Do you know if there's a way to see just the reassessed properties? When I look at the county website, I can't tell which ones have been recently reassessed vs ones that haven't changed hands in years.

Most county websites allow you to filter or sort by "sale date" or "transfer date." Once you find properties with recent sales, you can look at their assessment history to see both the before and after values. The assessment records typically show the date of assessment changes as well. If your county site doesn't have good filtering options, you can usually still see the last sale date on each property record. Just look for ones that sold recently, then check if their assessed value changed after that sale date.

This happened to me too! I got a random $1,200 bill about 5 months after moving in. My mortgage company didn't handle it because it was outside the normal property tax schedule.

Oh that's a good point I hadn't thought of. So the IRS already knows about this income from my credit union? What else do they automatically know about?

Yes, the IRS receives copies of virtually all information returns that are issued to you, including 1099-INTs, W-2s, 1099-NECs, 1099-DIVs, 1099-Rs, etc. Their computers automatically match these against what you report on your tax return. The IRS also gets information about mortgage interest you've paid, student loan interest, education expenses, health insurance coverage, state tax refunds, unemployment benefits, and social security benefits. Most financial transactions that generate tax forms will be reported to the IRS. They even get information about certain large cash transactions and foreign bank accounts in some cases.

Financial institutions are required to issue a 1099-INT if they paid you $10 or more in interest during the tax year. If you earned less than that at some banks, they wouldn't be required to send you a form.

These volunteer programs are hit or miss for investment questions though. I tried VITA last year and the volunteer wasn't comfortable answering my stock trading questions. Said they mostly handle basic returns without investment income.

Would he need to hire a lawyer to deal with this if the company insists on the W-9? That could get expensive real quick.

Not necessarily. There are several free options before considering a lawyer. He can file Form SS-8 with the IRS to request a determination of worker status, which costs nothing. He can also contact his state's labor department, which typically offers free assistance with worker classification issues. If he's misclassified and files the SS-8, the company may receive a notice from the IRS about proper classification. Many companies will correct the issue at that point to avoid penalties. Legal help is usually a last resort after exhausting these administrative remedies.

This is a really good point! My cousin's small construction business did something similar - gave 1099s to everyone because that's what the previous owner had done. When an employee pointed out the error, they were actually grateful and fixed it right away. Not every misclassification is malicious - sometimes it's just ignorance.

Thanks for the advice! Did your CPA need to file separate state returns? And did you have to provide any special documentation to prove your living situation in different states?

We filed a joint federal return, then a resident California return for the spouse living there and my spouse had to file a non-resident California return for certain income. The documentation we needed included proof of domicile for both states - things like utility bills, rental agreements, driver's licenses, and employment records. Our CPA also had us document the number of days physically present in each state during the year, which apparently matters for California's residency determination. Keep a record of your travel between states if possible, as this helps establish which state is your true domicile versus just a temporary location.

I tried TurboTax Live for my multi-state situation last year and had mixed results. The preparer seemed knowledgeable about federal issues but was iffy on California's specific rules. Had to keep asking questions and didn't feel super confident. Might depend on which preparer you get assigned.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Sounds like it might be better to find someone who specializes in California taxes specifically rather than taking a chance with who I might get assigned. The peace of mind would be worth paying a bit more.