This is a really common confusion for gig workers! The key thing to remember is that when you choose the standard mileage deduction, you're essentially trading off the ability to claim vehicle depreciation or losses for the simplicity of just tracking miles. The IRS considers that depreciation component already "built into" those standard mileage deductions you've been taking over the past 3 years. Since you mentioned keeping good records of business vs personal miles, that's great practice to continue! Even though you can't claim the loss on this sale, those records will be valuable if you get audited or when you start using your next vehicle for business purposes. One thing to keep in mind - if you do replace this car with another vehicle for your delivery work, you'll need to decide again between standard mileage or actual expenses for the new car. Just remember that whichever method you choose in the first year of business use for that new vehicle, you'll be locked into for the life of that car.

I went through this exact same situation last year with my delivery car! Used standard mileage for 2+ years, then sold at a loss. I was so frustrated thinking I was missing out on a tax deduction, but after doing a lot of research (and talking to a tax pro), I learned that the standard mileage rate actually works out pretty well overall when you factor in all the wear and tear costs it covers. Think about it this way - over those 3 years of deliveries, you've been deducting around 65+ cents per business mile (the rates have gone up each year). That adds up to thousands in deductions that already account for your car's depreciation. While you can't claim the loss now, you've likely saved more in taxes over the years through those mileage deductions than you would have with the actual expense method. For your next car, definitely consider whether actual expenses might work better if you expect to put a lot of business miles on it quickly. But honestly, for most delivery drivers, standard mileage is still the simpler and often more beneficial choice!

Something I learned the hard way: don't waste money on expensive software right away. Most tax pros use professional software like ProSeries, Drake, or Lacerte, but they cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Start with the free fillable forms from the IRS website to learn the actual forms and calculations. Then consider TaxAct Professional or TaxSlayer Pro which have lower entry costs. As your client base grows, you can upgrade to the premium options.

As someone who made the transition from retail to tax prep 4 years ago, I want to emphasize that this career change is absolutely doable! The advice here is solid - I'd specifically recommend starting with the IRS AFSP program and then working toward your EA license. One thing I wish someone had told me: tax season is incredibly intense (think 60+ hour weeks from January to April), but the off-season gives you flexibility that retail never did. I now spend summers taking continuing education courses and building my client base. Also consider specializing in a niche as you grow - small business taxes, rental properties, or tax resolution services. The general "do everything" preparers are often competing on price, but specialists can command higher fees. My path was: AFSP certificate → seasonal work at Jackson Hewitt → EA license → now I have my own small practice. The income potential is much better than retail, especially once you build repeat clients who trust you with their finances year after year. Don't let anyone tell you that you need college for this field. Tax law changes constantly anyway, so what matters most is your ability to learn continuously and pay attention to details. Your retail experience dealing with difficult customers will actually serve you well!

Just so everyone knows, not all second look services are created equal. I paid $400 for one last year and they literally just ran my numbers through a different tax software and found nothing. Make sure you ask exactly what their process involves before paying. Ask if they specialize in your industry and what their success rate is for businesses similar to yours. Also ask if they've worked with businesses in your specific state, as state tax opportunities vary widely.

Speaking as someone who handles small business accounting, there's another benefit to second looks that nobody's mentioned yet - they sometimes catch ERRORS that could lead to audits. Last year I had 3 clients get second looks and for one of them, we actually discovered their previous accountant had improperly classified some expenses that could have raised red flags with the IRS. The second look saved them from potential audit headaches, not just money.

Has anyone used the Form 11 on ROS for partnership income? I found it super confusing how to report my share vs my husbands share and ended up ringing a chartered accountant.

As someone who went through this exact same situation 18 months ago with my spouse, I can definitely relate to the confusion! One thing that really helped us was understanding that as a married couple in a partnership, you have more flexibility than you might think. First, don't panic about your business structure choice - partnerships can actually work well for married couples, especially in the early stages. The key is understanding your assessment options. You can choose joint assessment (where one spouse is the assessable spouse and includes both incomes) or separate assessment (where you each file individually). Joint assessment often works better for partnerships because it lets you pool your tax credits and rate bands. Also, make sure you're both claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit - it's €1,650 each for 2024, so that's €3,300 total you don't want to miss out on. And definitely look into income splitting strategies once you get established - being able to allocate profits based on actual contribution rather than strict 50/50 can save serious money. The threshold for considering incorporation is typically around €40-50k profit, so you have time to see how your first year goes before making any major structure changes. Focus on getting your partnership documentation sorted first - a simple partnership agreement outlining roles and profit sharing will make everything cleaner come tax time.

As someone who works in medical billing and has dealt with countless HSA qualification questions, I wanted to add a few practical points that might help: First, when you get those Letters of Medical Necessity, make sure the doctors use specific medical terminology rather than general descriptions. Words like "functional impairment," "structural defect," and "anatomical abnormality" carry more weight with the IRS than vague terms like "discomfort" or "appearance issues." Second, if your husband has any documented symptoms beyond just the visible separation - back pain, difficulty with certain movements, core weakness affecting daily activities - make sure those are included in the documentation. The more functional impact you can demonstrate, the stronger your case becomes. Third, consider asking your surgeon about getting before/after photos for medical records (not for cosmetic purposes, but to document the structural repair). Some tax professionals recommend this as additional evidence that the procedure addressed a genuine anatomical problem. Finally, don't let the insurance denial discourage you. I see this disconnect all the time - insurance companies are focused on cost containment while the IRS is focused on whether something meets their definition of medical care under the tax code. They're completely separate determinations using different criteria. The fact that your husband lost 85 pounds actually strengthens your case, as it shows this is a medical consequence of significant body changes rather than a purely cosmetic concern.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My husband is also considering diastasis recti surgery after significant weight loss (about 70 pounds), and we're getting the same "cosmetic" classification from insurance despite clear functional issues. Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm now much more confident about moving forward with HSA funds. The key takeaway seems to be that proper medical documentation is everything - getting those Letters of Medical Necessity that specifically address functional impairment rather than cosmetic concerns. One question I haven't seen addressed: has anyone had experience with the IRS actually reviewing these types of HSA withdrawals? I know we should be prepared with documentation, but I'm curious about the practical likelihood of being questioned about it. Are medical expense HSA withdrawals commonly audited, or is it more of a "prepare for the worst case scenario" situation? Also, for those who've successfully used HSA funds for similar procedures - did you withdraw the money before the surgery date, or wait until after you received the final bills? I'm wondering about the timing logistics of actually accessing the funds when we need them. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences and expertise. This community has been invaluable for navigating what felt like an impossible situation with our insurance denial!