One thing nobody mentioned - if you rent through these Uber programs, track your charging costs separately too! Sometimes they give you free Supercharger access, but sometimes not. If you pay for charging, those costs are deductible too, just like gas would be. I rented a Model 3 last summer and saved all my charging receipts - added up to about $90/week in deductions my tax guy said I wouldn't have been able to claim otherwise.

Great question about mixing deduction methods! I went through this exact scenario two years ago when my personal car broke down mid-year and I switched to Uber's Tesla rental program. You're absolutely right that you can't use standard mileage for a rental vehicle - the IRS is very clear about that. But the good news is that the entire $340 weekly rental fee is indeed deductible as a business expense, assuming you're using the vehicle primarily for rideshare/delivery work. The key thing to remember is documentation. When you make the switch, create a clear cutoff date in your records. For the period with your personal vehicle, track your business miles and use the standard mileage rate (currently 65.5 cents per mile for 2023). Then from your rental start date forward, keep all rental receipts and track your business vs. personal use percentage. Also don't forget about the charging costs if your rental doesn't include free Supercharger access - those are deductible too! I kept a simple spreadsheet with charging receipts and it added up to decent additional deductions. One tip: if you're on the fence about timing, consider waiting until the start of a new quarter to make the switch. It makes the record-keeping cleaner and reduces any confusion if you get audited.

idk if this helps but my accountant told me that for 2025 filing season there are specific delays with 1099-NEC processing due to some last minute tax law changes. something about gig work classification that congress changed in december. if you have self employment income like you mentioned that could be your issue for sure.

Just to add another perspective - if you're comfortable with it, you can also check the IRS.gov website directly under their "Forms and Instructions" section. They sometimes post notices about delayed forms that might not be immediately visible in tax software. For what it's worth, the 1099-NEC delay that others mentioned is very real. I'm a tax preparer and we got official notice from the IRS about this specific issue affecting gig workers. The February 15th date mentioned by Oliver is accurate based on the latest IRS communications we've received. In the meantime, you could prepare the rest of your return and just leave the self-employment section incomplete until the forms are ready. That way you won't have to re-enter all your other information when the time comes.

Just a heads up that you may be able to fire this tax preparer for cause and get a refund of some of your prep fees. The AICPA and other professional organizations have ethical standards that include timely communication with clients. Document all your interactions carefully! I had the same issue last year and got 50% of my fees back.

I'm dealing with something similar right now and wanted to share what I learned from speaking with an EA (Enrolled Agent). The key issue isn't whether your preparer had the right to file an extension - they generally do have that authority as part of their professional duty. The real problem is the communication breakdown. Your preparer should have contacted you much earlier about potential issues, especially knowing you'd have a balance due. The fact that they waited until you contacted them just 4 days before the deadline is a service failure on their part. For the interest and penalties, here's what you should know: Interest on unpaid taxes accrues regardless of extensions, but you might be able to get failure-to-pay penalties abated if you can show "reasonable cause." The preparer's poor communication and late notification could potentially qualify as reasonable cause. I'd recommend requesting a copy of the actual Form 4868 they filed to see if they properly estimated your payment or left it blank. If they didn't handle the extension properly, that strengthens your case for penalty relief. Also document all your communications with them - dates, times, what was discussed. This will be important if you pursue penalty abatement or file a complaint with their licensing board.

One thing to consider - if you're in a high-tax state, the state tax savings could be substantial too! Everyone always focuses on federal, but don't forget to factor in state tax savings when deciding if a dedicated home office is worth it. In my case (California), the state tax savings added another 30% on top of the federal savings from my home office deduction.

Just wanted to add something that might be helpful - make sure you understand the record-keeping requirements if you do set up that dedicated space. The IRS expects you to maintain detailed records showing the exclusive business use. I keep a simple log of my business activities in the space, take dated photos of the setup, and maintain receipts for any office-related purchases. It might seem like overkill, but if you're ever audited, having thorough documentation makes the process much smoother. Also, consider the timing - if you're setting up the space mid-year, you can only deduct expenses for the portion of the year it was actually used for business. So if you convert the space in July, you'd only get 6 months of deductions for 2025. With your numbers ($920 federal + $190 state), even a partial year could be worthwhile, and you'd get the full benefit starting in 2026.

Has anyone used the qualified business income deduction (Section 199A) to reduce their AGI? I have a small side business that made about $12k last year but I'm confused if this counts as an AGI reducer or if it comes after AGI is calculated.

Great question Connor! Since you mentioned having freelance income, don't overlook the self-employment tax deduction - you can deduct 50% of the self-employment tax you pay, which directly reduces your AGI. This often gets missed but can be significant if your side work generated substantial income. Also, if you're paying for your own health insurance (not through an employer plan), those premiums can be fully deductible as an above-the-line deduction if you're self-employed. Even if it's just for part of your income. One more thing - if you haven't already, consider opening a traditional IRA for 2023 contributions (you have until April 15, 2024). Even if you have a 401k at work, you might still be able to deduct IRA contributions depending on your income level. The deduction phases out at higher incomes, but with your mix of W-2 and freelance income, you might still qualify for at least a partial deduction. The key is maximizing those above-the-line deductions since they directly reduce AGI, which then affects eligibility for other tax benefits and credits. Every dollar you can move above-the-line is more valuable than regular itemized deductions.