Oh my goodness, I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been having the EXACT same problem with my PA refund check! Does anyone know if this means our refunds are delayed, or is it just the status check system that's having issues? I'm really counting on this money soon!

I'm dealing with the same frustrating situation! Filed my PA return on February 28th and still getting the "information doesn't match" error. What's really annoying is that I can see my federal refund status just fine, but PA's system seems to be having major issues. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like this is pretty common this year. I'm going to try waiting another week or two before calling, since it seems like the system just needs time to catch up. Thanks for posting this - at least now I know I'm not the only one! Let us know if yours starts working soon.

Ever wonder why tax prep companies push the "fees from refund" option so hard? Because many people never notice the extra $40 processing fee they tack on! What's worse than paying too much for tax prep? Paying extra fees just to pay your fees! I made this mistake in 2022 and noticed my refund was $40 less than expected. Checked the fine print and sure enough, there was a "convenience fee" for the refund transfer. Who's it convenient for? Them, not us.

I went through this exact situation last month! Here's what worked for me: Log into your TurboTax account and look for the "Tax Timeline" or "Order Summary" section. It should show exactly what fees were charged and how they were paid. If you chose the refund deduction option, you'll see something like "Refund Transfer Fee: $39.99" plus your filing fees. The key thing to remember is that the IRS transcript will show your full refund amount, but your bank deposit will be the net amount after TurboTax takes their cut. I also recommend taking a screenshot of this summary for your records - it's super helpful for budgeting next year's taxes!

One thing nobody's mentioned is that if you believe you're owed refunds, you should act FAST. The IRS only allows you to claim refunds for 3 years after the original due date. So for example, for tax year 2021 (which was due April 2022), you have until April 2025 to claim any refund. After that, the money is gone forever even if you were owed it. I learned this the hard way and lost about $3,200 in refunds from two tax years because I waited too long to file. Don't make my mistake!

Just wanted to share my experience - I didn't file for 3 years and finally got caught up last year. The IRS actually sent me a notice saying they would file a "Substitute for Return" for me, which is BAD NEWS because they calculate your taxes with no deductions except the standard deduction. My advice: - File yourself before they do this - If you already received a Substitute for Return, file your own return anyway to correct it - DON'T ignore any IRS notices!! - They were actually surprisingly reasonable to work with once I started communicating The biggest shock was filing 2020 with all the covid relief - I was owed way more than I expected and it offset what I owed for other years. Definitely check if you got all your stimulus payments!

I deducted some of my real estate certification courses last year as a landlord with 5 units. My accountant advised separating course costs that directly related to property management from general business courses. Also, don't forget you can deduct books, supplies, and even software you buy specifically for your landlord business as separate expenses! Make sure you're tracking all your education-related expenses separately so you can properly allocate them.

Great question about MBA deductions for rental property income! I went through something similar when I was pursuing my real estate license while managing several rental units. The IRS generally allows education expense deductions when the education maintains or improves skills required in your current business. Since you're already operating as a landlord and taking courses like Commercial Real Estate Development and Small Business Accounting that directly relate to your existing rental activities, you should be able to deduct the portion of your MBA expenses that specifically relates to these applicable courses. A few key points to remember: - Document how each course directly improves your current landlord skills (not preparing you for a new career) - Calculate the percentage of your total program that relates to rental property management - Keep detailed records of course syllabi, receipts, and how you apply the knowledge to your properties - Report these expenses on Schedule E along with your other rental business expenses Since you're looking at $32K total, even a partial deduction could provide significant tax savings. I'd recommend consulting with a tax professional who specializes in real estate to ensure you're maximizing your deductions while staying compliant with IRS requirements.

Whatever you do, DO NOT just informally pay them hourly without the proper structure! My friend did this with his "partners" and got audited. The IRS reclassified them as employees, and he owed back payroll taxes PLUS penalties. He ended up with an $18,000 tax bill that bankrupted the business. Make sure everything is properly documented from day one.

I faced a similar situation when I started my consulting firm with two colleagues who wanted hourly pay rather than profit sharing. After researching extensively, I learned that the key issue is whether they're truly "partners" or just employees/contractors with equity. If they want guaranteed hourly pay regardless of business performance, they're functioning more like employees than traditional partners. True partners share in both profits AND losses, not guaranteed compensation. Here's what I found works best: Form an LLC with yourself as managing member and them as minority members. Then pay them W-2 wages for their hourly work (since you'll likely have control over how/when they work) and they can also receive profit distributions based on their ownership percentage. This structure gives you the partnership feel they want while keeping you compliant with IRS worker classification rules. The hourly wages satisfy their need for predictable income, and the profit distributions give them upside when the business does well. Just make sure to document everything properly from the start - operating agreement, payroll setup, the works. The IRS scrutinizes these arrangements closely, especially when there's both wages and ownership involved.