This TurboTax claim bugs me so much. Here's what's really happening: - TurboTax partners with SBTPG (Santa Barbara Tax Products Group) - When the IRS releases your refund, it goes to SBTPG - SBTPG takes out TurboTax fees if you chose that option - SBTPG sends the remainder to your bank Sometimes this process happens quickly and you get your money before the official DDD. But other times, SBTPG sits on it for days. I've had clients get refunds LATER than their DDD because of this middleman step. The most reliable way is to pay TurboTax fees upfront and have your refund sent directly from IRS to your bank.

Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like TurboTax's "up to 5 days early" claim is pretty misleading. Since you chose to have fees deducted from your refund, your money has to go through SBTPG first before reaching your bank account. From what I'm reading, most people in this situation get their refunds 2-3 days early at best, not the full 5 days TurboTax advertises. Your $3,780 refund will likely arrive somewhere between October 25th-27th if the pattern holds true. The exact timing depends on how quickly SBTPG processes it and your bank's deposit policies. You can track it on the SBTPG website (taxpayer.sbtpg.com) as someone mentioned earlier - that might give you a better idea of when to expect it than just relying on the IRS WMR tool. Next year you might want to consider paying the TurboTax fees upfront to avoid the middleman delay and extra convenience fee!

Just want to add something important: make sure your employer is withholding taxes correctly for both states if needed! My company messed this up last year and I ended up owing a huge amount to one state because they were only withholding for my "home" state. Talk to your payroll department and make sure they understand your situation. You might need to fill out multiple state withholding forms.

This is such a complex area and you're smart to get clarity upfront! One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is keeping detailed records of your activities and connections in each state. The IRS and state tax authorities look at what's called "domiciliary factors" - things like where you vote, where your bank accounts are, where you have professional licenses, where your family lives, etc. Since you mentioned State B is where your "roots" are and where you plan to return permanently, make sure all these connections stay tied to State B. Don't change your voter registration or driver's license to State A just for convenience. Also, if you end up needing to file in both states, most tax software can handle multi-state returns, but it gets complicated fast. The credit calculations between states can be tricky, especially if one state doesn't give full credit for taxes paid to the other. Document everything - where you sleep each night, work performed in each location, etc. It might seem excessive now, but if you ever get audited, having contemporaneous records is invaluable.

$20,677 is definitely on the higher end, but not impossible for 2021 COVID situations. A few things to consider: 1. **Verify your entries** - Since you mentioned being sick and having to close your business, make sure you correctly entered: - Sick leave credits for self-employed individuals - Business loss calculations - Any Employee Retention Credits if applicable 2. **Use TurboTax's built-in tools** - You mentioned having Priority Support right there on your dashboard. Their review service might be worth it for this amount. 3. **Document everything** - Keep records of your business closure dates, medical documentation for your illness, and any other supporting documents. 4. **Consider a second opinion** - For a refund this large, it might be worth having a tax professional review your return before submitting. The fact that TurboTax calculated this specific amount based on your inputs is a good sign, but double-checking never hurts when we're talking about $20K+. Better to be thorough now than deal with IRS questions later!

That $20,677 amount definitely warrants careful review! As someone who's been through amended returns, I'd suggest a systematic approach: **Before submitting:** - Use TurboTax's "Review" feature to go through each section line by line - Pay special attention to Schedule C (business income/loss) and any COVID-related credits - Verify your 2021 business closure dates match what you entered **Key areas to double-check:** - Self-employed sick leave credit calculations (up to $511/day for qualifying days) - Net Operating Loss (NOL) carrybacks if your business had significant losses - Recovery Rebate Credits if you missed any stimulus payments - Premium Tax Credits if you had marketplace health insurance **Red flags to avoid:** - Mixing personal and business expenses - Incorrect dates for your illness/closure period - Double-counting any relief payments you already received Given the amount, I'd honestly recommend using both TurboTax's Priority Support AND getting a quick second opinion from a local tax pro. The peace of mind is worth it for a potential $20K refund. Most CPAs will do a quick review consultation for $100-200, which is nothing compared to potential headaches if there's an error. The IRS is definitely scrutinizing large refunds more closely, especially COVID-related ones, so having everything bulletproof is crucial.

This is exactly the kind of detailed tax discussion that makes me wish I had found this community sooner! I've been doing reselling for about 8 months now and made so many mistakes in my record keeping. One thing that's been really confusing me - when you're buying items specifically to resell, how do you handle situations where the item turns out to be worth way more than you thought? Like I bought a vintage camera at an estate sale for $25, then discovered it was worth $800. Do I need to report the full $775 as income, or is there some way to account for the fact that I got lucky with the valuation rather than actually "earning" that much through my business skills? Also, has anyone dealt with cryptocurrency payments? I've had a few buyers want to pay in Bitcoin or other crypto. I know I need to report the income, but do I use the crypto value at the time of sale or when I convert it to cash? And are there any special record-keeping requirements for crypto transactions?

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also a reseller and have been struggling with the same issues around sales tax and inventory losses. One additional point that might be useful - if you're operating as a business, make sure you're keeping detailed records of your inventory throughout the year, not just at tax time. I use a simple spreadsheet to track each item: purchase date, cost (including sales tax), sale date, sale price, and any losses. This makes it much easier to calculate your cost of goods sold and identify legitimate business deductions. It also helps if you ever get audited since you have a clear paper trail showing your business activities. For stolen inventory specifically, I'd recommend taking photos of your storage area and inventory periodically. If something gets stolen, you'll have documentation showing what was actually there. Insurance might also be worth looking into if you're storing significant inventory - it's a business expense you can deduct and protects you from major losses.

As someone who went from zero tax knowledge to confidently managing my small business taxes, I'd highly recommend starting with "J.K. Lasser's Small Business Taxes" - it's updated annually and has excellent worksheets you can actually use. The book walks through real scenarios step-by-step, which sounds perfect for your note-taking style. For a landscaping business specifically, pay close attention to equipment depreciation rules and vehicle expense tracking - these are huge deductions that many new business owners miss or calculate incorrectly. The book covers both Section 179 deductions and bonus depreciation in plain language. Definitely take that community college accounting course! I did the same thing (also came from a non-business background) and it was invaluable. The structured learning helped me understand the "why" behind tax strategies, not just the "what." Plus, you'll network with other small business owners facing similar challenges. One tip: before your first meeting with your tax preparer, read through at least one of these books so you can have an informed conversation about tax planning strategies for next year, not just compliance for this year.

Great thread! I'd add "Tax Savvy for Small Business" by Frederick Daily to your reading list. What sets this book apart is how it connects day-to-day business decisions to tax implications - really helpful for someone like you who wants to understand the "why" behind tax planning. Since you mentioned you're not afraid of technical material, I'd also suggest getting familiar with IRS Publication 535 (Business Expenses) - it's dry but comprehensive, and having read it will make you much more confident when discussing deductions with your tax preparer. One thing I wish someone had told me when I started: track EVERYTHING from day one, even if you're not sure it's deductible. It's much easier to exclude questionable expenses later than to try reconstructing records. For landscaping specifically, don't forget about things like work boots, safety equipment, and even business-related cell phone usage. The community college course is definitely worth it - I took one through continuing education and the networking alone paid for itself. You'll meet other small business owners dealing with similar challenges, and many instructors are practicing CPAs who can provide real-world insights beyond what you'll find in books.