Anyone know if the 2025 tax law changes will affect this at all? I heard some suspended deductions are coming back.

I went through something very similar last year and ended up working with a tax attorney who specializes in employment-related legal expenses. One thing that really helped my case was documenting exactly how the harassment was impacting my work performance and income potential. The key distinction the attorney explained is whether the legal fees were incurred to protect your ability to earn income versus just for personal protection. In my case, I had to show that the restraining order was necessary to maintain my employment and earning capacity, not just for general safety. We ended up being able to deduct about 60% of the legal fees on my California return by arguing they were directly related to income production. The documentation was crucial - I had emails showing how the harassment was affecting my work, performance reviews that mentioned the impact, and even some lost client interactions due to the situation. Worth noting that California's rules are more favorable than federal right now, so definitely explore both angles if you're in CA. The investment in getting proper tax advice paid for itself in my case.

Does anyone know if Robinhood gives you any warning when you're buying an MLP? I feel like they should tell you that you're buying something that's going to complicate your taxes before you purchase it.

I had this exact same situation happen to me! Bought what I thought were regular oil stocks on Robinhood and got blindsided by K-1 forms. Here's what I wish someone had told me from the start: 1. Yes, select "Partnership/LLC" in TurboTax - that's correct for the 1065 K-1 you received 2. MLPs (Master Limited Partnerships) are common in the oil/pipeline sector and they're taxed differently than regular stocks 3. Keep ALL your K-1 forms - you'll need them when you sell because the tax basis gets adjusted each year One tip that saved me a lot of headache: if the amounts are small (like under $1000 in income), the multi-state filing requirements others mentioned usually don't apply. TurboTax will calculate this automatically. Also, consider moving these investments to an IRA if you plan to keep them long-term. MLPs in retirement accounts avoid the K-1 hassle entirely (though there are some other considerations with UBTI if the amounts get large). Don't feel bad about not knowing - Robinhood really should warn people about this before purchase!

If your return was accepted but now says "we may need more information," check if you claimed any of these credits, as they often trigger additional review: - Earned Income Tax Credit - Child Tax Credit - American Opportunity Credit - Premium Tax Credit (for health insurance) My return was held up last year because of EITC verification. Took almost 8 weeks total but eventually processed without me needing to do anything.

I'm going through almost the exact same situation! Filed through FreeTaxUSA about 5 weeks ago, got the initial acceptance, then that dreaded "we may need more information" message appeared. Haven't received any mail yet either. Reading through these comments has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the identity verification delays when switching from a professional preparer to self-filing. That's probably exactly what's happening since we used H&R Block last year. The 21-30 day processing time Brandon mentioned gives me some peace of mind that we're still within normal range, even if it feels like forever when you're counting on that refund. Going to check out that Treasury Offset Program number Axel mentioned just to rule out any debt issues, and might try the taxr.ai tool if we don't hear anything in another week or two. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - makes me feel a lot less alone in this waiting game!

One thing nobody has mentioned yet - if you don't set up a new agreement when your short-term plan expires, the IRS can also offset (take) any future tax refunds until your debt is paid. They do this automatically without having to go through the normal collection process. This happened to me for three years straight before I finally set up a proper installment agreement.

Just want to add that ignoring the end of your payment plan is risky for another reason - the IRS charges both penalties AND interest on unpaid tax debt. The failure-to-pay penalty is 0.5% per month (up to 25% total), and the interest rate is currently around 7%. Those keep accumulating even if they haven't started active collections yet.

Just a heads up - I had this exact issue a few years ago and when I went to get my documents back, they tried to charge me a "document preparation fee" of like $50. I refused to pay it and eventually got my stuff back, but be prepared for them to try something like that. Know your rights - they cannot legally keep your original documents regardless of any fees they claim you owe. Stand your ground if they try to charge you anything.

Hey Nia! I went through almost the exact same situation last month. H&R Block quoted me $275 for what should have been a pretty straightforward return and I was like "absolutely not!" I called the office the next day and politely told them I decided to go elsewhere and needed my documents back. The person on the phone was actually really nice about it and had everything ready when I came in. No hassle, no fees, got all my original W2s and 1099s back within 10 minutes. Ended up using FreeTaxUSA online and paid like $15 total. Got the same refund amount that H&R Block calculated but saved myself over $250. Sometimes these brick-and-mortar places are just way overpriced for basic returns. Don't let them pressure you into paying if you're not comfortable with the price. Your documents are yours and they have to give them back, period.