Quick tip that helped me in a similar situation: if you're using Google Maps on your phone, check out your Timeline feature. It keeps a scary-accurate record of everywhere you've been that can be super helpful for proving residence days. Google Timeline helped me win a residency dispute with California when I moved to Nevada but still worked occasionally in CA. I was able to export data showing exactly which days I was where. Combine that with credit card statements and you've got pretty solid documentation.

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who works in tax preparation - the 10-day shortage you mentioned could be more significant than it seems. Tax authorities often use a "facts and circumstances" test for primary residence, and being right on the borderline invites scrutiny. Beyond the documentation everyone's mentioned, consider these often-overlooked factors: where you're registered to vote, your driver's license address, where your children attend school (if applicable), your primary bank branch, and even your gym membership. These all paint a picture of your "center of vital interests." One thing I tell clients is to document not just where you sleep, but where you live your life. If you're spending most weekends at your owned home, having regular appointments there (doctor, dentist, hair salon), and shopping locally, that strengthens your case even if you're a few days short on the strict count. The penalties for getting this wrong can be substantial - back taxes, interest, and penalties that can add up to thousands. Making those extra trips to clearly establish residency is almost always worth it compared to the potential cost and stress of an audit.

Has anyone tried TaxHawk? Just discovered it and wondering if it handles stock sales too without charging?

Just wanted to add another option that's been working great for me - TaxAct through the IRS Free File program. I have a similar situation with W-2 and stock sales, and it handled everything completely free (including Schedule D for capital gains). The key thing I learned is that you MUST go through irs.gov/freefile to access the truly free versions. If you go directly to TaxAct's website, they'll try to charge you for the same forms that are free through the IRS portal. One tip for stock sales - make sure you have your cost basis information ready from your brokerage. The software will walk you through entering each transaction, but having your 1099-B and records organized beforehand makes the process much smoother. I was able to complete my entire return in about an hour, and got my refund in less than 3 weeks!

One option nobody's mentioned - you could call the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 and explain the situation. They might be able to tell you if your form has already been processed (and rejected) or is still pending. That way you'd know for sure whether you need to submit a new one.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago and can confirm that being proactive is absolutely the right move. I made the e-signature mistake on my Form 2553 and immediately sent in a corrected version with wet signatures after realizing my error. Here's what I did that worked: I wrote "AMENDED FORM - CORRECTING E-SIGNATURE ERROR" in red ink at the top of the first page, included a brief cover letter explaining that I had inadvertently used electronic signatures not realizing they weren't permitted for Form 2553, and sent it via certified mail with return receipt requested. The IRS processed my corrected form without any issues, and I received my S-corp election acceptance letter about 8 weeks later. They never even sent me a rejection for the original e-signed version - I think it just got discarded during their initial processing. Don't wait around hoping they'll process the invalid form. The peace of mind of knowing you have a properly executed form submitted well before your deadline is worth way more than the cost of certified postage and a few minutes to prepare the correction.

You might want to talk to a CPA before next year's filing. Tax software is great but sometimes misses nuances specific to business owners. My husband and I were in a similar situation (I have a growing online business, he's W-2) and our CPA found several business deductions TurboTax never prompted me for. Also, while you can't amend from MFJ to MFS, make sure you're maximizing all possible deductions on your current MFJ returns. You might be able to amend those past returns for missed business deductions even while keeping the joint filing status.

I'm going through this exact same situation! My consulting business took off in 2023 and now I'm making significantly more than my spouse. We filed MFJ without even thinking about it, but after reading this thread I ran some rough calculations and we might have overpaid by thousands too. It's incredibly frustrating that the IRS allows changes from MFS to MFJ but not the other way around. Feels like they're penalizing people for not knowing about this obscure rule. At least now I know to run both scenarios before filing this year. Has anyone here actually made the switch to MFS and seen real savings? I'm curious about the practical impact beyond just the tax calculation - like how it affects things like healthcare subsidies or other benefits that are income-based.

Just wanted to add that there's a tax court case that specifically addressed this issue - Curphey v. Commissioner. The court ruled that travel to a rental property to check on it qualified as a deductible business expense, even when the owner wasn't actively collecting rent or doing repairs during those visits. The key thing the IRS looks for is whether you're engaged in the activity with the intention of making a profit. Since regular inspections help maintain your property value and prevent costly damage, they're considered ordinary and necessary business expenses. Make sure you're being reasonable though - daily drive-bys might raise eyebrows, but weekly or monthly checks are totally normal for rental property management.

Great question! I'm also a rental property owner and was unsure about this same deduction until recently. The key is that these inspection visits are considered legitimate property management activities, even if you're not doing physical work during each trip. I've been deducting my weekly inspection mileage for the past two years without any issues. Like others mentioned, documentation is crucial - I keep a simple notebook in my car and jot down the date, mileage, and "property inspection" for each visit. Takes 30 seconds but gives you solid backup if questioned. One thing to consider is that these regular inspections can actually help you catch small issues before they become expensive problems, which makes them even more justifiable as necessary business expenses. I caught a broken sprinkler head during one of my drive-bys that could have caused major water damage if left unchecked. The 67 cents per mile really does add up over the year - with your 18-mile weekly trips, you're looking at over $600 in deductions annually. Definitely worth claiming!