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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Mac user with an S-Corp here! I went through this same frustration last year and ended up finding a workflow that works really well. After trying various solutions mentioned here, I settled on using TaxAct Online for both my personal and business returns. What I love about their online platform is that it's genuinely Mac-native through the browser, and their 1120S module is surprisingly comprehensive. The interface is clean and modern, unlike some of the clunkier web-based solutions. They also have excellent import capabilities for QuickBooks Mac data, which saved me tons of manual entry time. The real game-changer for me was their audit support feature - they provide representation if you get selected for an audit, which gave me peace of mind since S-Corps do get more scrutiny. Their pricing is also very reasonable compared to TurboTax Business. One tip for fellow Mac users: I use 1Password to store all my tax login credentials since you'll be working across multiple online platforms (payroll provider, accounting software, tax prep, etc.). Makes the whole process much more seamless when everything is browser-based.
Thanks for sharing your TaxAct experience! I'm curious about their audit support - is that included in the standard business filing fee or an add-on? Also, how was their customer support when you had questions about S-Corp specific deductions? I've been burned before by online tax services that have great marketing but terrible support when you actually need help with complex business situations.
Mac user and CPA here - wanted to share my professional perspective on this. The shift away from Mac desktop tax software isn't really a conspiracy, it's economics. The development and maintenance costs for native Mac applications are significant, and the tax software market is highly seasonal with most revenue concentrated in just a few months. For S-Corp returns specifically, I'd strongly recommend against trying to DIY this on any platform unless your situation is extremely simple. The compliance requirements have gotten much more complex over the past few years, especially around reasonable compensation determination and basis tracking. A mistake on your 1120S can trigger cascading issues on your personal return. If you're determined to self-prepare, the online versions of the major platforms (TurboTax Business, H&R Block Premium & Business) are actually quite robust now. But honestly, for most S-Corp owners, the cost of professional preparation is often less than the time value of doing it yourself, plus you get the peace of mind of professional review. That said, if your S-Corp is truly straightforward (single owner, no employees besides yourself, minimal assets), then FreeTaxUSA Business or TaxAct Online are solid budget-friendly options that work great on Mac.
Really appreciate the professional perspective! As someone new to S-Corp filing (just elected this year), I'm definitely feeling overwhelmed by all the compliance requirements you mentioned. The reasonable compensation piece especially has me confused - how do you even determine what's "reasonable" for a small consulting business? I was leaning toward trying TurboTax Business online since I'm already familiar with their personal tax interface, but your point about professional preparation being worth the cost has me second-guessing. For a first-year S-Corp with maybe $75K in revenue, would you say the complexity justifies hiring a CPA, or is this something I could reasonably handle with good software and careful research? Also, when you mention basis tracking becoming more complex - is that something the online software handles automatically, or do I need to maintain separate records for that?
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Friendly reminder that wash sale rules don't technically apply to crypto (yet) since the IRS classifies crypto as property, not securities. This is actually one advantage for crypto traders. If you have any losses, you can sell and rebuy immediately to harvest the tax loss without waiting 30 days like you would with stocks. Could help offset those gains. Just make sure you're using crypto tax software that handles this correctly, as many general tax programs incorrectly apply wash sale rules to crypto.
This is absolutely correct but be aware the rules might change soon. There's proposed legislation that would apply wash sale rules to crypto starting in 2023. I've been taking advantage of this loophole while I can!
I was in almost the exact same situation as you last year - made about $2,800 in crypto profits and was tempted to not report it. But after reading all these horror stories about IRS letters and penalties, I decided to just bite the bullet and report everything. Honestly, it wasn't as bad as I thought. The actual tax I owed on the $2,700 was only around $600 (depending on your tax bracket), but the peace of mind was worth it. I used one of the crypto tax software tools mentioned here and it made the whole process pretty straightforward. The way I see it, $2,700 might seem small to us, but it's exactly the kind of amount the IRS targets because they know most people think it's "too small to matter." Don't give them an easy win - just report it properly and sleep well at night.
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This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar boat with a $850k mortgage and paid about $8,500 in points at closing. Based on what everyone's shared, it sounds like I can deduct about 88% of those points ($750k ÷ $850k = 0.882). One question I haven't seen addressed - does the timing of when you close matter for the tax year? I closed in late December 2024, so I'm wondering if I should claim the points deduction on my 2024 return or wait until 2025. The points were definitely paid in 2024, but I'm second-guessing myself since it was so close to year-end. Also, has anyone here dealt with points on a VA loan? I'm wondering if there are any special rules that apply since it's a government-backed mortgage. My lender wasn't super clear about this during closing.
Welcome to the community! Your calculation looks correct - 88% of your points should be deductible given the $750k/$850k ratio. For timing, you definitely claim the points on your 2024 return since that's when you paid them at closing. The IRS goes by when the expense was actually paid, not when you decide to file. December closing still counts for 2024. Regarding VA loans, the good news is that points on VA loans follow the same deduction rules as conventional mortgages. The government backing doesn't change the tax treatment - you still get to deduct the proportional amount based on the $750k limit. Just make sure your closing disclosure clearly shows the points as a separate line item, which it should. Keep all your VA loan documents together since they sometimes have slightly different terminology than conventional loans, but the IRS treats them the same for deduction purposes.
Great question about VA loans and year-end timing! Just to add to what @Liam Sullivan mentioned - I went through something very similar with an $820k VA loan where I closed in November. One thing to watch out for with VA loans is that sometimes the funding fee gets lumped together with points on certain documents, but they're treated differently for tax purposes. The VA funding fee isn't deductible as mortgage interest/points - only the actual discount points you paid to reduce your interest rate count. Make sure your closing disclosure (CD) shows the points separately from the funding fee. If it's not clear, you might want to contact your lender for a breakdown. The VA funding fee typically shows up as a separate line item, but I've seen some confusing closing documents where everything got grouped together. Also, since you mentioned you're second-guessing the timing - the IRS is pretty clear that it's based on the payment date, not the loan start date or when you file. Your December 2024 closing means it goes on your 2024 return, period. Don't overthink it! Your 88% calculation is spot on. Just remember to keep that closing disclosure safe - VA loan audits tend to focus heavily on the points vs. funding fee distinction.
This is really helpful information about VA loans! I didn't realize the funding fee could get mixed up with points on the closing documents. I'll definitely need to double-check my closing disclosure to make sure I'm only claiming the actual discount points and not accidentally including the funding fee. @Yara Sabbagh - when you say VA loan audits focus on the points vs. funding fee distinction, does that mean they re'more likely to audit VA loans, or just that when they do audit, that s'what they look at closely? I m'always worried about triggering an audit, especially with a jumbo loan. Also, does anyone know if the VA funding fee affects your home s'cost basis for capital gains purposes later? I know it s'not deductible as interest, but I m'wondering if it gets added to what I paid for the house when I eventually sell.
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Code 570 is basically the IRS saying "hold up, we need to take a closer look at something." Since you have both 570 and 971 codes, you'll definitely get a notice in the mail explaining what they need from you. Common reasons for HOH filers include verifying dependents, income matching, or identity verification. The good news is your refund amount is still showing correctly at -$6,042, so they're not disputing the amount. Just hang tight for that notice - it should arrive within 2-3 weeks and will tell you exactly what to do next.
Thanks for breaking that down! That actually makes me feel a bit better knowing the refund amount isn't being disputed. I'll keep an eye out for that notice in the mail. Hopefully it's something simple I can resolve quickly 🤞
I had the exact same situation last year - filed HOH with EIC and got hit with code 570. Turned out they just needed to verify my qualifying child for HOH status. Had to send in birth certificate and school records. Took about 5 weeks total but once I provided the docs they released my refund pretty quick. The waiting is the worst part but at least your refund amount looks solid!
Ava Thompson
I just went through this same situation with my son's summer coding bootcamp internship! The 1099-NEC vs W-2 confusion is so real - I called the company three times trying to get them to "fix" it before realizing that's just how they handle interns. One thing that really helped us was using the home office deduction since he did a good portion of his work remotely. Even though he's a student living at home, we were able to deduct a percentage of utilities, rent, and internet for the space he used exclusively for internship work. TurboTax walked us through the simplified home office method which lets you deduct $5 per square foot up to 300 sq ft. Also, don't forget about the student loan interest deduction if you're paying any student loans - that can help offset some of the self-employment tax burden. The combination of business deductions, home office, and education-related credits really helped reduce the overall tax impact of that 1099 income. The Schedule C route is definitely correct, even though it feels weird calling a 3-month internship "self-employment." The IRS just cares about the form you received, not the nature of the work relationship.
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TommyKapitz
•This is so helpful to hear from someone who went through the exact same thing! The home office deduction is something I hadn't really considered since my husband is living in our regular family home, but if he had a dedicated workspace for the internship, that makes total sense. Quick question about the simplified home office method - when you say "exclusively for internship work," does that mean the space couldn't be used for anything else during those 3 months? Like if he used our spare bedroom but we occasionally had guests, would that disqualify it? Or is it more about dedicated time periods when it was used exclusively for work? Also really appreciate the reminder about student loan interest deduction - we are paying on his loans so that's another piece I can factor in. It's reassuring to hear that all these different deductions and credits can help offset that self-employment tax hit!
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Diez Ellis
I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My daughter got a 1099-NEC from her summer research internship at a local nonprofit, and I was completely confused at first too. Like your husband, she's a full-time student with no other income. After reading through all the great advice here and doing some research, I can confirm that Schedule C is definitely the right approach. What helped me understand it better is that the IRS doesn't really care about the "intent" of the work arrangement - they just care about the form the company issued. Since they gave your husband a 1099-NEC instead of a W-2, they're treating him as an independent contractor for tax purposes. One thing I learned that might help you feel better about this: even though the self-employment tax seems scary at 15.3%, remember that regular employees pay 7.65% for their share of Social Security and Medicare taxes, and their employers pay the other 7.65%. As a "self-employed" person, your husband is essentially paying both halves, but he also gets to deduct business expenses that regular employees can't claim. The deduction possibilities really do add up - I was surprised how many legitimate expenses my daughter had that I hadn't initially thought of. Make sure to track everything from mileage to any supplies or software he needed for the internship. Good luck with the filing!
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Amara Nnamani
•This is such a helpful way to think about it! You're absolutely right that the IRS just cares about the form they issued, not the intent behind the work arrangement. That really helps me wrap my head around why a temporary internship gets treated as "self-employment." Your point about the self-employment tax essentially being both halves of what employees and employers normally split is really enlightening too. I hadn't thought about it that way, but it makes the 15.3% rate make more sense - it's not actually double taxation, just paying both sides of what would normally be split between worker and company. I'm definitely going to go back through and make sure we're capturing all possible legitimate expenses. It sounds like even small things can add up to meaningful savings on that self-employment tax. Thanks for sharing your experience - it's so reassuring to hear from other parents who've navigated this exact same situation successfully!
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