Took 9 months for mine last year no joke

3 weeks is still pretty normal for mail delivery + initial processing. I wouldn't worry about USPS losing it yet. The IRS actually has a pretty good track record with receiving mailed returns. If you're really concerned, you could call the IRS practitioner priority line to confirm they received it, but honestly I'd wait another week or two before stressing about it being lost.

Has anyone used FreeTaxUSA for business losses? TurboTax is crazy expensive and I've heard mixed things about their business support.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year with my freelance writing business. Lost about $3,500 in the first year after expenses for software subscriptions, professional development courses, and marketing that didn't pan out. The good news is that your business losses will definitely offset your other income on your tax return. Since you're a sole proprietor, you'll file Schedule C to report your business income (even if it's zero) and all those legitimate expenses you mentioned. The net loss will reduce your overall taxable income, which should result in a refund if you had taxes withheld from other income sources. A few things that helped me: - Keep detailed records of everything - receipts, bank statements, business purpose for each expense - Document that you're genuinely trying to make a profit (save emails about client outreach, business plans, etc.) - Consider opening a separate business bank account if you haven't already to keep expenses clearly separated TurboTax Self-Employed should handle your situation fine. It walked me through all the business expense categories and automatically calculated my loss. Just make sure you're honest about the business purpose of each expense and you should be good to go!

Remember that you can also get a property appraisal specifically for determining the land value for tax purposes. It costs money but might be worth it if you have a significant property value. I did this for my rental and the appraiser specifically broke out the land value from the improvements.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I think I was overcomplicating this. Based on what you've all shared, I'm going to use the proportional method with my tax assessment - so 19% of my $250k purchase price for land ($47,500) and the remaining $202,500 for the building depreciation. I really appreciate the clarity on why the assessed values are so much lower than what I paid - I had no idea that counties use different assessment ratios for tax purposes. That was throwing me off completely. For anyone else in a similar situation, it sounds like there are multiple approaches (assessment ratio, closing documents, appraisal, or even calling the IRS), but the proportional method using tax assessments seems to be the most straightforward for most people.

Don't forget about the child and dependent care tax credit! If you're paying a nanny properly (on the books), you can claim this credit which can be worth up to $4,000 for one child or $8,000 for two or more children for 2025. This can offset a good chunk of the extra costs of paying legally vs under the table.

Great question! I went through this exact same situation in Jacksonville last year. Definitely pay your nanny as a household employee, not through the LLC - that's the legally correct way and avoids potential complications down the road. A few practical tips from my experience: 1. Set up a separate checking account just for nanny payments - makes tracking so much easier come tax time 2. Keep meticulous records of hours worked, payments made, and any reimbursements 3. Consider using a service like HomePay or GTM right from the start - I tried doing it myself initially and it was more complex than expected Also, since you're in Florida, make sure you register for state unemployment insurance within 30 days of paying your nanny more than $1,000 in any quarter. Florida's rate is relatively low but it's required. One last thing - have a written work agreement that clearly outlines duties, schedule, pay rate, and house rules. It protects both you and your nanny and makes the whole employment relationship smoother.

your supposed to keep checking Where's My Refund tool too, not just transcripts. Sometimes WMR updates first

Hey Amara! I totally feel your pain as a fellow first-timer 😅 The N/A showing up after ID verification is actually super normal - it basically means the IRS is still working through your case after confirming your identity. The date change from 5/1 to 5/22 is definitely a good sign! It shows they're actively processing your return. That "LOW SIGNIFIES A CREDIT AMOUNT" message you're seeing just means that negative numbers on your transcript would represent credits (like your refund). Since everything is showing $0.00 right now, it's just because they haven't finished processing yet. The 3-week timeline the phone rep gave you was probably a bit optimistic - after ID verification, it usually takes closer to 6-9 weeks total. I know it's frustrating to wait, but that date change is progress! Keep checking your transcript weekly and hang in there 💪