insane (like $10k+ per form)!

Has anyone used services like Taxr.ai or Claimyr in conjunction with TurboTax or H&R Block? I'm trying to decide if I need to bite the bullet and pay for a CPA this year because of my RSU situation. I moved from Washington to Texas midway through my vesting schedule and I'm worried about messing up the allocation.

I went through a very similar situation when I moved from Oregon to California temporarily for work. The key thing to understand is that your company's memo is actually being conservative and accurate - this is standard practice, not something unique to your employer. Here's what I learned from my experience: California will indeed claim taxation rights on RSUs based on your work location during the vesting period, but it's proportional. Since you're only planning to be there for 18 months out of your 4-year vesting schedule, roughly 37.5% of your total RSU value would be subject to California taxation. The good news is that you won't be double-taxed on the same income. Both Colorado and California have provisions to prevent true double taxation through tax credits. You'll likely end up paying whichever state has the higher tax rate on that income, but not both rates combined. My advice: definitely consult with a tax professional before making the move. They can help you understand the exact implications and potentially time your move strategically. Also, keep meticulous records of your work locations and dates - this documentation will be crucial for proper tax allocation and could save you thousands if there are any disputes later.

Has anyone considered just using the per-mile deduction rate instead? It's so much simpler and the IRS specifically says it covers all costs including fuel, which would include electricity for charging. I switched to this method for my business EV last year and it's been WAY easier than tracking actual expenses.

I'm dealing with the exact same situation! Just got my EV last month and have been wondering about this. After reading through everyone's responses, I think I'm leaning toward the standard mileage deduction for simplicity, but I'm curious - for those who have done the actual expense method, what percentage of your total electric bill typically ends up being business-related EV charging? I'm trying to get a rough sense of whether it's worth the extra tracking effort or if the standard mileage rate would likely be comparable anyway. My business driving is probably around 60% of my total miles, but I have no idea if that translates proportionally to electricity costs since I also heat/cool my house, run appliances, etc.