honest question- has anyone here ever actually been audited over crypto? i have like 150+ trades and im not doing all that work just to report a $12 loss lol

I get the frustration, but definitely report those losses! Even though it's only $4.50, here's why it's worth it: 1) Those losses can offset future crypto gains - if you make money on crypto next year, you can use this year's losses to reduce your tax bill 2) Unreported crypto transactions are one of the IRS's focus areas right now, and they're getting better at tracking this stuff 3) The penalty for not reporting can be way more than the hassle is worth For 30-50 trades, honestly just bite the bullet and use one of the crypto tax tools mentioned here. I had a similar situation last year and it took maybe 20 minutes total with the software vs the days I was dreading doing it manually. The peace of mind is worth way more than the small cost of the software. Plus, establishing good record-keeping habits now will save you massive headaches if you get more into crypto in the future. Trust me on this one!

I actually work at a bank and can give you some insight on this. Most banks have strict policies against accepting third-party endorsed government checks, especially tax refunds, due to federal anti-fraud regulations. Even if your mom signs "pay to the order of" and endorses it to you, the vast majority of banks will reject the deposit - both in-person and through mobile deposit. Your best options are: 1) Have your mom cash it at Walmart for about $8 (much cheaper than check cashing stores), 2) Both of you go to your bank together where she can endorse it in front of a teller - some banks allow supervised third-party deposits but will likely hold the funds, or 3) Help her open a basic checking account or get a prepaid card with direct deposit capability. Whatever you do, don't try to deposit an endorsed government check without her being present - that could trigger fraud alerts and cause problems for both your accounts. The IRS takes tax refund fraud very seriously, so it's better to use one of the legitimate alternatives even if it costs a small fee.

I've been helping people with tax issues for years, and this is definitely a tricky situation. The bottom line is that IRS refund checks are Treasury checks with special restrictions - you can't just endorse them over to someone else like a regular check. Your mom's safest and cheapest option is probably Walmart. They'll cash government checks up to $5,000 for just $8, and she can even have them load it directly onto a prepaid MoneyCard if she doesn't want to carry cash. Just make sure she brings two forms of ID. If she absolutely needs your help with banking, both of you would need to go to your bank together so she can endorse it in front of a teller. Even then, many banks will put a hold on the funds and some might still refuse government checks that have been third-party endorsed. For next year, I'd strongly recommend helping her set up direct deposit with a prepaid card that has routing/account numbers. Cards like Chime, NetSpend, or even the Walmart MoneyCard work great for tax refunds and will save her this hassle in the future. Don't risk the "pay to the order of" route - it violates Treasury check rules and could cause problems for both of you with your bank and potentially the IRS.

TAS is completely useless now. I've been trying since JANUARY. Called 20+ times. Congressional inquiry. Nothing worked. They keep saying they're "prioritizing hardship cases" but even with my utilities about to be shut off, they wouldn't help. The system is broken.

I feel your frustration - the TAS situation is really difficult right now. One thing that helped me was getting my tax transcript first to understand exactly what was happening with my return. You can request it online at IRS.gov or by calling the automated transcript line at 1-800-908-9946. Having specific details about processing dates and any error codes made my conversations with IRS representatives much more productive. Also, if you haven't already, try calling the general IRS number (1-800-829-1040) early in the morning and ask to speak with someone in the Accounts Management division - they can sometimes resolve issues without needing TAS involvement. The key is being very specific about your situation and having all your documentation ready. Don't give up!

Whatever you do, DON'T ignore the CP2000! I made that mistake thinking it would go away and ended up with wage garnishment! Respond within the deadline even if you're still gathering some documents - you can always send additional info later.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year with a CP2000 notice! The key thing that saved me was keeping meticulous records of WHEN payments were actually received vs when they were reported by clients. Here's what worked for me: I created a simple spreadsheet showing the client name, amount, date payment was actually received (per my bank statements), and which tax year I correctly reported it in. Then I included copies of the relevant pages from both my 2023 AND 2024 tax returns to show the IRS exactly where that income appeared. The IRS had the same issue - a client reported paying me in December 2023 when I actually received it in January 2024. My response letter was very straightforward: "The payment from [Client Name] for $X was received on [Date] as shown in the attached bank statement. This income was correctly reported on my 2024 tax return, not 2023, as it was received in 2024." Don't stress too much - when you have clear documentation like bank statements showing the actual deposit date, the IRS will correct their error. Just make sure to respond before that 3-week deadline! The whole process took about 6-8 weeks for me and they completely removed the assessment.

Has anyone tried recreating a mileage log using Google Maps timeline data? My tax guy told me that the state accepted this as supporting evidence in another client's audit since it shows where you actually were on specific dates.

This is really helpful advice from everyone. I'm in a similar situation but for a different year. One thing I wanted to add - if you do end up owing additional tax, make sure to ask about installment payment plans when you talk to the state. Most states will work with you on a payment plan rather than demanding everything upfront, especially if you're cooperative during the audit process. Also, don't ignore the audit notice or delay responding - that just makes everything worse. Even if you can't find all your documentation, respond by the deadline and explain what you're missing. They'd rather work with someone who's communicating than someone who goes silent. The Google Maps timeline suggestion is brilliant - I wish I had known about that option when I went through my audit. Definitely going to remember that for the future.