Something to consider if you're filing in multiple states: TaxSlayer has been pretty good for me as someone who moved mid-year and had to file a split-year return. Their premium package is around $60 and includes investments and multiple state returns, which was a huge savings over what TurboTax wanted ($120+) for the same situation. Their interface for handling state returns is actually really clean and intuitive. You just select which states you need to file in, and it guides you through the process for each one separately. Way less confusing than when I tried to do a multi-state return in TurboTax a few years ago.

I've been using TaxAct for the past two years after ditching TurboTax for similar reasons, and it's been solid! What really sold me was their upfront pricing - no hidden fees or surprise upgrades needed for investment income reporting. I paid around $50 total for federal and state with all my investment forms included. The interface is definitely more straightforward than TurboTax's increasingly cluttered design. TaxAct asks direct questions about your tax situation without the manipulative "lifestyle questions" that are really just upsell triggers. When you say you have investment income, it simply adds the necessary forms - no games. One tip: if you do switch to any new software, I'd recommend keeping your last TurboTax return handy for reference. Most alternative software can import some data, but having your previous return helps ensure you don't miss any recurring deductions or credits you've been claiming. The transition was much smoother than I anticipated, and I haven't looked back since!

Btw is anyone else having issues with TurboTax when trying to figure this out? It keeps giving me confusing prompts about whether i "can" be claimed vs if i "will" be claimed as a dependent.

Great question, Malik! The key thing to remember is that all four dependency tests have to be met for your parents to claim you - if you fail even one test, they can't claim you as a dependent. From what you've described, it sounds like you're failing the support test since you're paying for your own tuition, rent, and living expenses. The fact that you're under 24 and a full-time student only matters if your parents are ALSO providing more than half your support. One thing to be extra careful about: make sure you're counting everything when you calculate support. This includes the fair market value of housing (even dorm rooms), all food costs, medical expenses, transportation, etc. If you lived with your parents for those few months during shutdown, you'd need to factor in the value of that housing too. Since you mentioned loans and scholarships - student loans in YOUR name count as support YOU provided to yourself, while scholarships are generally considered third-party support and don't count toward either side's percentage. Keep detailed records of all your expenses from this year in case there are any questions later. Sounds like you're on the right track to file independently!

Just want to point out that the process might be simpler than some are making it sound. I'm from the UK selling through Amazon US, and the state I needed a permit in (Washington) had a streamlined registration process for foreign businesses. The key is researching the specific requirements of the states you're dealing with. For example, some states have simplified seller use tax returns for marketplace sellers. And five states (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon) don't even have sales tax! Look into whether you qualify for any streamlined filing programs or reduced frequency returns for smaller businesses. My permit requires filing only annually because my volume is relatively low.

As someone who went through this exact situation last year (I'm based in Germany selling on Amazon US), I can confirm what others have said - you absolutely need the sales tax permit first to get a valid resale certificate. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned much: check if your state offers any expedited processing for foreign businesses. When I registered in Nevada for my supplier there, they had a "priority processing" option that cut the wait time from 4-6 weeks down to about 10 business days for an additional fee. Since I had suppliers waiting for my resale certificate, it was worth the extra cost. Also, don't forget about the ongoing compliance requirements. Even with Amazon handling your sales tax collection, you'll still need to file periodic returns in states where you have permits. Most states allow electronic filing which makes it easier for us international sellers, but you'll want to set up reminders since the penalties for late filing can be steep. One last tip: keep detailed records of all your wholesale purchases with resale certificates. If you ever get audited, you'll need to prove those purchases were legitimately for resale and not for your own use.

Don't forget about the Earned Income Credit! My ex and I live together with our kids (not married) and we found out that if the lower earning parent claims the kids, you might qualify for EIC which can be substantial.

As someone who went through a very similar situation last year with my partner, I'd strongly recommend running the numbers both ways before deciding. We have two kids (3 and 5) and similar income levels, and initially thought splitting the dependents made the most sense. However, after calculating everything out, we found that having me claim both children and file as Head of Household saved us about $2,800 compared to each claiming one child. The key was figuring out who actually pays "more than half" of the home maintenance costs - it's not just mortgage, but also utilities, repairs, property taxes, homeowner's insurance, etc. Since you own the home, you're probably paying property taxes and homeowner's insurance directly, which might push you over the 50% threshold even with her contributing half the mortgage payment. I'd suggest adding up ALL your housing costs for the year and see where you land. Also, whoever claims the kids can claim the childcare expenses for the Dependent Care Credit, regardless of who physically writes the checks to the daycare. This credit can be worth up to $2,100 for two kids, so factor that into your calculations too. One last tip - keep detailed records of who pays what throughout the year. The IRS sometimes scrutinizes unmarried couples' filing status more closely than married couples.

As someone who recently completed a similar transaction selling my family medicine practice to a non-physician management group, I want to emphasize the importance of getting your legal structure right from day one. The MSO arrangement mentioned by others is absolutely the way to go, but there are some nuances that can make or break the deal. One critical point that hasn't been fully addressed is the employment agreement structure for the physician who will eventually take over your S-Corp ownership. We initially planned for me to transfer ownership to a new physician employee after 18 months, but discovered that the employment terms needed to be carefully structured to avoid creating tax issues under IRC Section 409A (deferred compensation rules). The key insight from my experience is that the management fee percentage needs to be genuinely arm's length and documented with a formal valuation study. We used 20% of collections, but had to provide extensive documentation showing this was market rate for the services provided. The IRS scrutinizes these arrangements heavily, especially when the percentage seems high relative to the actual management services. Also, don't overlook the impact on your retirement plan assets. If your S-Corp has a 401(k) or profit-sharing plan, the sale structure affects whether you can maintain those benefits or need to distribute/roll over the assets. In our case, we had to terminate the existing plan and establish new arrangements, which created some unexpected timing issues for both me and my employees. The good news is that when structured properly, these deals can work extremely well for both parties. The buyers get operational control and cash flow, while you get capital gains treatment on the sale proceeds and a clean exit strategy.

The insights about valuation methodology and its tax implications are spot on. I went through a similar process selling my gastroenterology practice and found that the allocation between personal goodwill versus practice goodwill was absolutely critical for tax treatment. One aspect I'd add is the importance of understanding how your existing contracts with hospitals or ASCs might be affected. In my case, we had several co-management agreements with local hospitals that couldn't be directly transferred to the MSO due to Stark Law considerations. We had to restructure these arrangements, which reduced the overall practice value but was necessary for compliance. Also, consider the impact on your malpractice insurance. Tail coverage requirements can be substantial - in my case, it was nearly $180K for extended reporting coverage. Make sure the purchase agreement clearly specifies who bears this cost, as it can significantly impact your net proceeds from the sale. The earnout structures mentioned earlier are smart, but be very careful about the metrics used. We initially considered patient retention targets, but realized that specialty practices like gastroenterology can have natural patient turnover due to procedure-based care versus ongoing relationship-based care in primary care specialties. Finally, don't underestimate the emotional aspect of selling a practice you've built. The financial and legal complexity is manageable with good advisors, but preparing mentally for the transition and loss of complete autonomy takes time. Starting those conversations with family early in the process is just as important as getting the tax structure right.