Don't sleep on finding a good local CPA. I was in your exact situation 2 years ago - small business with my husband, fed up with huge fees. Found a local CPA who specializes in small businesses and she only charges $275 for everything, including unlimited questions throughout the year. H&R Block employees usually aren't CPAs and may miss small business deductions. And I personally had a TERRIBLE experience with them losing some of my documents and filing late without telling me. Not saying all locations are bad, but definitely check reviews for the specific office!

I've been using H&R Block for my consulting business for the past two years and it's been hit or miss. The first year I got someone who really knew their stuff and caught several deductions I wouldn't have thought of. But last year I got a different preparer who seemed pretty inexperienced and I ended up having to correct a few mistakes myself. For your situation with organized Quickbooks records and under $30k revenue, you might actually save money and get better results with TurboTax Self-Employed or FreeTaxUSA's self-employed version. Since you've filed your own taxes before, the learning curve shouldn't be too steep. The software will walk you through Schedule C line by line and you can always upgrade to get human support if you run into questions. Just make sure whatever route you go, you're maximizing deductions like home office, business mileage, equipment purchases, and business meals. Those can really add up for small businesses!

This is exactly the kind of complex family transfer situation where getting professional guidance upfront can save you thousands later. A few additional considerations beyond what others have mentioned: 1. **Timing matters**: Since you're closing next week, make sure your parents understand they'll need to file Form 709 by April 15, 2026 if this exceeds the annual exclusion amounts. Don't wait until tax season to figure this out. 2. **Documentation is critical**: Even if this is structured as a gift, document everything clearly. Write a gift letter stating the parents' intent, keep records of the wire transfer, and make sure the deed transfer language is unambiguous about it being a gift. 3. **Consider your state's laws**: Some states have additional gift taxes or different property transfer rules that could affect your situation. 4. **Future planning**: This large gift will use up a significant portion of your parents' lifetime exemption. If they have substantial estates, this could affect future inheritance planning. Since you're so close to closing, I'd strongly recommend getting a quick consultation with a tax attorney or CPA who specializes in family transfers before finalizing the structure. The cost of an hour consultation is minimal compared to potential tax complications down the road.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the potential mortgage interest deduction implications. Since your parents are purchasing with cash and gifting you the property, you won't have a mortgage and therefore won't be able to deduct mortgage interest on your taxes. This might seem obvious, but it's worth considering the long-term tax benefits you're giving up. The mortgage interest deduction can be quite substantial, especially in the early years of a mortgage when most of your payment goes toward interest. That said, avoiding mortgage interest payments entirely will likely save you much more than the tax deduction would have been worth - just wanted to flag this as something to factor into your overall financial planning. Also, make sure you understand how this affects your homeowner's insurance. Some policies have specific requirements about how the property is titled, especially if there's any chance your parents might retain any interest in the property during the transfer process. Congratulations on the house! Your parents are incredibly generous, and it sounds like you're being very thoughtful about handling this properly.

This thread has been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation with my service dog for PTSD. I built a ramp and modified my back door last year for accessibility, plus ongoing costs for training maintenance sessions. One thing I learned from my tax preparer is to keep VERY detailed records of everything - receipts, photos of the modifications, letters from your doctor explaining why each expense was medically necessary. The IRS can be pretty strict about what qualifies as "reasonable and necessary" for service animal care. Also, don't forget about the ongoing expenses like specialized food, vet bills, and even grooming if it's related to the dog's working ability. These smaller expenses can add up and might help you reach that 7.5% AGI threshold for medical deductions. Keep track of everything throughout the year - it's much easier than trying to reconstruct it all at tax time!

Thank you all for this incredibly helpful discussion! As someone who's been dealing with service dog expenses for several years now, I wanted to add a few additional points that might help others in similar situations. First, regarding the fence specifically - the IRS does recognize "capital improvements" made for medical purposes, but there's an important distinction. You can only deduct the portion of the improvement that exceeds what a typical homeowner might spend on a standard fence. So if a basic fence would cost $4,000 but you spent $7,300 for specialized features your service dog needs (like specific height, materials, or security features), you'd potentially deduct the $3,300 difference, not the full amount. Also, I've found it helpful to get a letter from both my doctor AND a certified dog trainer explaining why specific modifications or expenses were necessary for my service dog's effectiveness. Having dual documentation from both the medical and training perspectives has been invaluable when dealing with tax questions. One last tip - if you're working with a new tax professional, make sure they understand ADA requirements for service animals. I've encountered preparers who confused service dogs with emotional support animals, which have very different tax treatment. Service dogs performing specific trained tasks for disabilities have much broader expense deductibility than ESAs. Keep fighting for those deductions - they're legitimate medical expenses that can really add up!

Just a heads up - FreeTaxUSA is back online now! I was having the same issue earlier but I just managed to log in and finish my return. If you filed an extension you can still go back and finish your return there since all your info should be saved. They must have rushed to fix whatever issues they were having.

Glad to hear FreeTaxUSA is back up and running! This is a perfect example of why it's always good to start your tax prep well before the deadline - technical issues can happen to any service, especially during peak filing times. For anyone reading this thread in the future, here are some lessons learned: 1. Always file your taxes at least a week before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical issues 2. Keep digital copies of all your tax documents in case you need to switch services 3. Remember that filing an extension is completely penalty-free if you're getting a refund 4. Have backup options ready - whether that's alternative tax software or services like the ones mentioned here The IRS systems also get overloaded right before deadlines, so even if your tax software is working, the IRS e-file system itself can sometimes have delays. Starting early gives you buffer time for all these potential issues. Hope everyone was able to get their returns filed successfully!

bruh the IRS is so broken rn. took me 14 months to get my 2020 refund 🤮

I went through something similar last year! The key thing to understand is that transcript availability doesn't always mean the same thing across different transcript types. Your Account Transcript and Wage & Income Transcript being available but empty for 2021 actually suggests the IRS has your filing information but the return might still be in processing limbo. The "N/A" status on Return and Record of Account transcripts is definitely concerning though. I'd recommend calling the Practitioner Priority Service line (844-464-3481) early in the morning - they tend to have shorter wait times than the regular taxpayer line. Also, if you used tax software, check if they have delivery confirmation that your return was actually accepted by the IRS. Don't refile just yet - that could create more problems. Get confirmation first about whether they received your original return.