For real tho, dont forget to look into sales tax issues too. Depends on your state, but most require you to collect sales tax on the stuff you make and sell. It's separate from income tax and can bite you if you ignore it.

Great question about the sales tax! It really depends on your state, but many states do tax construction/remodeling services differently than just selling products. In my state, if you're providing both materials AND labor (like a full kitchen remodel), you typically need to collect sales tax on the total project cost, not just the materials. However, some states only tax the materials portion, and others have exemptions for certain types of construction work. Since Jessica mentioned a $14,500 kitchen remodel, that's definitely substantial enough that she should check with her state's department of revenue about sales tax requirements. The tricky part is that once you start doing bigger projects like this, you're clearly operating as a business rather than just selling occasional hobby items. Most states have thresholds where you need to register for a sales tax permit once you hit certain revenue levels. Better to get ahead of it now before it becomes a bigger issue down the road!

Why when I log in to my where is my refund it says topic 151 but on my transcript it says code 766 ??

Tax Topic 151 can be confusing, but it generally means your refund is being held for review or offset. This could be due to several reasons: unpaid debts (student loans, child support, back taxes), identity verification issues, or the IRS needing additional documentation to verify your claims (like dependents or credits). Even if you don't think you owe anything, there might be old debts or issues from previous years. I'd recommend calling the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 to get specific details about your situation, or check your account transcript online which will show any holds or codes. The wait times can be long, but it's the best way to get clarity on why your refund is delayed.

A lot of people are missing something important here. The January 1 effective date CAN be valid even for an entity formed mid-year! Under Revenue Procedure 2013-30, the IRS allows for a retroactive S election for the entire tax year if: 1. You intended to be an S-Corp from formation 2. You file Form 2553 within 3 years and 75 days of the desired effective date Your accountant probably knows this and is trying to get you S-Corp treatment for the entire 2024 tax year. This is actually pretty standard practice.

I'm going through something very similar right now! My LLC converted to an S-Corp in August 2024, and my CPA also put January 1, 2024 as the effective date on Form 2553. I was initially confused like you, but after reading through these responses and doing some research, it seems like this is actually a legitimate strategy. What I learned is that the IRS has specific relief procedures (like Rev Proc 2013-30 that others mentioned) that allow for retroactive S elections under certain circumstances. The key is that you have to demonstrate you intended S-Corp treatment from the beginning and meet the filing deadlines. I ended up calling the IRS Business line to check on my election status, and the agent confirmed they received it and said it looked fine. She mentioned that even if they can't approve the January 1st date, they'll just adjust it to the actual formation date - no penalties or major issues. My advice would be to give it a few weeks to process, then call to check the status. If there are any problems, the IRS will send you a letter explaining what needs to be corrected. Don't panic - this seems to be a pretty routine situation that accountants deal with regularly!

Another option worth exploring - some hospitals have started offering remote work options for certain departments after COVID. My wife works in medical billing at a hospital and now works from home 3 days a week, which cuts her parking costs significantly. Might be worth asking if your role could support even partial remote work. Every little bit helps!

That Transportation Spending Account sounds promising! I work at a different hospital system and we have something similar - it's been a game changer for my budget. You can typically use pre-tax dollars for parking, public transit, rideshare to/from transit stops, and even some bike expenses if you cycle to work. The way it works is they deduct the money from your paycheck before taxes are calculated, so you save on federal, state, and FICA taxes. For someone in your tax bracket, that $145/month parking expense could effectively cost you closer to $110-120 after tax savings. It's not a full deduction like the old days, but it's still significant relief. Make sure to ask HR about the annual limits (I think it's $315/month for 2024) and whether they have any waiting periods for enrollment. Some places only let you sign up during open enrollment or after qualifying life events. Good luck with your meeting!

Has anyone done this with more than one family member? I'm wondering if I could gift stock to both my mom and dad to maximize the capital gains that could be taxed at 0%?

This is a really solid tax strategy that I've seen work well for many families. One additional consideration I'd suggest is timing the stock transfer and sale carefully. If your mom has other income sources (like Social Security or pension), you'll want to calculate her total projected income for the year to make sure the capital gain doesn't push her above the 0% bracket threshold. Also, consider whether she needs all $100k at once or if the renovations could be spread over multiple years. If you could gift and have her sell portions of the stock across 2-3 years, it might help keep her in that 0% bracket each year while also allowing you to use more of your annual gift exclusion ($18,000 per year) rather than dipping into your lifetime exclusion. Don't forget that she'll also need to meet the long-term capital gains holding period requirement (over 1 year), but since she inherits your holding period with the gifted stock, this shouldn't be an issue if you've held it long-term.