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.

I'd suggest a different approach. Here's what you should do: 1. First, check your Return Transcript (not just Account Transcript) to see if it's available. Sometimes this appears first. 2. Next, verify your tax year is correct when checking. Make sure you're looking at 2023 transcripts, not 2022. 3. Then try the Where's My Refund tool again, but clear your cache first or use a different browser. 4. If still nothing, check your bank account directly. Sometimes the refund deposits without transcript updates. 5. Finally, if you claimed EIC or ACTC, remember these are subject to PATH Act delays, which can extend processing regardless of cycle code.

I'm in the exact same boat as you - cycle 05, filed 1/28, and got absolutely nothing today. Been refreshing my transcript every hour like it's going to magically change! 😭 From what I've gathered lurking in these forums, weekend updates are super rare but they DO happen occasionally. Usually it's just stragglers from the Friday batch that didn't process in time. I've decided to check once tomorrow morning and once Sunday evening, then I'm giving up until next Friday. The stress of constantly checking is making my anxiety worse than just waiting. Really hope we both get movement soon - medical expenses are no joke and the IRS seems to forget people have real emergencies waiting on these refunds.

Has anyone else noticed that some of the tax law examples in the 2025 VITA training materials still reference old tax law from before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act updates? I found at least 3 examples that give incorrect information about personal exemptions which haven't been a thing since 2017...

I just went through the VITA registration process myself last week and wanted to share a few additional tips that helped me get through it smoothly: 1. If you're still having browser issues, try using an incognito/private browsing window. Sometimes cached data from old versions of the site can cause problems. 2. The IRS has actually set up a dedicated VITA registration help page at irs.gov/vita-help that wasn't mentioned in the original orientation materials. It has step-by-step screenshots of the current registration process. 3. For anyone planning to volunteer at multiple sites, make sure you register with your primary site coordinator first. I made the mistake of trying to register with two different sites simultaneously and it created a duplicate account issue that took days to resolve. The good news is that once you get past the registration hurdles, the actual training modules are really well designed and helpful. Good luck to everyone getting started with VITA this year - it's such a rewarding way to help your community!