Has anyone ever used TurboTax for this scenario? I'm trying to figure out if it automatically prorates property taxes when you enter the "in service" date for a rental conversion or if I need to manually calculate the prorated amount before entering it.

I went through this exact same situation last year when I converted my home to a rental mid-year! The key thing to remember is that you can only deduct expenses for the period the property was actually used for rental purposes. For your June conversion, you'll need to prorate the property taxes from June through December (7 months) on Schedule E Line 16. The January through May portion would go on Schedule A as part of your personal itemized deductions if you're itemizing. One tip that saved me a lot of headache - make sure you document the exact date you placed the property in service as a rental. This could be when you first made it available for rent (not necessarily when you got your first tenant). Keep records like rental listings, advertisements, or any other evidence showing when you began holding it out for rental. Also, don't forget about starting depreciation from that same in-service date! That was a big deduction I almost missed in my first year.

Anyone know if filing for a Currently Not Collectible status extends the 10-year statute? I'm thinking about doing this but don't want to shoot myself in the foot if it adds more time to the collection period.

For anyone dealing with old tax debts, I can't stress enough how important it is to get your exact assessment dates and Collection Statute Expiration Dates (CSED) from the IRS. I was making payments on what I thought was a 2009 debt for years, only to find out it had actually expired in 2019! The key is understanding that the 10-year clock starts when the IRS officially assesses the tax - not when you file or when the tax year ends. For substitute returns (SFRs) that the IRS files for you, this can be years after the original tax year. For returns you file late, it's when they process your late filing. What really helped me was getting my Account Transcripts online through IRS.gov. Look for codes like "150" (which shows the assessment date) and "434" (which shows the CSED). These dates are crucial for planning your strategy. If you're close to the expiration date, you might want to avoid certain actions that could extend the statute. Just remember - the IRS won't voluntarily tell you when a debt expires. They'll keep sending notices and trying to collect even after the 10 years are up. It's your responsibility to know when the collection period ends and to assert this defense if they try to collect on expired debt.

Also note that for prior year returns, you CANNOT e-file. The IRS only accepts electronic filing for the current tax year and previous two years. For 2020, you definitely have to mail a paper return at this point.

I was in a similar situation last year filing my 2019 return super late. Here's what I learned after going through this whole process: 1. Use the 2020 mailing address from the original 2020 Form 1040 instructions - not the current year's address 2. Write "TAX YEAR 2020" in large letters on the outside of your envelope so it gets routed correctly 3. Send it certified mail with return receipt - this gives you proof of delivery in case the IRS claims they never got it 4. Include a brief written statement explaining why you're filing late (doesn't need to be a special form, just a simple letter) 5. Be prepared for interest charges on any taxes owed - they calculate from the original 2020 due date The IRS processing centers do sometimes change, but they maintain mail forwarding for situations exactly like this. The key is using the correct tax year's instructions and making sure it's clearly marked on your envelope. You've got this - better late than never!

Has anyone had luck with the AARP Tax-Aide training as an alternative? I know they partner with VITA at many sites but have their own training system. I'm wondering if getting certified through them would qualify for VITA too during this Link & Learn outage.

This is such a comprehensive thread - thank you everyone for sharing all these alternatives! I'm in a similar situation and was getting really worried about missing the tax season. One thing I'd add is that some community colleges are also offering accelerated tax preparation courses that include VITA certification components. I found out my local community college has a 3-weekend intensive course starting in December that covers everything needed for basic and advanced VITA certification. They're using the same IRS materials mentioned earlier but with structured classroom instruction. The course fee is only $150 and they guarantee you'll be ready to volunteer by January. Might be worth checking if any colleges in your area are offering something similar - seems like a lot of educational institutions are stepping up to help fill the gap while Link & Learn is down.

Has anyone actually gone through an audit after using Streamlined procedures for Form 5471 issues? I'm curious about real outcomes, not just the theoretical process. I'm in a similar situation but with a South African company.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year with my UK limited company. My wife (US citizen living abroad for 15+ years) owned 30% and we had completely missed the Form 5471 requirements for 6 years. Like you, we were terrified about the $60,000 in potential penalties. We successfully used the Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures and all penalties were waived, including the Form 5471 penalties. The key things that made our case successful: 1. We documented everything thoroughly - bank statements, company formation documents, proof of minimal income 2. Our non-willful statement was very specific about why we didn't know about Form 5471 (not just general ignorance of US tax law) 3. We showed we took immediate action once we discovered the requirement The IRS accepted our submission without any follow-up questions. Total tax owed was under $500 across all three years due to foreign tax credits and the minimal business income. Don't panic - your situation sounds very similar to ours and the Streamlined procedures are designed exactly for cases like this. Just make sure you document everything properly and be very specific in your non-willful certification about the Form 5471 requirements specifically.