This is super helpful, thank you! How detailed do the developer time logs need to be? We track time by project but not specifically by "R&D activity" - would that be a problem?

Developer time logs don't need to be broken down to specific "R&D activities" - project-level tracking is usually sufficient as long as you can demonstrate which projects involved qualifying R&D. The key is being able to show that the projects involved technical uncertainty, experimentation, etc. What really strengthens your case is having documentation that shows the process: initial technical requirements, documentation of challenges/uncertainties faced, testing procedures, and outcomes (whether successful or failed). Failed experiments actually strengthen R&D claims since they demonstrate the experimental nature of the work.

DON'T use TurboTax for R&D credits! We tried that last year and it missed so many qualifying expenses. The software is decent for basic returns but R&D credits are way too specialized, especially with the new capitalization rules. The software doesn't ask enough detailed questions to properly identify qualifying activities.

Wait really? I can still make charitable donations now that count for 2023? Does this work if I take the standard deduction or only if I itemize?

This only works if you itemize your deductions. If you're taking the standard deduction, additional charitable contributions won't help reduce your taxes. The standard deduction for 2023 is $13,850 for single filers, so your total itemized deductions (including charitable contributions, mortgage interest, state and local taxes up to $10,000, etc.) would need to exceed that amount to make itemizing worthwhile. For your 2023 taxes, there's unfortunately no above-the-line charitable deduction available for those taking the standard deduction. That was a temporary COVID provision that has expired.

Thanks for the rental property tips! I actually did quite a few visits last year but wasn't tracking mileage. Can I estimate it now based on my address and the property address for those trips I know I made?

You can use a reasonable estimate based on the distance between your home and the rental property multiplied by the number of trips you can substantiate. Just be prepared to justify those trips if asked - having calendar entries, texts with tenants, or receipts from the same days as your visits can help establish that you actually made those trips. For future reference, it's best to keep a contemporaneous mileage log with dates, starting/ending mileage, and the purpose of each trip. Many people use smartphone apps for this now, which makes it much easier to track.

I do have some investments but nothing on margin. What about tax preparation software? I usually spend around $150 on TurboTax Premium - is that deductible if I itemize?

Unfortunately, tax preparation fees including software like TurboTax aren't deductible for individuals anymore. That deduction was eliminated for tax years 2018-2025 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. However, if you have self-employment income or rental property income, you can still deduct the portion of your tax prep fees related to those business activities on Schedule C or Schedule E. But for regular personal tax preparation, those costs aren't deductible currently.

Bunching works really well! We do this with our church donations - double up in December and January of the same tax year, then skip a year. Our CPA ran the numbers and we save about $1,800 every two years compared to giving the same amount spread evenly. Just make sure your charities are cool with the irregular donation schedule.

This subsidy cliff term is exactly what I've been experiencing but didn't have a name for! Do you know of any good resources that explain this phenomenon more? Or are there any efforts to address this problem in policy discussions?

The "subsidy cliff" is well-documented in healthcare policy discussions - the Kaiser Family Foundation has excellent resources explaining how it works, particularly with ACA marketplace subsidies. Urban Institute and Brookings also have published research on this topic. There are ongoing policy discussions about smoothing these cliffs through more gradual phase-outs of benefits rather than hard cutoffs. Some proposals include expanding premium tax credits, creating public options for various services, or implementing more universal programs that eliminate means-testing altogether. Unfortunately, these solutions require significant policy changes that have been difficult to achieve in our current political environment.

This is partially true but oversimplified. The top 1% pay about 40% of all federal income taxes, while the bottom 50% pay about 3%. The issue isn't that the wealthy don't pay taxes - it's that our tax system has inefficiencies, loopholes, and different treatment for different types of income. Capital gains being taxed lower than wages is a policy choice that benefits investors disproportionately.

Do you know if there's any way to get actual human help from TPG if the status seems stuck? Their customer service number just gives me automated responses.

Unfortunately, getting through to an actual human at TPG is incredibly difficult. Their customer service is notoriously unhelpful, even when you do reach someone. In my experience, the best route is actually contacting your tax preparer (if you used one) as they sometimes have direct channels to TPG representatives. If you didn't use a preparer, try reaching out through their social media accounts. I've seen people get responses through Twitter faster than through official channels. As a last resort, if your refund status has been unchanged for more than 5 business days after showing an amount, the IRS might be able to provide more information since they can see if the money was actually sent to TPG.

Is there any way to find out WHY they adjusted it? Mine is showing $78 less than expected but doesn't say why.