I did put in a new sound system about 8 months ago for around $1,100. Do you think that would help? Insurance just seemed to use some generic value for my car's make and model.

Absolutely mention the sound system! Insurance companies use standard values unless you specifically tell them about upgrades. You'll probably need to provide the receipt if you have it, or some kind of proof of the upgrade. Even without a receipt, take photos if the system is still intact and visible. This is exactly the kind of thing that gets missed in standard valuations. $1,100 is significant and should definitely be factored in. Call them and specifically ask to have your claim adjusted to include the aftermarket sound system. Be persistent!

Diminished value claims are really state-dependent though. Some states make them nearly impossible to collect on, while others are more consumer-friendly. Worth looking into for sure, but don't get your hopes up too high.

That's a really good point about the receipts! Do you think using a translation app on my phone for each receipt would be sufficient, or should I get professional translations if I get audited? Also, what's the best way to document my existing equipment? Would photos with serial numbers be enough?

A translation app is usually sufficient for basic receipt documentation as long as you do it at the time of purchase and keep both versions. If you do get audited, then you might need professional translations for any significant expenses, but that's a bridge to cross only if necessary. For documenting equipment, photos with visible serial numbers are good, but I recommend going a step further. Create a spreadsheet listing all equipment with purchase dates, prices, serial numbers, and current value. Take photos/video of everything together before your trip. Some of my clients even get a dated letter from their insurance company listing covered photography equipment, which serves as third-party verification of prior ownership.

I used TurboTax Self-Employed last year for my graphic design business which included some travel. It asks basic questions about business travel but doesn't really give you the detailed guidance you need for international business trips. It won't tell you about the 75% rule or help with documentation requirements. If you have a complex situation like international business travel, I'd recommend at least consulting with a tax pro who specializes in creative businesses.

My income is definitely below those limits - I only made about $14,000 from my part-time job last year, so I think I'm good there. But thanks for bringing this up because I wouldn't have even thought to check! Can I also ask - if I do allocate some of my Pell Grant to living expenses, does that increase my taxable income by that same amount? I'm trying to figure out if this strategy would actually benefit me overall.

Yes, any scholarship/grant money that you allocate to non-qualified expenses (like room and board) becomes taxable income. So you have to calculate whether the tax benefit from the education credit outweighs the additional tax from including more taxable income. In your case, with only $14,000 in income, you're in a very low tax bracket (likely 10%), so the American Opportunity Credit would almost certainly benefit you more than the small amount of additional tax you'd pay. The AOTC is worth up to $2,500, and 40% of it is refundable (up to $1,000), meaning you could get that money even if you don't owe any tax. So for someone in your situation with low income, it's usually advantageous to allocate some scholarship money to living expenses to maximize the AOTC.

This is so true. I spent almost $1,200 on required textbooks and online access codes last year that weren't included in my 1098-T Box 1 amount. Adding those in made a big difference in my education credit calculation.

Thank you for this suggestion! I just checked both of our paystubs and mine actually does say "Single" for the withholding status even though I thought I'd updated it. Going to talk to HR tomorrow and get this fixed immediately. This might explain a big part of the problem!

Glad you checked! That's likely a significant part of the issue. When you speak with HR, make sure they apply the correction going forward and ask if they can adjust the withholding for the remainder of the year to compensate for the under-withholding from earlier months. If they can't make that adjustment, you might need to specify an additional amount on line 4(c) that's higher than you'd normally need for the remaining months to make up the difference.

This is super important! I was still thinking in terms of "allowances" for years after the change and it messed up my withholding. The new W-4 is actually more accurate if you fill it out correctly.

Could you explain more about what income levels this happens at? My wife and I both make around $90k each and I'm wondering if we're affected.

The marriage penalty is most noticeable when both spouses have similar high incomes, typically in the higher tax brackets. At around $90k each, you're probably not seeing a significant penalty. The current tax brackets have mostly eliminated the marriage penalty for most income levels, but it can still exist when you get to the 37% bracket (over $693,750 for married filing jointly in 2025 vs. $578,125 for single filers). There are also marriage penalties that can occur with certain deductions and credits that phase out, like the Net Investment Income Tax threshold or the limitation on state and local tax deductions. For most couples at the $90k each level, joint filing is usually still better due to other benefits.

Yes, TurboTax does have a feature that compares the two filing statuses! When you get to the part where you select your filing status, there's an option called "Help me choose" that will run the numbers both ways. But you need to have entered all your info first for it to be accurate. I used it last year and it was really helpful.