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Does anyone know if property tax and mortgage interest paid over the years can be added to your basis? I've been meticulously tracking these payments thinking they would help reduce capital gains when I sell.
Yara Khoury
ā¢No, property taxes and mortgage interest cannot be added to your basis. These are regular expenses of homeownership that you may have been deducting each year on your tax returns (if you itemize). Only capital improvements that add value to the property, prolong its useful life, or adapt it to new uses can be added to your basis. Regular expenses like taxes, insurance, interest, and maintenance are not included.
Lara Woods
Great thread with lots of helpful info! I wanted to add one important point about record-keeping that might help others in similar situations. Even if you've lost original receipts, the IRS accepts "reconstructed records" as long as they're reasonable and based on available evidence. I learned this when preparing for my home sale last year. You can use: - Bank statements showing payments to contractors or home improvement stores - Credit card statements with clear descriptions - Canceled checks made out to contractors - Permits pulled for work (these are public records) - Before/after photos with written explanations - Contractor invoices or estimates (even old ones) The key is being able to demonstrate that the improvements actually happened and provide a reasonable estimate of costs. I was able to reconstruct about $35,000 in improvements this way, which made a huge difference in my capital gains calculation. Also, don't forget about smaller improvements like new appliances, fixtures, or even landscaping that adds value - these all count toward your adjusted basis if you have documentation.
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Has anyone noticed if certain tax software seems to have more or fewer of these "system issues"? I used TurboTax and I'm stuck in limbo too. Wondering if I should use something else next year.
I used FreeTaxUSA and mine went through fine - got my refund in 12 days. My sister used TurboTax and she's having the same delay issues. Might be coincidence though.
I'm dealing with the exact same issue! Filed on February 2nd, accepted February 5th, and it's been radio silence since then. Called the IRS last week and got the same "system issue" explanation with the 10-week timeline. What's really frustrating is that when I check my tax transcript online, it shows my return was received but there are no processing codes or updates at all - just blank. It's like my return disappeared into a black hole somewhere in their system. I've been reading through all these comments and it seems like there are multiple different issues causing delays this year - some are identity verification, some are document mismatches, some are random reviews. The problem is the IRS phone reps either don't know or won't tell you which specific issue is affecting your return. Really considering trying one of those transcript analysis tools mentioned here since I need this refund for some urgent home repairs. At this point I just want to know WHAT is actually wrong instead of getting the generic "system issue" runaround.
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If you have any capital gains from investments, check if you have any losing positions you could sell to offset those gains. Tax-loss harvesting can reduce your AGI by up to $3,000 against ordinary income after offsetting capital gains. Just watch out for wash sale rules if you plan to rebuy similar investments.
That's a great idea! I do have some stocks that haven't been performing well. So I could sell those before December 31st and it would reduce my AGI by the amount of the loss (up to $3,000)? And is the wash sale rule that I can't buy back the same stock within 30 days?
Yes, exactly! You can reduce your AGI by up to $3,000 in net capital losses per year. If your losses exceed $3,000 after offsetting any gains, you can carry forward the excess to future tax years. The wash sale rule is that you cannot purchase the same stock or a "substantially identical" security within 30 days before or after selling at a loss. So it's a 61-day window centered on the sale date. If you violate this rule, the loss is disallowed for tax purposes. One strategy people use is to buy something similar but not identical (like a different ETF that tracks a similar sector) to maintain market exposure while still harvesting the tax loss.
Don't overlook estimated tax payments if you haven't made them yet! If your unexpected income means you'll owe more than $1,000 when you file, you might face underpayment penalties. Making a large estimated payment by January 15th (for Q4) can help reduce penalties and effectively gives you a bit more time to implement some of these AGI reduction strategies. Also, since you mentioned self-employment income - make sure you're deducting the employer portion of your self-employment tax (Schedule SE). This is an above-the-line deduction that directly reduces AGI and many people forget about it. It's roughly half of your total self-employment tax liability. One more thing - if you haven't already, consider timing any business income or expenses. If you're on cash basis accounting (most small businesses are), you might be able to defer some December invoice payments until January or accelerate some January business expenses into December to help balance things out.
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Based on my experience working with several clients in similar situations, the TAS has become much more responsive to hardship cases in 2024 compared to previous years. I've seen them accept cases as early as 2-3 weeks after amendment filing when proper documentation was provided. The key is submitting Form 911 with comprehensive documentation of your hardship AND proof that you've attempted to resolve through normal channels. I recommend calling the TAS intake line directly at 877-777-4778 rather than the general IRS line, as they can better assess your situation.
One little trick I learned from my tax saga last year - when you call that TAS number, make sure to have your transcript access verification code ready to go! Saves about 20 minutes of back-and-forth. Also, if you're dealing with a home repair emergency, some localities have emergency repair assistance programs that might bridge the gap while waiting for your tax situation to resolve. Might be worth checking with your county services office... sometimes the help comes from places you wouldn't expect! š
I went through almost the exact same situation two years ago with a burst pipe that flooded my basement right after filing an amended return. Here's what worked for me: I called the TAS line (877-777-4778) and explained that I had immediate housing safety concerns due to water damage. The key was having documentation ready - photos of the damage, repair estimates, and a letter from my insurance company showing the coverage gap. They accepted my case within 5 days of filing Form 911 because I could demonstrate that the water damage posed health risks and I couldn't afford repairs without my refund. Don't let anyone tell you that you have to wait months - if you have genuine hardship with proper documentation, TAS can act quickly. The whole process took about 6 weeks from when they accepted my case to getting my refund. Stay persistent and document everything!
Leslie Parker
Has anyone used QuickBooks Online for handling the accrual method with unshipped inventory? I'm struggling with the same issue as OP.
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Sergio Neal
ā¢I use QBO with accrual and what worked for me was creating a liability account called "Customer Deposits" or "Deferred Revenue." Then when you receive payment before shipping, record it to that account instead of income. I use a Sales Receipt that points to the liability account rather than income.
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Lucas Bey
I'm a newcomer here but dealing with a very similar situation! I've been researching the accrual method switch for weeks and this thread has been incredibly helpful. One thing I'm still confused about - when you're tracking inventory only at the beginning and end of the year (not quarterly), how do you handle COGS throughout the year? Do you estimate it based on purchases, or do you wait until year-end to make adjustments? Also, for those who mentioned Form 3115, is there a specific deadline for filing it when switching methods? I want to make sure I don't miss any important timing requirements. The deferred revenue approach makes total sense for unshipped orders. I'm definitely going to implement that in my QuickBooks setup. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!
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