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.

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!

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!

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.

Anyone else think its crazy that in 2023 were still dealing with paper checks and snail mail for tax refunds? The whole system needs an overhaul smh

I had the exact same thing happen to me last year! What worked for me was filing Form 3911 (Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund) - you can download it from the IRS website. It's specifically designed for this situation. Fill it out completely and mail it with copies of your ID and proof of your new address. I got my replacement check about 6 weeks later. Way faster than just writing a letter, and it goes directly to the right department. Hope this helps!